What the UN Can Do to Assist Non-Self
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What the UN Can Do To Assist Non-Self Governing Territories “Today, 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories across the globe remain under the purview of this Committee [Special Committee on Decolonization]. I call on the international community to address the issue of self-government and find innovative and practical ways to implement the decolonization process. In this endeavour, we shall be guided by the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the relevant General Assembly resolutions.” —United Nations Secretary-General February 2015 04 CHART table of 06 MAP 08 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND contents 12 WHAT THE UNITED NATIONS CAN DO TO ASSIST NON-SELF-GOVERNING TERRITORIES 14 United Nations 21 United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) 22 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 24 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 26 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 26 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) 27 Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 28 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 30 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 31 World Health Organization (WHO) 33 International Labour Organization (ILO) 35 Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs) 36 Africa 37 Atlantic and Caribbean 46 Europe 47 Pacific listing administering land area territory populationI TERRITORIES TO WHICH THE DECLARATION ON THE GRANTING as nsgt power (Sq.km.)I OF INDEPENDENCE TO COLONIAL COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES CONTINUES TO APPLY (AS OF 2016) EUROPE Gibraltar Since 1946 United Kingdom 5.8 33,140 listing administering land area territory populationI PACIFIC as nsgt power (Sq.km.)I American Samoa Since 1946 United States 200 55,170 AFRICA 1946-1947 French Polynesia France 3,600 271,800 and since 2013 Western Sahara since 1963 II 266,000 586,000 Guam Since 1946 United States 540 159,358 ATLANTIC AND CARIBBEAN 1946-1947 New Caledonia France 18,575 268,767 Anguilla Since 1946 United Kingdom 96 15,700 and since 1986 Bermuda Since 1946 United Kingdom 53.35 65,187 Pitcairn Since 1946 United Kingdom 35.5 39 British Virgin Islands Since 1946 United Kingdom 153 28,200 Tokelau Since 1946 New Zealand 12.2 1,411 CAyman Islands Since 1946 United Kingdom 264 58,238 I. All data is from United Nations Secretariat 2016 Working Papers on Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs), Falkland Islands (Malvinas)III Since 1946 United Kingdom 12,173 2,500 and for Western Sahara, from UN data (http://data.un.org), a database by the United Nations Statistics Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations. Montserrat Since 1946 United Kingdom 103 5,000 II. On 26 February 1976, Spain informed the Secretary-General that as of that date it had terminated its presence in the Territory of the Sahara and deemed it necessary to place on record that Spain consid- Saint Helena Since 1946 United Kingdom 310 5,765 ered itself thenceforth exempt from any responsibility of any international nature in connection with the administration of the Territory, in view of the cessation of its participation in the temporary administra- tion established for the Territory. In 1990, the General Assembly reaffirmed that the question of Western Turks and C aicos Islands Since 1946 United Kingdom 948.2 36,689 Sahara was a question of decolonization which remained to be completed by the people of Western Sahara. United States Virgin Islands Since 1946 united states 352 105,080 III. A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (see ST/CS/SER.A/42). 4 5 Non-Self-Governing Territories U.S.A.U.S.A. UNITEDUNITED KINGDOMKINGDOM FRANCEFRANCE UNITEDUNITED STATES STATES OF AMERICAOF AMERICA BermudaBermuda GibraltarGibraltar TurksTurks and Caicos and Caicos Islands Islands BritishBritish Virgin Virgin Islands Islands WesternWestern Sahara Sahara U.S. VirginU.S. Virgin Islands Islands GuamGuam CaymanCayman AnguillaAnguilla IslandsIslands MontserratMontserrat TokelauTokelau St. HelenaSt. Helena FrenchFrench Polynesia Polynesia New CaledoniaNew Caledonia AmericanAmerican Samoa Samoa PitcairnPitcairn *A dispute*A dispute exists betweenexists between the Governments the Governments of Argentina of Argentina and and the Unitedthe UnitedKingdom Kingdom of Great of Britain Great Britainand Northern and Northern Ireland Ireland FalklandFalkland Islands Islands (Malvinas)* (Malvinas)* concerningconcerning sovereignty sovereignty over the over Falkland the Falkland Islands Islands (Malvinas). (Malvinas). NEW ZEALANDNEW ZEALAND Non-Self-GoverningNon-Self-Governing Territories Territories The boundariesThe boundaries