5/11/2020 International organization - Wikipedia

International organization
An international organization (intergovernmental
organization) is an organization established by a treaty or other
instrument governed by international law and possessing its own
international legal personality, such as the United Nations, the
World Health Organization and NATO.[2][3] International
organizations are composed of primarily member states, but may
also include other entities, such as other international
organizations. Additionally, entities (including states) may hold
observer status.[4] The offices of the United Nations in
Geneva (Switzerland), which is the
Notable examples include the United Nations (UN), Organization city that hosts the highest number of
for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Bank for international organizations in the
International Settlements (BIS), Council of Europe (COE), world.[1]
International Labour Organization (ILO) and International
Police Organization (INTERPOL).[5]

Contents
History
Purpose
Regional organizations
United Nations Agencies
International NGOs
See also
Further reading
Notes and references
External links

History
The first and oldest intergovernmental organization - being established employing a treaty, and
creating a permanent secretariat - is the International Telecommunication Union (founded in 1865).
The first general international organization—addressing a variety of issues—was the League of
Nations. The United Nations followed this model after World War II.

Purpose
The role of international organizations is helping to set the international agenda, mediating political
bargaining, providing a place for political initiatives and acting as catalysts for the coalition-
formation. They facilitate cooperation and coordination among member nations. In addition, they
promote global initiatives aimed at reducing inequality like the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goal 10.[6]

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Regional organizations
International organizations typically have member states from the whole world, however in some
cases organizations have geographic limitations, such as the European Union, African Union and
NATO. The United Nations also has regional organizations, such as UNECE and UNECA.

The oldest regional organization is the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine, created in
1815 by the Congress of Vienna.

United Nations Agencies

The United Nations organizes its work into agencies, such as United Nations Relief Works Agency,
which are generally considered as international organizations in their own right.

Additionally, the United Nations has Specialized Agencies which are organizations within the
United Nations System, that have their member states (often nearly identical to the UN Member
States) and are governed independently by them, examples include International Organizations that
predate the UN, such the International Telecommunication Union, and the Universal Postal Union,
as well as organizations that were created after the UN such as the World Health Organization (which
was made up of regional organizations such as PAHO that predated the UN).

International NGOs
International organizations are sometimes referred to as intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), to
clarify the distinction from international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), which are non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) that operate internationally. These include international
nonprofit organizations such as the World Organization of the Scout Movement, International
Committee of the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières, as well as lobby groups that represent the
interests of multinational corporations, such as the World Economic Forum.

See also
International relations
List of intergovernmental organizations
List of regional organizations by population
List of trade blocs
Regional Economic Communities
Regional integration
Regional organization
Supranational union

Further reading
Barnett, Michael and Finnemore, M. 1999. "The Politics, Power, and Pathologies of International
Organizations." International Organization 53: 699-732.
Barnett, Michael and Finnemore, M. 2004. Rules for the World: International Organizations in
Global Politics. Cornell University Press.
Hurd, Ian. 2018. International Organizations: Politics, Law, Practice. Cambridge University Press.

Notes and references

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5/11/2020 International organization - Wikipedia

1. (in French) François Modoux, "La Suisse engagera 300 millions pour rénover le Palais des
Nations", Le Temps, Friday 28 June 2013, page 9.
2. "Articles on the Responsibility of International Organisations" (http://legal.un.org/avl/ha/ario/ario.ht
ml). legal.un.org. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
3. Bouwhuis, Stephen (1 January 2012). "The International Law Commission's Definition of
International Organizations" (https://brill.com/view/journals/iolr/9/2/article-p451_5.xml).
International Organizations Law Review. 9 (2): 451–465. doi:10.1163/15723747-00902004 (http
s://doi.org/10.1163%2F15723747-00902004). ISSN 1572-3747 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/15
72-3747).
4. "International Organizations - Research Guide International Law | Peace Palace Library" (https://
www.peacepalacelibrary.nl/research-guides/international-organisations-and-relations/international
-organizations/). Retrieved 21 August 2019.
5. "Intergovernmental organizations having received a standing invitation to participate as observers
in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly and maintaining permanent offices at
Headquarters (https://www.un.org/members/intergovorg.shtml)." United Nations Department of
Public Information, United Nations Secretariat.
6. "Goal 10 targets" (https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/g
oal-10-reduced-inequalities/targets.html). UNDP. Retrieved 23 September 2020.

External links
Headquarters of International Organisation (http://www.thegeneralknowledge.in/2015/03/headqua
rters-of-international.html) List of International Organisation and their Headquarters
Procedural history and related documents (http://legal.un.org/avl/ha/ario/ario.html) on the 'Articles
on the Responsibility of International Organizations in the Historic Archives (http://legal.un.org/avl/
historicarchives.html) of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law
World News related documents (https://web.archive.org/web/20141228214550/http://snn.co.in/wo
rld-news.html) on the World News related documents

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