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CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS
(summary written by young people)
The Charter of the United Nations was signed on June 26, 1945 in San Francisco at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization and came into force on October 24, 1945.
PREAMBLE
WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DETERMINED
to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and
to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and
to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and
to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
AND FOR THESE ENDS
to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and
to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and
to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and
to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,
HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS
Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of
San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form,
have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations.
CHARTER SUMMARY
Chapter I: Purposes and Principles
Article I The Purposes of the United Nations are:
1.1 To maintain peace by peaceful means.
1.2 To take action which respects equal rights and self-determination of peoples.
1.3 To achieve international cooperation and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.
1.4 To harmonize the actions of nations.
Article 2 The UN will act according to these Principles:
2.1 There is sovereign equality for all UN Members.
2.2 All UN membership obligations must be fulfilled to gain the benefits of membership.
2.3 & 2.4 All disputes shall be settled peacefully. Members will refrain from using force or the threat of force.
2.5 Members will assist UN actions and not assist any state opposing UN principles.
2.6 The UN will ensure that non-member states will follow UN principles to keep world peace.
2.7 “Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.”
(Chapter VII deals with threats and breaches of peace and acts of aggression.)
Chapter II: Membership
Article 3 The original Members are states who either participated in the June 1945
San Francisco meeting or signed the 1942 Declaration by United Nations.
Article 4
4.1 “Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgement of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.”
4.2 Any state can become a member upon the recommendation of the Security Council and the approval of the General Assembly.
Article 5 “A Member of the United Nations against which preventative or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be suspended.” UN membership rights may be restored by the Security Council.
Article 6 A Member who has “persistently” violated UN Charter Principles may be expelled by the General Assembly, upon recommendation by the Security Council.
Chapter III: Organs
Article 7
7.1 & 7..2 The UN will consist of a General Assembly (GA), a Security Council (SC), an Economic & Social Council (ESC), a Trusteeship Council (TC), an International Court of Justice (ICJ), a Secretariat and other organs as needed.
Article 8 Men and women can participate equally in UN principal and subsidiary organs.
Chapter IV: The General Assembly (GA)
Composition
Article 9
9.1 & 9.2 The GA consists of all UN Members. Each Member has no more than five representatives.
Functions and Powers
Article 10 The GA discusses matters within the scope of the Charter and makes “recommendations” to UN Members and/or to the Security Council with the exceptions stated in Article 12.
Article 11
11.1 The GA maintains international peace and security using principles of cooperation and those governing disarmament and the regulation of armaments. It makes recommendations to Members and/or the Security Council.
11.2 The GA discusses questions of world peace introduced by Members or non-members. Issues requiring action will be referred to the Security Council after GA discussion or before.
11.3 The GA alerts the Security Council to situations threatening international peace.
11.4 The GA powers described in this Article do not limit the scope of Article 10.
Article 12
12.1 The GA may not make recommendations about situations under consideration by the Security Council unless so requested.
12.2 If the Security Council consents, the Secretary General can notify the GA, or Members when the GA is adjourned, about issues being considered by the Security Council.
Article 13
13.1 & 13.2 The GA initiates studies and makes recommendations for the purpose of promoting international cooperation in political, economic, social, cultural, educational, health, human rights and fundamental freedom issues.
Article 14 Subject to the provisions in Article 12, the GA recommends peaceful adjustment of any situation which threatens the welfare or friendly relations of nations including UN Charter violations.
Article 15
15.1 & 15.2 The GA considers reports from the Security Council and other UN organs.
Article 16 The GA has trusteeship functions described in Chapters XII and XIII including areas not designated as “strategic.”
Article 17
17.1 The GA considers and approves the UN budget.
17.2 The expenses of the UN are apportioned to Members by the GA.
17.3 The GA considers, approves and examines the budgets of specialized agencies referred to in Article 57.
Voting
Article 18
18.1 Each GA member has one vote.
18.2 Important decisions of the GA are made by a two-thirds majority vote of members present. These questions include international peace and security questions, elections of non-permanent members of the Security Council, election of members to the Economic and Social Council as well as the Trusteeship Council, admission of new UN Members, “the suspension of the rights and privileges of membership, the expulsion of Members, questions relating to the operation of the trusteeship system and budgetary questions.”
