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3.4: Cheat Sheet On International Organizations

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    300511

    • This page is a draft and is under active development. 

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    If you are reading through this book and having a hard time keeping some of the key players straight, here is a quick overview on the major players in the world and in this book!

    Governmental and Intergovernmental Organizations (GOs/IGOs)

    These organizations are created by sovereign states, often through treaties or international agreements, to facilitate cooperation on global issues such as health, security, trade, and economic development.

    United Nations (UN)

    Known for: Peacekeeping, promoting human rights, and coordinating international development.

    • The UN is perhaps best known for its peacekeeping missions, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and agencies like UNICEF and UNHCR (United Nations, 2023).

    World Health Organization (WHO)

    Known for: Coordinating international public health and pandemic response.

    • The WHO gained global attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, where it led surveillance, response coordination, and vaccine rollout support (WHO, 2022).

    World Bank

    Known for: Providing financial and technical assistance to developing countries.

    • The World Bank is instrumental in poverty reduction, funding infrastructure projects like schools, roads, and hospitals (World Bank, 2023).

    World Trade Organization (WTO)

    Known for: Regulating global trade rules and resolving trade disputes.

    • The WTO enforces free trade agreements, reduces trade barriers, and arbitrates disputes between nations (WTO, 2023).

    International Monetary Fund (IMF)

    Known for: Stabilizing global currencies and lending to countries in economic crisis.

    • The IMF is especially known for economic bailouts, structural adjustment programs, and monetary policy advisement (IMF, 2023).

    European Union (EU)

    Known for: Regional integration of 27 European nations with a single market and currency.

    • The EU promotes free movement, trade, and environmental regulations, and is known for the Euro currency and Brexit events (European Union, 2023).

    North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

    Known for: Collective defense and military coordination among Western allies.

    • NATO’s Article 5 has been invoked only once, after the 9/11 attacks, showcasing its role in global security (NATO, 2023).

    African Union (AU)

    Known for: Promoting political and economic integration in Africa.

    • The AU is pivotal in conflict resolution, electoral monitoring, and African economic development initiatives (African Union, 2022).

    ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

    Known for: Economic and political cooperation in Southeast Asia.

    • ASEAN promotes regional peace and trade, and has increased integration in digital economy and climate cooperation (ASEAN, 2023).

    Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

    NGOs are independent of government and are usually nonprofit. They play a critical role in humanitarian aid, advocacy, and development, especially in regions where government services are limited. They often work with the government agencies above and are essential in shaping the modern world through policy-making, crisis response, and international coordination.

    Red Cross / Red Crescent

    Known for: Emergency disaster relief and humanitarian aid.

    • This organization operates in war zones and during natural disasters, known for impartial emergency assistance (IFRC, 2023).

    Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières - MSF)

    Known for: Medical aid in conflict zones and disease outbreaks.

    • MSF is globally recognized for its work in Ebola response, war-torn Syria, and refugee camps (MSF, 2022).

    Greenpeace

    Known for: Environmental activism and climate change advocacy.

    • Greenpeace is best known for non-violent direct action to protest deforestation, whaling, and fossil fuels (Greenpeace, 2023).

    Amnesty International

    Known for: Defending human rights and campaigning against injustice.

    • Amnesty focuses on prisoners of conscience, torture prevention, and abolishing the death penalty (Amnesty International, 2023).

    Oxfam

    Known for: Tackling poverty and economic inequality.

    • Oxfam leads global responses to hunger, gender inequality, and climate justice, especially in low-income nations (Oxfam, 2023).

    CARE International

    Known for: Humanitarian aid and development, especially for women and girls.

    • CARE pioneered the “CARE Package” and continues work in maternal health, nutrition, and gender equity (CARE, 2022).

    Save the Children

    Known for: Child welfare, education, and emergency response.

    • Known for efforts in child protection, early childhood education, and emergency feeding programs (Save the Children, 2023).

    World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

    Known for: Wildlife conservation and environmental protection.

    • WWF is a leader in species preservation, forest and ocean conservation, and the Earth Hour campaign (WWF, 2023).

    Human Rights Watch (HRW)

    Known for: Investigative reports on global human rights violations.

    • HRW provides in-depth documentation of genocide, war crimes, and political repression (Human Rights Watch, 2023).

    International Rescue Committee (IRC)

    Known for: Refugee assistance and rebuilding communities after crises.

    • IRC works on resettlement, education, and job training in post-conflict zones (IRC, 2023).

    References

    African Union. (2022). AU in a nutshell. https://au.int/en/overview

    Amnesty International. (2023). What we do. https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/

    ASEAN. (2023). About ASEAN. https://asean.org/asean/about-asean/

    CARE. (2022). Our history. https://www.care.org/about-us/history/

    European Union. (2023). How the EU works. https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu_en

    Greenpeace. (2023). About us. https://www.greenpeace.org/international/about/

    Human Rights Watch. (2023). About us. https://www.hrw.org/about-us

    IFRC. (2023). Who we are. https://www.ifrc.org/who-we-are

    IMF. (2023). About the IMF. https://www.imf.org/en/About

    International Rescue Committee (IRC). (2023). What we do. https://www.rescue.org/what-we-do

    Médecins Sans Frontières. (2022). About us. https://www.msf.org/about-msf

    NATO. (2023). What is NATO?. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/what_is_nato.htm

    Oxfam. (2023). What we do. https://www.oxfam.org/en/what-we-do

    Save the Children. (2023). Who we are. https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us

    United Nations. (2023). About the UN. https://www.un.org/en/about-us

    WHO. (2022). About us. https://www.who.int/about

    World Bank. (2023). What we do. https://www.worldbank.org/en/what-we-do

    World Trade Organization (WTO). (2023). What we do. https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e...e/whatis_e.htm

    World Wildlife Fund (WWF). (2023). Our work. https://www.worldwildlife.org/initiatives

    3.4: Cheat Sheet On International Organizations is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.