Promoting respect for human rights is a core purpose of the United Nations and defines its identity as an organization for people around the world.
Through the Charter and successive General Assembly resolutions, Member States have mandated the Secretary-General and the UN System to help them achieve the standards set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To do so, the UN System uses all the resources at its disposal, including its moral authority, diplomatic creativity and operational reach.
Member States have the primary responsibility for protecting their populations. Sometimes, however, they have been unable or unwilling to meet this obligation. At times, the UN System has also failed in its responsibility to promote and encourage respect for human rights.