18.3 “Decisions on other questions, including the determination of additional categories of questions to be decided by a two-thirds majority, shall be made by a majority of the Members present and voting.”
Article 19 A Member neglecting to pay dues for two full years can have no vote in the GA unless the GA permits it because it believes “failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the Member.”
Procedure
Article 20 The GA meets in regular annual sessions. Special sessions may be called by the Secretary General at the request of the Security Council or a majority of UN Members.
Article 21 The GA adopts its own rules for procedure.
Article 22 The GA “may establish such subsidiary organs as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.”
Chapter V: The Security Council (SC)
Composition
Article 23
23.1 The SC consists of 15 UN Members. Permanent members are The Republic of China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America. The GA elects 10 other non-permanent members considering those who actively participate in the UN and equitable geographical distribution.
23.2 Non-permanent SC members have a term of two years. A retiring member is not eligible for immediate re-election.
23.3 Each SC member has one representative.
Functions and Powers
Article 24
24.1 The SC has the primary responsibility of maintaining “international peace and security.”
24.2 The SC acts according to the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations. Its specific powers to undertake these duties are described in Chapters VI, VII, VIII and XII.
24.3 The SC gives annual and special reports when necessary to the General Assembly for consideration.
Article 25 UN Members agree to accept and carry out SC decisions in accordance with the UN Charter.
Article 26 “In order to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least diversion for armaments of the world’s human and economic resources, the Security Council shall be responsible for formulating, with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee referred to in Article 47, plans to be submitted to the Members of the United Nations for the establishment of a system for the regulation of armaments.”
Voting
Article 27
27.1 Each SC member has one vote.
27.2 SC procedural decisions are made by an affirmative vote of nine members.
27.3 All other matters are decided by the affirmative vote of nine members “including the concurring votes of the permanent members.” According to Chapter VI and Article 52.3, a party to a dispute shall abstain from voting.
Procedure
Article 28
28.1 The Security Council functions continuously and each member is represented at all times at the UN in New York.
28.2 The SC holds periodic meetings at which a specially designated person or government member can be the representing member.
28.3 The SC can meet outside the New York UN headquarters.
Article 29 The SC may establish any subsidiary organization it finds necessary.
Article 30 The SC adopts its own rules of procedure including selecting its President.
Article 31 Any UN Member may be a non-voting participant in SC discussions if they are involved in the issue at hand.
Article 32 Any non-SC-member or non-UN-member may be invited by the SC to be a non-voting participant in a discussion relating to their involvement in a dispute.
Chapter VI: Pacific Settlement of Disputes
Article 33
33.1 Parties of a dispute likely to endanger international peace and security should approach a solution first by “negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice.”
33.2 The SC can call on such parties to use such means when it is thought necessary.
Article 34 The SC may investigate any situation which “might lead to international friction or give rise to dispute” for the purpose of determining if the situation could endanger international peace and security.”
Article 35
35.1 A UN Member may bring any situation described in Article 34 to the attention of the SC.
35.2 A non-UN-member may do the same if it accepts in advance the “obligations of pacific settlement provided in the present Charter.”
35.3 GA proceedings concerning “matters brought to its attention under this Article will be subject to the provisions of Articles 11 and 12.”
Article 36
36.1 The SC may recommend appropriate procedures at any stage of a dispute similar to the description in Article 33.
36.2 The SC should consider any settlement already adopted by the involved parties.
36.3 In making recommendations, the SC should remember that legal disputes are generally best handled by the International Court of Justice.
Article 37
37.1 If parties of a dispute endangering international peace and security fail to settle by the means described in Article 33, they shall refer the dispute to the SC.
