What is the importance of the United Nations Security Council?“The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has primary responsibility under the Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security” (UNSecurity Council 2010). The late 1980s and 1990s were marked by major changes in international relations, both as a practice and as an academic discipline. The collapse of the multipolar system in world politics, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Cold War and the beginning of some wars at the state level have transformed international peace affairs with the Security Council into international cooperation for the resolution of conflicts. Debates on the United Nations Security Council become particularly heated after the Cold War. The main concerns of the Security Council concern effectiveness and representation with the demand for transparency in terms of actions and decisions (Basu, 2007; Taylor and Curtis, 2006; Luck, 2006). This paper will attempt to examine various contributions of the Security Council The National Security Council is viewed by various scholars in terms of its power and functions. According to O'Byrne (2003:81), “the Security Council is probably the most powerful of the United Nations bodies and is responsible for peacekeeping, interventions, and sanctions against belligerent or rogue states”. Byrne also points out that it is unreliable to simultaneously advocate for human rights standards and other rights issues. Similarly, Basu (2007: 63) enumerates the functions and powers of the Council as follows: (1) maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations; (2) investigate any dispute or situation that could lead to international friction; (3) to be recommended…… half of the document……10 Global governance, human rights and citizenship. Class discussionsMaupas, S. 'Case study: Yugoslav War Crime Tribunal' in http://www.crimesofwar.org/thebook/yugoslav-warcrimes.html (accessed 22 April 2010) O'Byrne, D. (2003) Human Rights: An Introduction Harlow: PearsonSzaz, P.C. (2002) “UN Security Council Begins Legislating” in the American Journal of International Law. USA: American Society of Int Law publication. Vol.96.4. Pg 901-905.Taylor, P () the United Nations and the international orderTaylor, P and Curtis, D. (2006) 'The United Nations' in Baylis, J. Smith, S. and Owens, P. (eds di) The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, New York: Oxford UniversityPress.pg 406-424 (first published 2001).SIPRI (2008) Yearbook: Armament, Disarmament and International Security. New York: Oxford University Press.