United Nations is the current least bad global governance body. Limited other organizations exists (e.g. Non Aligned Movement).
As of the most recent information, the United Nations has a Special Committee on Decolonization, also known as the Committee of 24, which oversees the issue of self-determination and decolonization. There are currently **17 territories** officially listed by the UN as Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs), where decolonization efforts are still considered to be in progress.
However, the number of active lodged requests for self-determination, decolonization, and state recognition can vary, as numerous groups, regions, and territories around the world seek recognition or independence, but are not necessarily part of the formal list of NSGTs or may not be recognized by the UN.
Here is the list:
1. Western Sahara (administered by Spain until 1976, now claimed by Morocco)
2. Anguilla (administered by the United Kingdom)
3. Bermuda (administered by the United Kingdom)
4. British Virgin Islands (administered by the United Kingdom)
5. Cayman Islands (administered by the United Kingdom)
6. Malkland Islands (Malvinas) (administered by the United Kingdom; claimed by Argentina)
7. Gibraltar (administered by the United Kingdom; claimed by Spain)
8. Montserrat (administered by the United Kingdom)
9. Saint Helena (administered by the United Kingdom)
10. Turks and Caicos Islands (administered by the United Kingdom)
11. United States Virgin Islands (administered by the United States)
12. American Samoa (administered by the United States)
13. Guam (administered by the United States)
14. New Caledonia (administered by France)
15. Pitcairn Islands (administered by the United Kingdom)
16. Tokelau (administered by New Zealand)
French Polynesia (administered by France)
17. These territories are considered to have not yet fully attained a measure of self-government and are therefore still listed by the UN.
Documentation from the UN General Assembly, the Committee of 24, or other relevant UN bodies.
Palestine is not listed among the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs) by the United Nations because its situation is addressed separately from the decolonization framework used for those territories.
Here's why:
1. **UN Recognition and Status**: Palestine has a unique status within the United Nations. In 2012, the UN General Assembly granted Palestine the status of a non-member observer state through Resolution 67/19. This is different from the status of the NSGTs, which are usually administered by a colonial power. Palestine is recognized by a significant number of UN member states as a sovereign state, though its full membership in the UN is still pending due to political complexities.
2. **Territorial Dispute and Occupation**: The situation in Palestine is primarily viewed through the lens of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, focusing on issues of occupation, statehood, and self-determination rather than decolonization in the traditional sense. The UN and many member states address Palestine's situation through resolutions concerning the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, rather than under the framework used for NSGTs.
3. **Decolonization vs. Statehood**: While the NSGTs are territories recognized as not having achieved full self-government, Palestine's situation is more about the broader conflict over its recognition as a fully independent and sovereign state. The focus is on achieving a two-state solution or other resolutions to the conflict, rather than the decolonization process specific to the NSGTs.
Thus, while Palestine’s situation involves issues of self-determination and state recognition, it is handled separately from the decolonization agenda that applies to the 17 NSGTs.