37.2 If the SC believes a dispute is likely to continue and endanger world peace, it can take action under Article 36 or recommend an appropriate settlement.
Article 38 Considering the provisions of Articles 33 to 37, the SC may make recommendations “with a view to a pacific settlement” to disputing parties.
Chapter VII: Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression
Article 39 The SC decides if a threat to or breach of peace or an act of aggression exists. It decides what appropriate measures to take.
Article 40 To avoid further aggravation of a situation, the SC can call upon parties to agree to provisional solutions. The SC shall “take account of failure to comply with such provisional measures.”
Article 41 The SC may call upon UN Members to apply dispute resolving measures not involving the use of armed forces such as “complete or partial interruption of economic relations and of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio and other means of communication and the severance of diplomatic relations.”
Article 42 If measures provided for in Article 41 are inadequate, the SC may employ demon- strations, blockades and other operations by air, sea or land forces of UN Members.
Article 43
43.1 All UN Members are to make available to the SC upon its call “armed forces, assistance and facilities, including rights of passage necessary for the purpose of maintaining international peace and security.”
43.2 “The numbers and types of forces, their degree of readiness and general location, and the nature of facilities and assistance to be provided” will be determined by agreements.
43.3 Agreements shall be negotiated as soon as possible on the initiative of the SC. “They shall be concluded between the Security Council and Members or between the Security Council and groups of Members.” They shall be ratified according to the Member’s respective constitutional processes.
Article 44 Before calling on a non-SC-member to provide armed forces, the SC can invite that non-member to join discussions about the employment of their armed forces.
Article 45 UN Members shall hold their national air forces in readiness for “urgent military measures.” The strength, readiness and plans for their combined action are determined by agreements made by the SC with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee.
Article 46 “Plans for the application of armed force shall be made by the Security Council with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee.”
Article 47
47.1 A Military Staff Committee shall be established to “advise and assist” the SC on questions relating to military requirements.
47.2 The Military Staff Committee is made up of the Chiefs of Staff of the permanent members of the SC or their representatives. UN Members other than permanent SC members can be invited “to be associated” with the Military Staff Committee when their participation will increase the efficiency of the Committee.
47.3 The Military Staff Committee is in charge of “strategic direction of any armed forces placed at the disposal” of the SC. “Questions relating to the command of such forces shall be worked out subsequently.”
47.4 The Military Staff Committee may form regional sub-committees after consulting with appropriate regional agencies and with the authorization of the SC.
Article 48
48.1 The SC may determine which UN Members shall carry out the actions to maintain peace.
48.2 These discussions will be carried out by UN Members directly.
Article 49 UN Members shall mutually carry out the decisions of the SC.
Article 50 Any state, whether a UN Member or not, finding that economic problems arise as a result of SC decisions, has the right to consult the SC regarding a solution to those economic problems.
Article 51 Individual or collective self-defense, if an armed attack occurs, is an “inherent right” for UN Members before the SC has taken any action. Self-defense action must be reported immediately to the SC and does not relieve the SC of the responsibility of restoring peace.
Chapter VIII: Regional Arrangements
Article 52
52.1 Regional arrangements and activities for peace-keeping consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations are encouraged.
52.2 & 52.3 & 52.4 UN Members and the SC should achieve regional solutions through regional agencies. This Article does not restrict Articles 34 and 35.
Article 53
53.1 The SC can utilize regional arrangements and agencies for “enforcement action” when appropriate. No
enforcement action may be taken without SC authorization until the UN, upon request of the governments concerned, takes action to prevent further aggression. The exceptions are “measures” taken against an “enemy state” covered in Article 107 or in regional arrangements directed against the renewal of aggression.
53.2 The term “enemy state” applies to “any state which during the Second World War has been an enemy of any signatory of the present Charter.”
Article 54 The SC must be informed at all times about activities either undertaken or contemplated under regional arrangements or by regional agencies to maintain international peace and security.
