International Organizations

Introduction

When discussing international organizations, three key questions are widely raised:

- The identity of international organizations (Who are they?)

- The duty and aim of international organizations (What do they do?)

- The cruciality of international organizations (Why are they important?)

This article will explain the concepts of international organizations and answer the questions above.

The Identity, Duty, and Aim

The nature of all international organizations is committed to build bodies or institutions that establish a global network to promote voluntary cooperation on matters of shared interest. However, there are varied and diverse international organizations that were created due to different geopolitical or regulatory needs and serve different purposes. Based on the function of international organizations, they could be divided into 3 categories:

1. Political (economic) international organizations

2. Social international organizations

3. Environmental international organizations

Political (Economic) International Organizations

Political (economic) international organizations refer to associations of sovereign states' governments that collaborate on global issues, such as peace, security, and economics. They work together to ensure aspects such as human rights, regional/global stability, etc., are protected in specific areas according to terms or treaties enacted.

The characteristics of different international organizations formed by state governments could be tilted and assorted based on the objective of their operation. For example, the United Nations (UN) focused on maintaining international peace and security, whereas Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) concentrates on promoting economic growth within Asian countries. This is also the most well-known and biggest category within international organizations, because it holds the most power since its associations of state governments. Due to that factor, some of the large political international organizations also work on the jobs of specified social and environmental international organizations, e.g., the United Nations.

Below are some famous political international organizations:

1. United Nations (UN)

- Founded in 1945.

- Currently made up of 193 Member States (in 2025), the UN and its work are guided by the purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter.

- Its central idea is that all the world’s nations can gather together, discuss common problems, and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity.

- The work and management includes peace and security, human Rights, humanitarian aid, sustainable development and climate, international law, global issues, etc.

2. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

- Founded in the aftermath of World War II, established with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949.

- Intergovernmental military alliance between 32 member states, 30 in Europe and 2 in North America.

- It is mainly a political-military association that works on collective defence, deterrence & defence, exercises cyber defence, environment & climate change security, women & peace & security.

3. European Union (EU)

- European peace began with the cooperation in 1945-59.

- It works in promoting peace and security and respecting fundamental rights and freedoms.

- As well as access to public, institutional documents are granted to any EU national, increasing the transparency of the law-making process.

4. World Trade Organization (WTO)

- Established on 1 January 1995, pursuant to the 1994 Marrakesh Agreement, it succeeded the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which was created in 1948.

- The only international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations.

- The fundamental goal of the WTO, as set out in the organization's founding agreement, is to use trade as a means to improve people's living standards, create better jobs and promote sustainable development.

5. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

- Established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

- Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Cambodia joined later, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.

6. Group of Seven (G7)

- An informal group of 7 powerful organizations.

- Its membership includes the USA, Canada, the UK, Italy, France, Germany, and Japan

- It has no formal charter or mission but works closely to coordinate short-term macroeconomic policy.

- The group meets annually to discuss important geopolitical issues, such as trade, sanctions, climate change, and peace.

7. G20

- The G20 was established in 1999 and is made up of 19 countries and the EU.

- These include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.

- It also invited selected developing countries and the IMF, and the World Bank.

- Works as a forum to discuss and coordinate macroeconomic policy.

- Puts measures in place to limit the collapse of financial markets.

- Funds fiscal stimulus packages worldwide to protect and create employment worldwide.

8. International Monetary Fund (IMF)

- The IMF was created in 1945 as a financial institution for the UN alongside the World Bank.

- It comprises 188 member states.

- Its main function is to provide financial investment for developing countries to help reduce poverty.

- Works to stabilize economic systems and fosters international cooperation.

- Intervenes in times of national recession by providing financial stimulus.

- This, in turn, reduces the impact on other nations and the global economy.

9. The World Bank

- The World Bank was established in 1945 as a financial institution of the UN alongside the IMF.

- It comprises two institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and the International Development Association (IDA).

- Its background was initially focused on the reconstruction of Europe following WWII, but later focused on large-scale projects in developing countries.

- Lending for ports, transport infrastructure, and agriculture.

- Now focused more on social issues such as health and education, and integrated rural development.

Social International Organizations

Social international organizations focus on issues like human rights, social justice, poverty eradication, etc., and other social welfare and equality promotion programmes. Therefore, a large proportion of them served as NGOs (non-governmental organizations).

Compared to political (economic) international organizations, which some contain the function of social international organizations, have more governmental purposes in economics and global affairs, social international organizations focus more on dealing with humanitarian issues. They often assist with war aid, equality support, culture preservation, etc., which corrects social injustice and challenges.

