Codification Division Publications: Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs Codification Division Publications: Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs

Last update: June 30, 2023

Charter of the United Nations

Chapter I — Purposes and Principles

Article 1

The Purposes of the United Nations are:

1. To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace;

2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace;

3. To achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; and

4. To be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.

Extracts PDF
Repertory of Practice (1945–1954), volume 1 View PDF file
  Supplement No 1 (1954–1955), volume 1 View PDF file
  Supplement No 2 (1955–1959), volume 1 View PDF file
    Article 1(2) (Separate study) View PDF file
  Supplement No 3 (1959–1966), volume 1 View PDF file
    Article 1(2) (Separate study) View PDF file
  Supplement No 4 (1966–1969), volume 1 View PDF file
    Article 1(2) (Separate study) View PDF file
  Supplement No 5 (1970–1978), volume 1 View PDF file
    Article 1(2) (Separate study) View PDF file
  Supplement No 6 (1979–1984), volume 1 View PDF file
    Article 1(2) (Separate study) View PDF file
  Supplement No 7 (1985–1988), volume 1 View PDF file
    Article 1(2) (Separate study) View PDF file
  Supplement No 8 (1989–1994), volume 1* View PDF file
    Article 1(2) (Separate study)* View PDF file
  Supplement No 9 (1995–1999), volume 1* View PDF file
    Article 1(2) (Separate study)* View PDF file
  Supplement No 10 (2000–2009), volume 1 View PDF file
    Article 1(2) (Separate study) View PDF file

* Advance version in English