Chapter IX: International Economic and Social Co-operation
Article 55 Based on the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, the UN “shall promote:
a. higher standards of living, full employment and conditions of economic and social progress and development;
b. solutions of international economic, social, health and related problems; and international cultural and education cooperation; and
c. universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.”
Article 56 All UN Members pledge to take joint and separate action to achieve the purposes stated in Article 55.
Article 57
57.1 & 57.2 Intergovernmental agencies with international responsibilities “shall be brought into relationship” with the UN. In this Charter these agencies are known as “specialized agencies.”
Article 58 The UN makes recommendations for coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies.
Article 59 The UN can initiate negotiations among states to establish agencies to achieve the purposes stated in Article 55.
Article 60 Responsibility for the specialized agencies rests with the Economic and Social Council which is under the authority of the GA.
Chapter X: The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Composition
Article 61
61.1 ECOSOC is made up of 54 UN Members elected by the GA.
61.2 Eighteen ECOSOC members are elected each year for a 3 year term. “A retiring member shall be eligible for immediate re-election.”
61.3 ECOSOC is a 54 member council.
61.4 Each member has one representative.
Function and Powers
Article 62
62.1 ECOSOC may initiate or make international studies and reports about “economic, social, cultural, educational, health and related matters” to the GA and specialized agencies.
62.2 ECOSOC may make recommendations to further human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.
62.3 It prepares draft conventions to submit to the GA.
62.4 It may call international conferences on matters within its areas of concern.
Article 63
63.1 ECOSOC can make agreements with specialized agencies pending approval of the GA.
63.2 It may coordinate activities of specialized agencies through consultation and recommendations by making suggestions to the GA and UN Members.
Article 64
64.1 & 64.2 ECOSOC may obtain reports from specialized agencies and communicate its observations of such reports to the GA.
Article 65 ECOSOC may furnish information and assist the SC upon the request of the SC.
Article 66
66.1 ECOSOC carries out the recommendations of the GA.
66.2 It may carry out requests from specialized agencies and UN Members with GA approval.
66.3 It performs other functions stated in the Charter and assigned to it by the GA.
Voting
Article 67
67.1 Each ECOSOC member has one vote.
67.2 Decisions are made by a majority of members present at voting time.
Procedure
Article 68 ECOSOC may set up commissions in economic and social fields and others as it requires.
Article 69 ECOSOC can invite any UN Member to participate without vote in its discussions.
Article 70 ECOSOC can invite representatives of specialized agencies to participate without vote in its discussions and those of its commissions.
Article 71 ECOSOC may consult with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in relevant matters. The same arrangements may be made with national organizations after consulting with the UN Member concerned.
Article 72
72.1 ECOSOC may adopt its own rules of procedure and method of selecting its President.
72.2 It shall meet according to its rules and on the request of a majority of its members.
Chapter XI: Declaration Regarding Non-Self-Governing Territories
Article 73 UN Members responsible for non-self-governing territories shall promote the well-being of these inhabitants by:
a. respecting the peoples’ culture as well as their political, economic, social and educational advancement and providing them with just treatment;
b. assisting these people in “progressive” political development;
c. furthering international peace and security;
d. constructively developing and cooperating with international bodies to achieve the social, economic and scientific purposes set forth in this Article; and
e. regularly informing the Secretary General with statistical and technical information relating to the economic, social and educational conditions in the non-self-governing territories.
Article 74 UN Members agree that their policies in the territories are based on good-neighborliness and respect for the interests of the rest of the world in social, economical and commercial matters.
Chapter XII: International Trusteeship System
Article 75 The UN shall establish an international trusteeship system for the administration of territories placed under their supervision. These are called “trust territories.”
Article 76 The trusteeship system will further international peace and security, advance the territory
towards self-government considering the wishes of the people therein, encourage respect for human rights and basic freedoms and also ensure justice and equal treatment in social, economic and commercial matters.
