United Nations resolution

A formal text adopted by a United Nations body that states a decision, recommendation, or declaration. Its effects depend on the adopting body and the authority of the UN Charter.

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United Nations Security Council: The UN organ charged with maintaining international peace and security, with authority to adopt binding decisions under the Charter. Its resolutions can impose obligations on member states when adopted under the Charter.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 2728: A Security Council resolution adopted on 25 March 2024 that demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for Ramadan. Its wording and adoption illustrate debates over whether a Security Council demand is binding.
United Nations peacekeeping: UN operations that help countries affected by conflict create conditions for lasting peace. Security Council resolutions commonly establish or renew peacekeeping missions and define their mandates.
United Nations: An international organization founded in 1945 to maintain peace, develop friendly relations, and promote international cooperation. Resolutions are acts of its organs, not a single unified legislature.
Binding resolution: A resolution that creates a legal obligation for its intended addressees under the authority of the adopting body. Determining whether a Council resolution is binding can turn on its wording, context, and Charter basis.
United Nations General Assembly: The UN's main deliberative body, where all member states have a vote. Most Assembly resolutions express recommendations or positions rather than binding law.
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 377: The 1950 General Assembly resolution known as “Uniting for Peace,” addressing threats to peace when the Security Council is blocked. It shows how the Assembly can recommend collective action without acquiring the Council's enforcement powers.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 678: A 1990 Security Council resolution authorizing member states to use “all necessary means” to enforce Iraq's withdrawal from Kuwait. It is a prominent example of a resolution authorizing military force.
United Nations organs: The principal bodies established by the UN Charter, including the General Assembly and Security Council. Different organs adopt resolutions under distinct mandates and procedures.
International law and United Nations resolutions: The study of how UN resolutions relate to legal obligations, customary law, and the interpretation of international rules. Resolutions can have legal significance beyond straightforward commands, but their status is not uniform.