Today, the Charter of the United Nations officially turns 79. It is U.N. Day, which marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the U.N. Charter on Oct. 24, 1945. The U.N. describes the day as an opportunity to “reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.” But a growing movement also sees it as a moment to reflect on the charter’s shortcomings.
But not only: We at the UN Charter Reform Coalition — a group of civil society organizations advocating for change — also seek to reflect on how an upgrade to the U.N. Charter can help us chart a new way forward and build the global governance the world so desperately needs.
Seventy-nine years ago, the U.N. Charter was groundbreaking. Its true genius, however, is that reform is embedded within: Two articles were included in the text to placate early criticism of the charter. Articles 108 and 109 allow for amendments to be made, if supported by a majority of countries (and the five permanent members of the Security Council, the P5).