Article 77 The trusteeship system applies to territories now held under mandate, those which detached from enemy states during World War II and those placed voluntarily under trusteeship by states responsible for them. Territories will be brought under trusteeship by agreement.
Article 78 Trusteeship will not apply to territories which have become UN Members.
Article 79 Trusteeship terms including alterations will be agreed upon by the states directly concerned.
Article 80
80.1 Nothing in this Chapter shall alter the rights of any states, any peoples or any terms already in existence.
80.2 Paragraph 80.1 shall not be interpreted as giving any grounds for delay, postponement of negotiations or concluding agreements for placing territories under trusteeship.
Article 81 Trusteeship agreements will include the terms of administration and will designate the “administering authority” which may be one or more states or the UN itself.
Article 82 Trusteeship agreements may include strategic areas without prejudice to any special agreements made under Article 43.
Article 83
83.1 UN functions in strategic areas shall be under the SC.
83.2 Objectives described in Article 76 shall apply to the people of strategic areas.
83.3 The Trusteeship Council will assist the SC to perform UN functions in strategic areas.
Article 84 “The administrating authority may make use of volunteer forces, facilities and assistance from the trust territory in carrying out the obligations” to the SC.
Article 85
85.1 UN functions in non-strategic areas come under the GA.
85.2 The Trusteeship Council is under the authority of the GA.
Chapter XIII: The Trusteeship Council (TC)
Composition
Article 86
86.1 The TC shall consist of UN Members who administer trust territories, Members mentioned in Article 23 and other Members elected for three-year terms by the GA ensuring equal representation of Members who administer trust territories and those who do not.
86.2 Each TC member shall designate one specially qualified person to represent it.
Functions and Powers
Article 87 The GA and the TC under its authority may consider administrating authority reports, consult with the administrating authority on petitions, periodically visit the territories and take actions which conform to the trusteeship agreements.
Article 88 The TC will draw up a questionnaire which will be the basis for an annual report made to the GA by the administrating authority.
Voting
Article 89 Each TC member has one vote and decisions will be made by a majority of the members present and voting.
Procedure
Article 90 The TC shall adopt its own rules of procedure including the selection of a President. It will meet according to its rules and upon the request of a majority of its members.
Article 91 When appropriate, the TC can be assisted by ECOSOC and specialized agencies.
Chapter XIV: The International Court of Justice (ICJ)
Article 92 The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the UN and shall function according to its annexed Statute which is based on the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, an integral part of this Charter.
(The Statute of the International Court of Justice comes after Article 111 in the Charter.
It is not included in this UN Charter Summary.)
Article 93
93.1 All UN Members are parties to the Statute of the ICJ.
93.2 A non-UN-member may become a party to the Statute as determined by the GA upon recommendation from the SC.
Article 94
94.1 UN Members will comply with the decisions of the ICJ.
94.2 If any Member fails to comply, the other party may go to the SC to decide upon measures to make the ICJ decision effective.
Article 95 Nothing in the UN Charter shall prevent UN Members from going to other tribunals according to agreements already in existence.
Article 96
96.1 The GA or the SC may request the ICJ to give an advisory opinion on any legal question.
96.2 When other UN organs and specialized agencies are authorized by the GA, they may also request advisory opinions from the ICJ.
Chapter XV: The Secretariat
Article 97 The Secretariat shall be made up of a Secretary General and such staff as the UN may require. The Secretary General shall be appointed by the GA upon recommendation of the SC.
Article 98 The Secretary General is the chief officer at all meetings of the GA, the SC, ECOSOC and the Trusteeship Council. The Secretary General shall make an annual report to the GA.
Article 99 The Secretary General may bring any matter threatening international peace and security before the SC.
Article 100
100.1 The Secretary General and staff are responsible only to the UN.
100.2 Each UN Member will respect the exclusively international character of the responsibilities of the Secretary General and the staff.
