over the decades various countries have
voiced significant dissatisfaction with the United Nations occasionally threatening to withdraw from the institution to date no member state has completed a full and formal withdrawal a prominent historical instance occurred 1965 when Indonesia declared its departure and protest of Malaysia's inclusion in the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member although Jakarta announced its withdrawal the UN refra Tred from officially recognizing it and Indonesia re-engaged with the organization in 1966 under a new government making the episode a temporary break rather than a true exit in more recent years other nations have expressed similar frustrations in 2016 Philippine president Rodrigo duterte threatened to leave the UN after it criticized his administration's anti-drug campaign accusing the organization of undue interference in National Affairs despite the strong rhetoric the Philippines remained a member underscoring the challenges of following through on such declarations in the United States calls for withdrawing from the UN have periodically surfaced Often championed by isolationist or unilateralist political factions the American sovereignty restoration Act of 2017 for instance aimed to terminate us membership while this proposal garnered some support It ultimately failed like similar past attempts due to concerns about diplomatic Fallout the institutionalized value of multilateral diplomacy in US foreign policy and Broad recognition of the un's role in global governance nations from the global South particularly those aligned with the brics block Brazil Russia India China and South Africa have intensified their calls for comprehensive reforms at the UN together the bricks countries account for over 40% of the world's population and approximately 25% of global GDP a share that continues to grow as their economies expand and by contrast the power dynamics within the UN and especially the security Council remain stuck in a mid 20th century Paradigm these five permanent veto wielding members the US UK France Russia and China continue to shape the council's agenda influencing decisions on peacekeeping missions sanctions and International Security matters despite comprising 54 Nations nearly 28% of the un's total membership African states still have no permanent representation council critics from the global South and brics countries frequently point to what they perceive as deeply ingrained Western biases in international governance media representation and the enforcement of Human Rights standards these critics argue that scrutiny and condemnation disproportionately Target certain states often those outside the traditional Western block while comparatively similar or even more severe abuses by Western Nations or their close allies allies receive less consistent attention a central component of this critique is the apparent inconsistency in how human rights are monitored and addressed Russia's laws restricting public discussions of lgbtq plus issues and China's policies towards ethnic and religious minorities such as the treatment of ugers in shinjang Tibetans and Mongolian minorities are widely condemned in Western media diplomatic circles and international organizations such condemnation is supported by reports from bodies like the UN Human Rights Council Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch which document arbitrary detentions forced labor and severe restrictions on cultural and religious practices in these regions at the same time critics note that human rights violations within Western countries often spark far less sustained International attention for instance systemic racism racial profiling and police brutality issues highlighted by movements like black lives matter in the United States have drawn condemnation and domestic protest but have not led to comparable levels of international diplomatic pressure or the imposition of sanctions indigenous populations in countries like the United States Canada and Australia have long faced discrimination economic marginalization and cultural suppression including the infamous history of residential schools in Canada or the ongoing underprovision of essential services on Native American reservations although International organizations do produce reports on these issues the level of global diplomatic push back or media coverage is typically muted compared to that States agenda setting the media's role in shaping Global perceptions also contributes to this perceived double standard Western media Outlets which dominate Global News Cycles frequently highlight abuses committed by geopolitical Rivals such as Russia or China ensuring these stories remain in the Global Spotlight conversely coverage of Human Rights challenges within the West is often less prominent or framed as systemic but unintentional failings rather than as deliberate or egregious policies this asymmetry and coverage affects public perception and international policy debates ultimately influencing which issues become priorities for bodies like the UN Human Rights Council or the European Court of Human Rights inequities in Refugee responses these double standards in the international community's response to crisis extend into the realm of refugee and Asylum policies the stark contrast in how the European Union has treated Ukrainian refugees compared to those from the Middle East and Africa is frequently cited as a clear example following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine the EU rapidly activated its temporary protection directive a measure rarely employed in the past under this directive approximately 