Ethics and the United Nations Workshop
The text and links below might be useful for students who attended a workshop dealing with Ethics and the United Nations during President Kennedy School’s Ethics Conference in July 2026. The workshop was delivered by UNA Coventry volunteers Logan Page and Divine Zadi.
What is United Nations Association UK?
UNA-UK is a small team with offices in central London
It was founded before the UN was officially created
It aims to inform the public of the challenges facing the world
And provide independent analysis of the UN
It works with practitioners and experts to strengthen international law and cooperation
It aims to develop a new generation of internationalists
For more information visit una.org.uk
United Nations Association Coventry
UNA-UK has volunteer branches around the UK
United Nations Association Coventry is one
We are volunteers not UNA-UK staff
We run events, meetings and presentations
We provide education and volunteering opportunities for people
And run the website UNACov.uk
We have many volunteers, mostly university students
We always welcome new volunteers
For more information see unacov.uk
What is Ethics?
The meaning of “ethics” is hard to pin down
The views many people have about ethics are unclear
Ethics prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of
rights
obligations
benefits to society
fairness
or specific virtues
Solving global problems
The world faces many global problems
Many of these are ethical problems
Solving them requires judgments about fairness, responsibility, dignity and the kind of future we want
The Ethical Dimensions of Global Environmental Issues
What ethical challenges arise in global health programmes?
Artificial Intelligence: examples of ethical dilemmas
What are the Ethical Issues We Face Today?
Ethics Is Not Optional: Why the Future of the UN Depends on Taking Moral Dilemmas Seriously
UN system rarely considers ethical issues
Ethical reflection often remains implicit and fragmented
Rarely central to policy formation
UN needs to be legitimate and future-oriented
Ethical reflection needs to be part of solving global problems
Why the Future of the UN Depends on Taking Moral Dilemmas Seriously
The meaning of ethics at the UN
Ethical standards of UN staff members
All UN staff take an Oath of Office
Among other things they must:
Solemnly declare and promise to exercise in all loyalty, discretion and conscience the functions entrusted to them as international civil servants of the United Nations, and to discharge these functions and regulate their conduct with the interests of the United Nations only in view.
Ethical Standards and Integrity
UN Ethics Office
Promotes an ethical organisational culture
Based on UN’s core values of :
Integrity
Professionalism
Respect for diversity
Also on Standards for International Civil Service such as :
Independence
Loyalty
Impartiality
Integrity
Accountability
Respect for human rights
UN Ethics Office
Video on the Role of the United Nations Ethics Office
International Courts and Ethics
There are over 20 international courts + many more tribunals
Thousands of international judges and lawyers
The two main ones are:
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
International Criminal Court (ICC)
Promotes judicial independence and impartiality
Wants to ensure legitimacy and effectiveness of the judicial process
Contains guidelines on conduct of Judges to:
Act with integrity
Respect confidentiality
Regulate conduct in courtroom
Politicians and Ethics
Do politicians have ethical principles? Let’s consider some topics:
War crimes
Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity
But he continues in power despite his alleged crimes
Climate change
International Court of Justice says:
global warming is an urgent and existential threat to humanity
governments should aim to keep global warming below 1.5°C
nations must take measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change
But Donald Trump calls climate change a “scam”
He says sustainable energy policies are the “greatest hoax in history”
He has increased fossil fuel production
So do politicians have ethical principles? What is your opinion?
UNA Coventry and Ethics
Our volunteers need not follow UN or UNA-UK ethical standards
We respect most of them including:
Integrity
Accountability
Respect for human rights
But we do not feel we need to be impartial
If we think a politician is doing harm we say so
For example we express our opinions about Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu
Should UNACov volunteers say what we think?
Suppose a UNACov volunteer thinks a politician is harming people or the environment
Should that person say what they think?
Or should they remain silent?
What is the ethical thing for them to do?
What do YOU think?