Module 6

Topic 1: Institutions that Govern International

Relations

The Contemporary World (Coworld)

Institutions that Govern International
Relations

There are several international

organizations that governments
of countries around the world
and individuals participate in.
These include United Nations, the
International Court of Justice,
NAFTA and NATO. There are also
non-governmental organizations
promoting social and economic
growth.
Peace Treaties and Military Alliances: The UN and NATO

The United Nations (UN) is one of the leading political

organizations in the world where nation-states meet
and deliberate. However, it remains as an independent
actor in global politics. Generally, its functions in four
areas: military issues, economic issues, environmental
issues and human protection. It is made up of 193
member states.
The term UN was coined by US President Franklin Roosevelt in
1942. Its operations began on October 24, 1945. It started with 50
representatives countries. The UN, with its headquarters in New
York City, was designed to be a place where countries could come
to discuss their issues without resorting to violence and war.
Maintaining peace and building friendships and providing a forum
where countries could gather to discuss global issues. Maintaining
international peace and security became the central mission of the
UN after the war.
The UN has the Security Council, this group of countries
decides what to do when two or more countries are
waging war or are on the verge of fighting. There are five
permanent members of the UN Security Council – the
United States, Great Britain, Russia, China, and France.
In addition to the five members, 10 additional countries
join the permanent members for two-year terms,
making a total of 15 countries.
The Security Council tries to be the arbiter in ceasefires
between two sides. They can pass sanctions like block
trade with another country as a punishment. They can
send troops or observers and, if worst comes to worst,
they can use military force. The “big five” permanent
members have a veto power, which means that one
member can stop the entire council from taking action
against a country.
The General Assembly provides a forum for member
states to express their views and reach a consensus. The
UN is not all about fights. It has a program called UNICEF
(United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund), its primary
goal is to help children around the world. They collect
funds to distribute emergency relief from famine and
poverty and disease. It also provides education programs
in areas where there are no schools.
The UN main focus in economic issues is the reduction of global
inequality. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cover a
range of concerns for the improvement of all aspects of life.
According to the UN, sustainable development encompasses
economic prosperity, social well-being, and environmental
protection. Environmental issues, such as pollution and hazardous
wastes, are addressed through United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP). There is also UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) that took efforts in order to mitigate climate
change.
The UN has the International Court of Justice (ICJ) located in the
Hague, Netherlands where countries can settle disputes in a court
of law, as well as a place where war criminals and rulers can be put
to trial for their crimes. There is also another court which is the
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). Since 1948,
human rights have been brought into the realm of international
law. This is reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
A variety of of UN-sponsored human rights treaties and agreements
have been done for human protection.
Other mechanisms include the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Human
Rights Council, human rights treaty bodies, the UN
Development Group’s Human Right Mainstreaming
Mechanism (UNDG-HRM), and the Special Advisers on the
Preservation of Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect.
NATO – North Atlantic Treaty
Organization
NATO is a defensive treaty or
military alliance between the
United States, Canada, and 25
European counties. This treaty
and international organization is
based on the idea of collective
security. The countries in this
organization basically agreed to
combine their militaries and will
protect its member states.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
Non-governmental organizations like Red Cross were
organized to help countries in dire needs of support for
emergency relief such as food, water, and medical supplies
especially for those homes or towns that have been
destroyed by disaster or war. The Red Cross remain
neutral and would help the wounded from both sides of
war. Their headquarter is in Geneva, Switzerland.