8 million ukrainians were granted immediate work authorization access to education health care services and the freedom to move between member states a level of support that stands in sharp contrast to the often protracted and cumbersome Asylum procedures faced by syrians Afghans somalis and others fleeing violence or instability in previous years particularly during the 2015 Refugee crisis many European countries erected physical barriers along their borders instituted push backs at Sea and struck controversial deals such as the EU turkey agreement to educe arrivals from the Middle East and North Africa as a result countless refugees remained stranded in overcrowded camps on islands like Lesbos in Greece or in transit countries like Libya and turkey facing limited access to essential services and frequent reports of Human Rights abuses these restrictive measures were partly justified by politicians and the media on the grounds of security or integration challenges concerns that were not similarly raised with ukrainians critics argue that the relatively welcome stance toward Ukrainian refugees reflects deep-seated cultural racial and religious biases ukrainians who are predominantly white Christian and European are often seen as more culturally familiar while refugees from Syria Afghanistan or Somalia many of whom are Muslim come from different linguistic backgrounds or hold non-european cultural Traditions have encountered more skepticism stigma and bureaucratic hurdles surveys and interviews conducted by organizations like the ref Refugee Council and the European Council on refugees and Exiles have documented complaints of discrimination including instances where non- European refugees face lengthier Asylum processes lower acceptance rates reduced access to language courses and limited employment opportunities some European policy makers and commentators have challenged these criticisms arguing that the Swift support for ukrainians is due to the immediate proximity of the conflict to EU borders the clear-cut nature of Russia's aggression and the logistical feasibility of integrating Ukrainian arrivals yet these explanations fall flat for critics who point out that proximity and geopolitical urgency did not yield the same compassion for syrians fleeing the war torn city of Aleppo Afghans escaping Taliban controlled areas or Somali caught in cycles of drought and conflict indeed the European parliament's own research has indicated that the different legal Frameworks and special protective measures activated for ukrainians were not extended during previous humanitarian crises suggesting a pattern of selective generosity in this view Europe's two tiered Refugee response not only undermines its own professed values of equality and Universal human rights but also influences Global perceptions of the West's moral Authority by applying more lenient and favorable regulations for some and more stringent exclusionary measures for others the EU sets a precedent that cultural racial and religious affinities can override the principle of equal protection for all who flee persecution and violence as migration pressures persist due to ongoing conflicts climate change and economic instability in many parts of the global South the debate over these double standards is likely to intensify challenging Europe and the broader International Community to reconcile the gap between stated humanitarian ideals implementation let's take a quick pause if you've enjoyed the video so far could we ask a small favor hitting the like button helps us reach a broader audience and sharing your thoughts or feedback in the comments makes an even bigger impact thank you for watching now let's dive in under representation in global financial institutions a long-standing and deeply entrenched grievance among brics countries is their limited influence within key International financial institutions that were originally designed and dominated by Western powers in the aftermath of World War II although the brics economies collectively contribute around a quarter of global GDP and are responsible for a substantial share of global trade and investment their formal voting power and decision-making Authority in institutions like the international monetary fund and the World Bank remain underrepresentation in decision-making at the IMF quotas determine both the financial contributions of member states and their voting power despite multiple rounds of reforms the United States and European union members together still hold more than 50% of the voting share 2020s Western aligned countries continued to collectively control over 60% of total IMF votes enabling them to wield decisive influence over policy prescriptions loan conditionalities and overall strategic Direction the United States alone retains over 16% of the vote effectively giving it veto power over major decisions that require a 85% by contrast China whose economy surged past $18 trillion by 2020 remains capped at less than 7% of the voting share a stark misalignment between its economic weight and its voice within the fund historical imbalance and slow reforms these imbalances are rooted in a 1,945 architecture that no longer reflects contemporary economic realities while incremental reforms have been introduced such as the imf's 2010 quota reforms that came into effect in 2016 progress has been painstakingly slow those reforms modestly increased the quotas of China and other emerging economies but the changes fell short of a comprehensive realignment India too despite being on track to become the world's third largest economy still wields a voting share that lags significantly behind