This is a question that invites genuine debate rather than a simple factual answer, but I can lay out the main arguments on both sides.
Case that the UN remains relevant:
•No alternative global forum exists. Despite its flaws, the UN remains the only venue where virtually every country on Earth can sit at the same table to discuss problems.
•Humanitarian and development work continues at massive scale. Agencies like UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, and WHO deliver aid, vaccines, food, and refugee protection to hundreds of millions of people yearly—work that doesn't make headlines but keeps people alive.
•Peacekeeping, while imperfect, still functions in various conflict zones, and UN mechanisms underpin international law on everything from maritime boundaries to climate agreements (Paris Agreement, SDGs).
•Normative power. The UN sets global standards (human rights frameworks, humanitarian law) that shape state behavior even when not perfectly enforced.
Case that its relevance is in serious doubt:
•Security Council paralysis. The veto power of the five permanent members (US, Russia, China, UK, France) routinely blocks action on major crises—Syria, Ukraine, Gaza—making the Council look toothless on the issues that matter most.
•Enforcement problems. The UN has no independent military and depends on member states for everything, meaning powerful nations can simply ignore resolutions without consequence.
•Structural anachronism. Critics argue the permanent five reflects a 1945 power structure, not today's world, fueling calls for reform that never seem to happen.
•Funding and bureaucracy criticisms. The UN is often accused of bloat, inefficiency, and being hostage to the funding whims of major donors, especially the US.
A reasonable synthesis: The UN is probably best understood as relevant but limited—indispensable for humanitarian delivery, international law, and diplomatic communication channels, but largely ineffective at preventing or resolving conflicts between or involving major powers. Whether that counts as "relevant" depends heavily on what you think an international body like this should actually be able to do.
If you want, I can look into how specific recent events (e.g., Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan) have shaped current debates about UN effectiveness—just let me know.