International Organizations

Ilona Linkola

Sampo Järvinen

International Organizations

• An organization with international membership, scope or presence
• Intergovernmental organizations (IGO's)
  • ​General
  • United Nations System
  • Other Intergovernmental organizations
• Non-governmental organizations (NGO’s)
  • ​The definition and features of an 'NGO'
  • The role of NGOs in international law
  • The role of NGOs in the UN system

Intergovernmental Organizations

• Composed of nation-states

• Promotes voluntary co-operation and coordination among its members.

• Subject to Public International Law

  • Legislation

  • Created through treaties

• Permanent
• Sovereignty of States --> Non-enforceable decisions
• Circa 5000

Universal

• Open for all states to join
• Global presence

Regional

• Membership limited to a certain geographical location
• Regional presence

Intergovernmental Organizations

Intergovernmental Organizations

• Three principal organs
  • Assembly
  • Council
  • Secretariat
  • + Subsidiary organs

The United Nations System

• The successor of League of Nations
• Established after World War II in 1945 to maintain peace and security
• Global presence
• 192 member states
• A fragmented framework of semi-independet agencies
  • Humanitarian and refugee operations
  • Postal services
  • Standard setting
  • Fight against HIV/ AIDS
  • Peacekeeping operations......

The United Nations System

• Major overlapping organizations
  • G20
    • International Financial stability
  • OECD
    • Market Economy
  • Red Cross and Red Crescent
    • Humanitarian assistance
  • NATO
    • ​Peacekeeping
  • Growing number of NGO's

Non-governmental Organizations

• No universally accepted definition of what is an 'NGO'
   

• Elements commonly included as characteristic to NGOs:

  • not created by a governmental entity or intergovernmental agreement

  • voluntary and self-governing

  • non-profit making aim

  • formal existence and legal personality under national law
     

• Different fields of focus

• Different operational levels

Non-governmental Organizations

Save the Children

The role of NGOs in international law

• No formal legal status under public international law
   
• NGO participation and relationships with IGOs:
  • institutionalised relationships
  • behind-the-scenes influence and lobbying
  • participation in international conferences
  • operational cooperation

The role of NGOs in the UN system

• Consultative status with ECOSOC
  • Article 71 of the UN Charter
  • ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31
    • principles for establishing consultative relations
    • status granted by ECOSOC
    • three forms of consultative status
• Relations with UN human rights bodies
• Participating in UNGA special sessions
• + Operational cooperation, informal influencing...

Thank you!