its economic output and demographic weight Brazil and South Africa face similar discrepancies with their voting power reflecting a bygone era rather than their current status as Regional anchors leadership and cultural norms adding to the frustration is the unwritten tradition that an American always heads the World Bank while a European leads the IMF this Arrangement has persisted since the Breton Woods era even though the global landscape has dramatically changed Emerging Markets have repeatedly called for transparent merit-based selection processes that would allow leaders from developing or emerging economies to guide these institutions although there have been occasional pledges to reconsider these Norms no significant deviations have occurred further cementing the perception that these institutions serve Western interests first and foremost implications for policy and governance the underrepresentation of brics Nations has real world consequences The imf's Lending conditions and structural adjustment programs have long been criticized for prioritizing fiscal austerity and Rapid liberalization policies often aligned with Western economic philosophies at the expense of more tailored approaches that might better serve the developmental needs of borrowing countries World Bank lending priorities too can be skewed by the voting structure sometimes resulting in projects and initiatives that fail to fully incorporate local perspectives or support sustainable inclusive growth driving calls for change this long-standing inequity has energized the bricks Block's push for institutional reforms within the G20 and at Brick Summits these countries repeatedly call for recalibrating quota shares to reflect evolving economic realities and to give developing nations a greater voice initiatives like the new development Bank NDB founded by the brics countries in 2014 represent an effort to create alternative lending mechanisms that better align with Emerging Market priorities and reduce dependency on Legacy institutions while the NDB and other Regional Frameworks like the Asian infrastructure Investment Bank aib have begun to diversify global financing channels their existence also highlights the degree to which established ifis have yet to accommodate new power centers prospects for reform although there is growing recognition among some Western policy makers that a more balanced governance structure would enhance the legitimacy and effectiveness of the IMF and the World Bank political resistance and the inertia of existing Arrangements have styed major reforms critics argue that without substant changes these institutions risk losing credibility and relevance in a multi-polar world economy as the weight of Emerging Markets continues to grow China's economy is expected to remain a key Global driver and India's rapid Ascent as a tech and service Powerhouse accelerates calls for a more equitable distribution of power within the Global Financial architecture are unlikely to fade placing sustained pressure on the IMF the World Bank and the Western geopolitical tensions and alliances geopolitical rivalries exacerbate these frustrations Russia isolated by Western sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has turned increasingly to the brics block for economic and diplomatic support China's assertive policies in Hong Kong shinjang and the South China Sea further deepen fault lines reinforcing the bricks countries shared interest in challenging what they perceive as Western dominance in global governance climate trade and Equity other areas of contention include climate and trade policies brics Nations argue that western-led climate initiatives often demand ambitious emissions cuts from developing economies still striving for industrial maturity and infrastructural development countries like India insist that fair climate action must include financial and technological support similarly the debate over agricultural subsidies tens of billions of dollars annually in the US and EU spotlights disparities in trade policy that undermine farmers in developing nations and widen Global inequalities Pathways to reform to address these entrenched inequities various reform proposals have gained prominence expanding the UN Security Council to include permanent seats for countries like India and Brazil would reflect shifting Global power dynamics strengthening Regional organizations such as oan the African Union and mosure could distribute governance responsibilities more evenly and respect local contexts new alliances like bricks plot incorporating countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt highlight an ongoing shift toward greater economic and political clout in non-western States the bricks plus expansion and future prospects as this Block's influence grows the stakes for reform intensify if established Western Powers resist substantial changes bricks and their expanding cohort May seek to build alternative Frameworks and institutions that challenge the dominance of Legacy western-led orders internal differences and diverging interests among bricks members remain obstacles but the future of global governance May hinge on whether these nations can present a cohesive effective push for a more balanced and genuinely representative System that's all for this video thank you for watching this video we sincerely appreciate you joining us today if our content resonated with you or sparked inspiration please consider expressing your support by liking it and subscribing to stay connected with our community your support holds IM value for us you can watch another 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