We explain what international organizations are and how they are classified. Also, its characteristics, its functions and some examples.
What are international organizations?
International organizations, or also intergovernmental organizations, are associations or groups of nations whose area of action extends beyond the borders of a specific State and whose purpose is to facilitate understanding between its members.
These are international institutions equipped with a permanent structure, whose work focuses on the fulfillment of some type of objectives regarding the common well-being of its members. These objectives may be political, informational, humanitarian or of another nature.
It is possible to use the term “international organizations” as a synonym for international organizations, but in certain areas the term “organizations” is reserved for groups of international private actors, that is, for those in which States do not participate (such as NGO). However, there is no universal criterion in this regard.
Since they are made up of a group of States, international organizations are subject to public international law. Even so, they have their own legal capacity and in some cases autonomous capacity to act.
In general, these organisms They are dedicated to mediation, defense and international cooperation tasks.. For this reason, they are usually established through the signing of international treaties, endowed with legal and formal recognition.
See also: Private international law
Characteristics of international organizations
The general characteristics of international organizations are:
- These are organizations with a permanent structure in which different nations are grouped together with the same purpose.
- They are groups of the public sector, that is, of national States subject to international public law.
- Its fundamental purpose is to coordinate the efforts of its members on an issue that is of common interest to them.
- They are established through the signing of an international agreement between the States involved.
Types of international organizations
International organizations can be classified according to different criteria, such as:
According to its duration
According to the extension in time scheduled for each organism, a distinction can be made between:
- Permanent organizations. Those whose duration is indefinite or indeterminate, that is, whose existence has no established end.
- Non-permanent organizations. Those that cease to exist once a certain period has passed or the objectives established in advance have been met.
According to their capacity for action
According to the type of authority that the associated States grant to the organization, a distinction can be made between:
- Full organizations. Those whose authority in the agreed matter is above the sovereignty of the associated States and whose provisions, therefore, must be compulsorily obeyed by them.
- Semi-full organizations. Those whose authority is not full over their associated States and whose binding resolutions must be approved by the majority of their members.
- Consultation bodies. Those that do not have authority over the associated States and whose resolutions are not binding, but are taken as advice, consultation or reflection.
Functions of international organizations
International organizations can fulfill different functions, according to the spirit in which they were created and the needs of their member states. Some of these functions may be:
- Conflict resolution. It refers to mediation in the event of conflicts and, on certain occasions, to joint military intervention for humanitarian or peaceful purposes in the face of greater danger. For example: in 1949, the United Nations (UN) intervened with its Peace Forces (also known as “blue helmets”) in the conflict between India and Pakistan to prevent an escalation that would lead to greater violence.
- Regulation of scientific-technological development. When it becomes necessary to debate the scope of technology or establish regulations to protect the future of humanity in the face of a new discovery, international organizations serve as a space for debate and the signing of joint resolutions. For example: the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has addressed the ethical debate on human cloning since the end of the 20th century, and, in line with its recommendations, the vast majority of States prohibits that scientific practice.
- Humanitarian work. Whether it is economic cooperation and the fight against poverty, aid in cases of natural disasters, socio-political crises or the aftermath of war, international organizations allow the coordination of countries' efforts to make them more effective. For example: after the earthquake that devastated Syria and Turkey in February 2023, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) carried out different humanitarian plans to provide international economic aid to victims and refugees, especially from Syria.
- Regulation of state power. Through joint surveillance, the member states of some international organizations undertake to adhere to certain political and humanitarian codes, since if they violate them, they could be sanctioned by the organization. For example: the Organization of American States (OAS) contemplates in its charter the obligation of its members to embrace democracy and respect for fundamental human rights.
Examples of international organizations
Some examples of international organizations are:
- United Nations Organization (UN). Created at the end of the Second World War to replace the failed League of Nations, its fundamental objective is to be a neutral space for debate between nations, in order to resolve their disputes without reaching war and provide a diplomatic option to conflicts in the presence of the rest of the countries of the world. In addition, it has numerous commissions specialized in promoting culture, equality, education, health, etc.
- World Labor Organization (ILO). Currently belonging to the United Nations, this organization created in 1919 and consolidated in 1947 pursues the improvement of global working conditions, through the creation and promotion of workplaces, the minimum regulation of conditions and the prohibition and persecution of work. children and forced labor, among other issues.
- World Bank (WB). This international organization promotes the development of countries through strategic advisory policies, educational promotion, loans and project financing, or simply by supervising international development initiatives.
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It is an organization attached to the UN and founded in 1945, with the purpose of sponsoring the democratization of knowledge, preserving the legacy of humanity and promoting learning in the sciences. One of its best-known plans is that of heritage designation, which grants famous historical places the status of “world heritage site.”
- World Health Organization (WHO). Also attached to the UN, it is a global organization that ensures the fight against diseases, the improvement of sanitary conditions in developing countries, the care of epidemics and preventive health in general, which includes condemnation of certain products, services or activities.
- World Trade Organization (WTO). It is the only international organization that defends the current rules in international trade, ensuring the best possible understanding between producers, consumers and exporters of goods and services, so that commercial activity is as fair, beneficial and equitable as possible.
- International Monetary Fund (IMF). It is an international financial organization that has its headquarters in Washington (United States). It was born in 1944 as a way to economically protect developing countries, through monetary loans and public management recommendations.
- Organization of American States (OAS). It is the main political forum available to the States of the American continent, with the capacity to exert diplomatic and financial pressure in the event that any of its member countries fails to comply with its fundamental guidelines regarding human rights and adherence to democracy.
- Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This financial organization offers international loans to national, municipal and provincial governments, as well as civil societies and private companies, as a strategy to promote economic growth and support initiatives that allow economic diversification in the American continent.
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References
- Calduch Cervera, R. (1991). International relations. Social Sciences Editions.
- Carcelo, JF (2019). A discussion on the role of International Organizations in the theory of International Relations. Journal of Social Sciences7 (12).
- Royal Spanish Academy. (2023). International organization. Pan-Hispanic dictionary of legal Spanish. https://dpej.rae.es/