冷戰時期的兩極體系有兩項特性，一是安全議題的重要性高於一切，二是國際組織的運作空間有限；冷戰結束後，隨著蘇聯極權政權的瓦解，人權做為一種普世的價值和道德的原則重新受到重視，而聯合國也在人權議題的推動上開始發揮作用。可是冷戰時期以美蘇兩強為首的集團政治，在後冷戰時期發生重組，一向以人權捍衛者自居的美國，在面臨中國和歐盟為首的兩大集團夾攻下，一度喪失了聯合國人權委員會的席位。聯合國經濟暨社會理事會及其下與人權相關的附屬機構，也受到以中國為首的人權不彰團體的壟斷，限制了人權非政府組織的運作。聯合國需要改革，非政府組織才能放手推動普世人權的理想，但是集團政治同時也限制了聯合國能夠改革的深度與範圍，本文主張應先從保障非政府組織的言論自由著手。

The Cold War era was characterized by a political statemate of the eastern and western blocs that prioritized military security over other issues. The post-Cold War era is characterized by, among others, broad global support for formal assertions of human rights and increasing democratization and rising non-governmental activity. Much work remains to be done, however. Block politics in the United Nations has hampered the work of non-governmental organizations and retraded the development of humann rights. A structural reform of the UN accreditation process is a necessary condition for the promotion and protection of human rights. This paper suggests that granting NGOs with the freedom of speech be the first step.