Some famous social international organizations are exemplified below:

1. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

- Founded on November 16, 1945, in London, United Kingdom.

- Specialized agency of the United Nations with the aim of promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences, and culture.

- Generates knowledge to inform public policies.

2. Red Cross

- Founded in 1863 in Geneva, Switzerland.

- To protect the lives and dignity of victims of war, internal violence, and other disasters, and to provide them with assistance.

- Promote humanitarian law: To promote and strengthen humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.

- To improve the lives of vulnerable people, coordinate international relief efforts, and provide a wide range of services like emergency relief, health, and social programs.

3. Save the Children

- Founded in 1919 to provide relief to children suffering from the effects of World War I.

- Create fundamental changes in how children are treated globally.

- Secure immediate and long-term improvements for children's lives.

- Ensure survival, learning, and protection, and focus on key areas like health, education, and safety to protect children from harm.

4. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

- Commonly known as Doctors Without Borders

- Founded in December 1971 by a group of French doctors and journalists in response to the war and famine in Biafra, Nigeria.

- Provide emergency medical aid in areas affected by conflict, disaster, and disease, regardless of gender, race, religion, or political affiliation.

Environmental International Organizations

Environmental international organizations aim to combat environmental crises such as climate change, global warming, animal preservation, etc. These kinds of international organisations are often relatively new (compared to the organisations listed above) and established in an NGO format, due to the recently heightened global awareness among citizens. Political power is sometimes also involved, institutions and treaties, such as the Paris Agreement, are established to address the ongoing environmental crisis.

A few well-known environmental international organizations are as follows:

1. World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

- Founded on April 29, 1961, in Morges, Switzerland.

- Mission to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

- Conserving biological diversity, promoting sustainable use of renewable resources, and reducing pollution and wasteful consumption.

- The original name was the World Wildlife Fund, however, in 1986, the international organization changed its name to the World Wide Fund for Nature to reflect a broader scope of work, though the name World Wildlife Fund is still used in the U.S. and Canada.

2. Green Peace

- An independent global campaigning network founded in 1971 by a group of activists in Vancouver, Canada.

- The former mission to protest a US nuclear weapons test in Alaska, and its current mission is to ensure the Earth's ability to support diverse life through direct, nonviolent action and by campaigning to expose environmental problems.

3. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

- Founded in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

- Provide governments at all levels with scientific information that they can use to develop climate policies.

- Producing comprehensive assessment reports, special reports, and methodology reports based on published and peer-reviewed scientific literature.

- Identifying where there is agreement in the scientific community and where further research is needed.

The Importance of International Organizations

International organizations are important because they provide platforms for cooperation between nations, address global challenges, and promote peace and development.

They help reduce inequalities, facilitate global citizens, establish standards, and allow countries to work together on issues like climate change, trade, and human rights. These organizations foster and incentivize collective action and improve governance in interdependence and shared problems with international affairs, creating a more collaborative international environment.

-Ivy Qian

Citation

• United Nations. “About Us.” United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/about-us.

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization. “NATO.” NATO, https://www.nato.int/.

• European Union. “European Union.” European Union, https://european-union.europa.eu/index_en.

• World Trade Organization. “What is the WTO?” WTO, https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/whatis_e.htm.

• Wikipedia. “World Trade Organization.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Organization.

• Association of Southeast Asian Nations. “About Us.” ASEAN, https://asean.org/.

• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. “UNESCO.” UNESCO, https://www.unesco.org/en.

• International Committee of the Red Cross. “Our History.” ICRC, https://www.icrc.org/en/our-history.

• Save the Children. “About Us.” Save the Children, https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us#:~:text=Save%20the%20Children%20is%20a%20charity%20that,the%20United%20States%20and%20around%20the%20world.

• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Australia. “Our History.” MSF Australia, https://msf.org.au/about-us/our-history#:~:text=Founded%20in%20the%20belief%20that,over%2070%20countries%20every%20year.

• World Wide Fund for Nature. “About WWF.” WWF, https://wwf.panda.org/discover/about_wwf/#:~:text=WWF%20is%20an%20independent%20global,too%20little%20and%20too%20slow.

• Greenpeace UK. “About Greenpeace.” Greenpeace, https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/about-greenpeace/.

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “About.” IPCC, https://www.ipcc.ch/about/#:~:text=The%20IPCC%20provides%20regular%20assessments,range%20of%20views%20and%20expertise.