Article 101
101.1 The staff shall be appointed by the Secretary General under GA regulations.
101.2 Staff permanently assigned to ECOSOC and the Trusteeship Council and other UN organs shall form a part of the Secretariat.
101.3 The staff shall have a wide geographical representation and shall be highly efficient.
Chapter XVI: Miscellaneous Provisions
Article 102
102.1 Every treaty and agreement by any UN Member after the Charter comes into force will be registered with the Secretariat and published by it.
102.2 Any unregistered international agreement may not be considered in effect by any UN organ.
Article 103 If any conflict arises between the obligations of UN Members and their obligations under any other international agreement, their Charter obligations will supercede.
Article 104 The UN has the legal capacity necessary to fulfill its purposes in the territory of any of its Members.
Article 105
105.1 The UN shall have the privileges and immunities necessary to fulfill its purposes in Members’ territories.
105.2 UN representatives and officials shall have the privileges and immunities necessary “for independent exercise” of their duties.
105.3 The GA may make recommendations to determine the details of Paragraphs 105.1 and 105.2 or may propose conventions to UN Members for this purpose.
Chapter XVII: Transitional Security Arrangements
Article 106 Before the UN Charter comes into force the parties to the 1943 Four Nations Declaration will consult with one another and UN Members as necessary to maintain international peace and security.
Article 107 Nothing in the present Charter shall invalidate action taken against enemy states by any UN Member as a result of World War II.
Chapter XVIII: Amendments
Article 108 Amendments to the UN Charter shall come into force when adopted by a vote of two-thirds of the GA members and “ratified in accordance with their respective constitutional processes by two-thirds of the Members of the United Nations including all the permanent members of the Security Council.”
Article 109
109.1 “A General Conference of the Members of the United Nations for the purpose of reviewing the present Charter may be held at a date and place to be fixed by a two-thirds vote of the members of the General Assembly and by a vote of any nine members of the Security Council. Each Member of the United Nations shall have one vote at the conference.”
109.2 “Any alteration of the present Charter recommended by a two-thirds vote of the conference shall take effect when ratified in accordance with their respective constitutional processes by two-thirds of the Members of the United Nations including all the permanent members of the Security Council.”
109.3 “If such a conference has not been held before the tenth annual session of the General Assembly following the coming into force of the present Charter, the proposal to call such a conference shall be placed on the agenda of that session of the General Assembly, and the conference shall be held if so decided by a majority vote of the members of the General Assembly and by a vote of any seven members of the Security Council.”
Chapter XIX: Ratification and Signature
Article 110
110.1 “The present Charter shall be ratified by the signatory states in accordance with their respective constitutional processes.”
110.2 “The ratifications shall be deposited with the Government of the United States of America, which shall notify all the signatory states of each deposit as well as the Secretary General of the Organization when he has been appointed.”
110.3 “The present Charter shall come into force upon the deposit of the ratifications by the Republic of China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America, and by a majority of the other signatory states.”
110.4 “The states signatory to the present Charter which ratify it after it has come into force will become original Members of the United Nations on the date of the deposit of their respective ratifications.”
Article 111 The Chinese, French, Russian, English and Spanish texts of the present Charter will remain in the archives of the US government.
“IN FAITH WHEREOF the representatives of the Governments of the United Nations have
signed the present Charter. DONE at the city of San Francisco the twenty-sixth day of June,
one thousand nine hundred and forty-five.”
AMENDMENTS TO THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER
The Charter can be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the General Assembly members and by ratification by two-thirds of the UN Members including the five permanent members of the Security Council.
So far, four Charter Articles have been amended, one of them twice:
1965 The membership of the SC was increased from 11 to 15 (Article 23) and the number of affirmative votes needed on procedural matters was increased from seven to nine including the concurring votes of the five permanent SC members (Article 27).
1965 The membership of ECOSOC was increased from 18 to 27 and in 1973 was further increased to 54 (Article 61).
1968 The number of votes required in the SC to convene a General Conference to review the Charter was increased from seven to nine (Article 109).
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