and names and shownnames andshown the and designations the designations used onused this onmap this do map not implydo not official imply official endorsement endorsement or or ADMINISTERINGADMINISTERING POWERS POWERS acceptanceacceptance by the Unitedby the UnitedNations. Nations. Sub-Committee on Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in London in 1964. Photographed on their arrival at London separate agreements with administer- Airport (left to right): Mr. Godfrey K. J. Amachree, UN Under- HISTORICAL ing States, were formally administered Secretary for Trusteeship and Non-Self-Governing Territories; under Mandates from the League of Mr. Gershon Collier (Sierra Leone); Mr. Sori Coulibaly (Mali), BACKGRoUnD Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Southern Rhodesia; Mr. nations, or were separated from coun- Danilo Lekic (Yugoslavia), and Mr. Tesfaye Gebre-Egzy (Ethiopia), tries defeated in the Second World War, Secretary of the Sub-Committee on Southern Rhodesia. 30 May 1964 / © UN Photo/MH hen the United nations or were voluntarily placed under the was established in 1945, system by States responsible for their W750 million people—almost administration. eleven Territories a third of the world’s population—lived were placed under this system. in Territories that were non-self- Since the creation of the United nations, governing, dependent on colonial more than 80 former colonies have Powers. Today, fewer than 2 million gained their independence. Among people live in such Territories. them, all eleven Trust Territories have The Charter of the United nations achieved self-determination through established, in Chapter XI (Articles 73 independence or free association with an and 74), the principles that continue independent State. There are 17 non-Self- to guide United nations decoloniza- Governing Territories remaining today. tion efforts, including respect for self-determination of all peoples. The Charter binds administering Powers to recognize that the interests The United nations Charter also estab- of the inhabitants of the dependent lished the International Trusteeship Territories are paramount, to agree System in Chapter XII (Articles 75-85) to promote social, economic, political and the Trusteeship Council in Chapter and educational progress in the XIII (Articles 86-91) to monitor certain Territories, to assist in developing Territories, known as “Trust” Territories. appropriate forms of self-government Those Territories, each subject to and to take into account the political 8 aspirations and stages of development adopted, in 1960, the Declaration and advancement of each Territory. on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. Known Administering Powers are also obliged as the Declaration on decolonization, under the Charter to convey to the it stated that all people have a right United nations information on con- to self-determination and proclaimed ditions in the Territories. The United that colonialism should be brought nations monitors progress towards to a speedy and unconditional end. self-determination in the Territories. In 1962 the General Assembly established hoping to speed the progress of decol- the Special Committee on Decolonization onization, the General Assembly (formally the Special Committee on the Situation with Regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples) to monitor imple- mentation of the Declaration and to make recommendations on its application. In 1990, the General Assembly pro- claimed 1990-2000 as the International Decade for the eradication of Colonialism Printed at the United Nations, New York • 12-29891—April 2012 York New the United Nations, at Printed and adopted a Plan of Action. In 2001, the Second International Decade for the eradication of Colonialism was proclaimed. In 2011, the General Assembly proclaimed 2011-2020 as the Third International Decade for Woman voting in the 2007 Referendum the eradication of Colonialism. on Self-determination of Tokelau 10 © Lone Jessen/United Nations What the United Nations Can Do to Assist Non-Self-Governing Territories Under Article 73 of the Charter of the United Nations, the administering Powers of the Non-Self-Governing Territories have the obligation to promote to the utmost the well-being of the inhabitants of these Territories, further constructive measures of development and cooperate with the United Nations and other associated international bodies in this endeavour, when and where appropriate. The following is a select list of United Nations bodies that offer assistance to the Non-Self-Governing Territories. in non-Self-Governing Territories under during visiting missions; and in any United nations review; (ii) provides information on other activity carried out to implement territorial developments; (iii) facili- the