United Nations Fourth Committee
Encyclopedia
The United Nations Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly
(also known as the Special Political and Decolonization Committee) is one of six committees of the United Nations
(consisting of all UN members
). It was initially given jurisdiction over trusteeship and non-self-governing territories. However, after the dismantling of the trusteeship system resulting from independence being granted to all the trust territories
, and the now-limited number of non-self-governing territories, that jurisdiction is insufficient to keep the committee occupied. Consequently, it was merged with the Special Political Committee (which had been created as a seventh committee of the whole
to deal with certain political issues after the General Assembly found that the First Committee (Disarmament and Political) was too busy. The Fourth Committee deals with decolonization, Palestinian refugee
s and human rights
, peacekeeping
, mine action
, outer space, public information, atomic radiation and the University for Peace
.
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
(also known as the Special Political and Decolonization Committee) is one of six committees of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
(consisting of all UN members
United Nations member states
There are 193 United Nations member states, and each of them is a member of the United Nations General Assembly.The criteria for admission of new members are set out in the United Nations Charter, Chapter II, Article 4, as follows:...
). It was initially given jurisdiction over trusteeship and non-self-governing territories. However, after the dismantling of the trusteeship system resulting from independence being granted to all the trust territories
United Nations Trust Territories
United Nations trust territories were the successors of the remaining League of Nations mandates and came into being when the League of Nations ceased to exist in 1946. All of the trust territories were administered through the UN Trusteeship Council...
, and the now-limited number of non-self-governing territories, that jurisdiction is insufficient to keep the committee occupied. Consequently, it was merged with the Special Political Committee (which had been created as a seventh committee of the whole
Committee of the Whole
A Committee of the Whole is a device in which a legislative body or other deliberative assembly is considered one large committee. All members of the legislative body are members of such a committee...
to deal with certain political issues after the General Assembly found that the First Committee (Disarmament and Political) was too busy. The Fourth Committee deals with decolonization, Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugees or Palestine refugees are the people and their descendants, predominantly Palestinian Arabic-speakers, who fled or were expelled from their homes during and after the 1948 Palestine War, within that part of the British Mandate of Palestine, that after that war became the...
s and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
, mine action
Mine action
Mine action is a domain within humanitarian aid and development studies concerned with activities which aim to reduce the social, economic and environmental impact of landmines and the explosive remnants of war...
, outer space, public information, atomic radiation and the University for Peace
University for Peace
The University for Peace was established in Costa Rica in 1980 "to provide humanity with an international institution of higher education for peace and with the aim of promoting among all human beings the spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence."At present, the UPEACE Costa...
.