UNITED NATIONS’ HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION IN ARMED CONFLICT: EXAMINATION OF THE LEGAL PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

The first United Nations peacekeeping mission was established in 1948, when the Security Council authorized the deployment of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization to the Middle East to monitor the Armistice Agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbours. Since then, there have been more than 70 United Nations peacekeeping operations around the world. This paper examines the peacekeeping operations of the United Nations over centuries of its existence and how it has evolved to meet demands of different conflicts and a changing political landscape. It studies the history of the organization and the legality of its missions in the area of humanitarian intervention. The paper analyzes how the United Nations Security Council deals with armed attacks, enforcement action, and dispute resolution. It argues that the issue of humanitarian intervention by the United Nations should be made part of what United Nations mission was earlier set to be. That is, armed intervention in conflicts to separate parties at war should now be authorized by the United Nations to include humanitarian interventions and peace building. The Paper concludes that humanitarian intervention should be fully incorporated into United Nations charter and its mission. An entrenched humanitarian intervention into the Charter will give legal backing for action and justify humanitarian intervention when the organizations meant to protect human rights failed or neglected to act.