Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia is a founding member of the United Nations, signing the UN Charter in 1945. Since then, Australia has been an active participant in the UN, playing a role in the establishment of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Australia has also been a leading proponent of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and has consistently supported the UN's role in world affairs. Australia is committed to strengthening international law, preventing conflict, and restoring peace and security.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founding member | Yes |
| Year of UN's formation | 1945 |
| Number of current member states | 193 |
| Australia's rank in financial contribution to the UN | 12th or 13th largest contributor |
| Number of times Australia has been an elected member of the United Nations Security Council | 5 |
| Number of Australians who have commanded or led multinational peacekeeping operations | 7 |
| Number of Australian peacekeepers who have died on UN missions | 9 |
| Number of ethnicities Australians identify with | Over 270 |
| Number of languages spoken in Australia | Over 260 |
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What You'll Learn
Australia is a founding member of the UN
Australia has been integrally involved in global efforts to build and restore peace for more than 60 years. Australia held the first Presidency of the UN Security Council in 1946 and provided the first military personnel as peacekeepers under UN auspices a year later, to Indonesia. Australia has since been an elected member of the United Nations Security Council on five occasions. About 65,000 Australian personnel have participated in more than 50 peacekeeping operations in about 25 different conflicts.
Australia is committed to strengthening international law to prevent conflict and restore peace and security. Australia was one of the eight countries that drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and has been a leading proponent of its consistent and comprehensive implementation. Australia has also played an important role in the establishment of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Australia is the 12th or 13th largest financial contributor to the UN, providing significant financial support. Australia contributed more than US$87 million in the years 2004 to 2006, with a regular budget of US$22.9 million, peacekeeping costs of approximately US$60 million, and over US$4 million in contributions to International Tribunals. Australia also provides voluntary funding to many UN agencies. Australia is also the fifth-largest contributor to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Indigenous Populations.
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Australia's role in the UN's founding
Australia played a significant role in the founding of the United Nations (UN) and remains an active member of the UN today. The nation was keen to ensure that smaller nations had a say in the organisation, which was created in the wake of the Second World War to maintain peace and security.
In 1941, many of the nations allied against Nazi Germany signed a declaration that hoped for peace for current and future generations. This was followed by a series of conferences, which resulted in the creation of the UN in 1945. Australia's Minister for External Affairs, Herbert Vere ('Doc') Evatt, played a crucial role in the founding of the UN. Evatt was keen to ensure that smaller countries like Australia had more input in international negotiations and were better protected against aggression. He formed an alliance with New Zealand to make sure that larger and more powerful nations did not make decisions without consulting smaller nations. Evatt supported the idea of 'collective security', and his efforts may have helped to secure legitimacy for the new organisation.
At the 1945 San Francisco conference, the Australian delegation put forward a range of amendments to the Dumbarton Oaks proposal, which had been drafted at a conference in Washington DC in 1944. With the support of other smaller nations, Evatt succeeded in enlarging the scope of the UN's main body, the General Assembly, of which he was president from 1948 to 1949. Evatt's other major achievement was a greater acknowledgement of the social and economic roles of the new organisation. Member nations pledged to work towards freedom for all, respect for human rights, full employment and better living standards for all people.
Australia was one of the eight countries that drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. The country has also played an important role in the establishment of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Australia is committed to strengthening international law to prevent conflict and restore peace and security. The country has also been integrally involved in global efforts to build and restore peace for more than 60 years.
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Australia's financial support for the UN
Australia is a founding member of the United Nations and has been actively engaged in the organisation since its formation in 1945. It was an active participant at the 1945 San Francisco Conference, during which the UN Charter was negotiated. Australia held the first Presidency of the UN Security Council in 1946 and provided the first military personnel as peacekeepers under UN auspices to Indonesia in 1947.
Australia has consistently supported the UN's role in world affairs and regards the organisation as an essential forum to influence world events, promote a stable international framework, defend its security and sovereignty, and pursue trade and economic interests. Australia has been an elected member of the United Nations Security Council on five occasions in the past and has served on the Human Rights Council.
In terms of financial support, Australia is the twelfth-largest financial contributor to the UN, according to some sources, and the thirteenth-largest, according to others. Between 2004 and 2006, Australia contributed more than $87 million to the UN, with a regular budget of $22.9 million, peacekeeping costs of approximately $60 million, and over $4 million in contributions to International Tribunals. Australia also provides voluntary funding to many UN agencies, with the level of support based on the relevance of the agency's work to Australia's aid program priorities, their focus on the Asia-Pacific region, and their continued effective performance.
Australia has also been involved in various UN peacekeeping operations, including in East Timor, Sudan, and Darfur. About 65,000 Australian personnel have participated in more than fifty peacekeeping operations in approximately 25 different conflicts. Australia's contributions to UN activity include peace and security, human rights, development assistance, and social, economic, and environmental affairs.
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Australia's peacekeeping efforts
Australia has been actively involved in global efforts to build and restore peace for more than 60 years. Australians have served in peacekeeping roles every year since 1947, when the first Australian peacekeepers were deployed to Indonesia. Australia has provided peacekeepers and resource support to many UN-led peacekeeping missions.
In Indonesia, information from UN military observers helped the Indonesian Republicans win their independence from the Dutch. Australians were part of the very first group of UN military observers in the world, and were the first into the field. Australians have commanded various multinational operations, including in Kashmir with the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, and with the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia.
In 1993, Australia had over 2,000 peacekeepers in the field, with large contingents in Cambodia and Somalia. Australia took a leading diplomatic role in Cambodia, searching for a settlement to factional strife in a country still suffering the effects of the genocidal Pol Pot regime of the 1970s. In Somalia, a battalion-level Australian contingent was successful in allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid in the Baidoa area. In 1994, Australians were in Rwanda, where the contingent centred on medical staff who were able to treat many local people.
In 1997, Australians served on Bougainville, in the conflict between the Papua New Guinea government and the separatist Bougainville Revolutionary Army. In 1999, Australia led a peace enforcement operation as East Timor achieved independence from Indonesia. This dwarfed all its previous peacekeeping efforts.
Australia is the 11th largest financial contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget. Australia is a leading advocate for the international implementation of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle, which addresses the responsibility of states to protect populations from mass atrocity crimes. Australia is a top 10 donor to the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), providing over $27.5 million since 2020. Australia has provided military, police, and civilian personnel to 62 operations, as well as capacity building, equipment, and airlift capability.
Australia has played an important role in the establishment of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Australia supported the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in 2014 and released its Indigenous Peoples Strategy in 2015, providing a framework to work collaboratively with Indigenous peoples, communities, and businesses to advance and promote the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples worldwide. Australia is the fifth-largest contributor to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Indigenous Populations.
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Australia's involvement in UN initiatives
Australia is a founding member of the United Nations and has been actively involved in UN initiatives for more than 60 years. The country played a significant role in drafting the UN Charter during the 1945 San Francisco Conference, with its delegation led by then Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Frank Forde and Minister for External Affairs Dr. Herbert ‘Doc’ Evatt.
Australia has been committed to strengthening international law, preventing conflict, and restoring peace and security. The country held the first Presidency of the UN Security Council in 1946 and provided the first military personnel as peacekeepers under the UN to Indonesia in 1947. Since then, over 70,000 Australian peacekeepers have supported more than 60 operations worldwide. Australia has also been a leading proponent of the consistent and comprehensive implementation of human rights treaties, being one of the eight countries that drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Australia has been an active participant in UN initiatives promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation for peace. The country is a member of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance and supports the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). In 2014, Australia supported the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples and released its Indigenous Peoples Strategy in 2015, aiming to advance and promote the well-being of indigenous peoples globally.
Australia has contributed to global development efforts, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which provides a roadmap for global development initiatives until 2030. Australia was also involved in the historic global climate change agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the 2015 Paris Agreement. Additionally, Australia has funded initiatives to address crucial issues such as food security, climate change, and marine biodiversity. For instance, Australia provided $6 million to the Coral Triangle Initiative, which involves six countries working together to conserve marine and coastal resources in the Coral Triangle region.
Australia has also been a strong advocate of peacebuilding and peacekeeping reform, promoting comprehensive and integrated approaches by all UN partners to effectively prevent conflict and build sustainable peace. The country is committed to fostering mutual respect and understanding among different religions and cultures, reflecting its position as one of the most multicultural nations globally, with people identifying with over 270 ethnicities, speaking more than 260 languages, and observing all the world's religions.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Australia is a founding member of the United Nations and has been a member since its formation in 1945.
Australia was an active participant at the 1945 San Francisco Conference, during which the UN Charter was negotiated. Australia played a significant role in drafting the charter, arguing against allowing permanent members a veto power.
Australia has played an important role in the establishment of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Australia is also the 12th or 13th largest financial contributor to the UN and has been an elected member of the United Nations Security Council on five occasions.
Australia is committed to strengthening international law to prevent conflict and restore peace and security. Australia is an active participant in UN initiatives and supports reform of the Security Council to better reflect the modern world and ensure accessibility to small and middle-sized countries.
