FUNCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.ppt
- 2. International organisations function in the following ways: 1. Articulation and aggregation 2. Norms creation 3. Recruitment 4. Socialisation 5. Rule-making 6. Rule-application 7. Rule-adjudication 8. Information 9. Operations
- 3. Articulation and Aggregation International organisations can function for the aggregation and articulation of the national interests of its members into the international system. Thus, they bring the interested states into the same framework to articulate their interests into the world society. Just like interests groups in the national systems articulate and aggregate their common interests by forming institutions, associations, and interest- groups such as unions for better wages and working conditions, or green peace for cleaner environment, states do the same by articulating and aggregating their common interests onto the international political system through the international organisations. To achieve this, they form coalition, co-operation, alliance.
- 4. For example, OPEC is a organisation for the aggregation and articulation of the oil exporting countries, to raise the oil prices, or to increase their power by using oil as a weapon. UNCTAD is sub- organ of the UN to articulate the interests of the developing countries, and to augment their voice in the system. On the other hand, there are some INGOs for the same objective, such as World Zionist Organisation, International Chamber of Shipping, etc.
- 5. Norms They can function as the makers of norms and law for the operation of international relations. In other words, they make law for the states to follow. Their activities are grouped into three groups: 1. On political issues: They produced several documents or treaties in improving human rights, for example 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1982 Law of Sea. 2. On economic issues, they make arrangements to improve trade and economic relations among the nations. For example, GATT developed important norms for free international trade and commerce by lowering the custom tariffs and bringing some standards for the running of the world trade. 3. On security issues, the UN and other regional organisations developed some norms in the filed of disarmament, nuclear non- proliferation, ban the use of force, de-legitimisation of colonaialization, etc.
- 6. Recruitment They function as the forces to recruit new actors into the international system. Especially the U encouraged the colonial powers to free their colonies, and the colonies to join into the international system by joining the organisation. So in the 1950-60s, many new states became members to the UN. As a result, the number of the UN members sharply increased from to 50s to the 100s.
- 7. Socialisation They adapt the states into the international system by socialising them. Just like in the national system there are institutions such as military, schools, foundations to socialise the citizens into the national system, international organisations educate and train them in such a way. It takes place at two levels: 1. By direct means. Any organisations provide educational, social, psyhcological environment to the citizens of the member countries. Thus they create a "community sprit" In that some INGOs play a great role by affecting the people in different ways.
- 8. 2. By formal and diplomatic ways. State representatives or diplomats can be "socialised" to act in certain ways that is acceptable to the rest of the "international community". They learn new thinking and alternative ways of living. As a result they are persuaded in a way in line with the general norms of international system.
- 9. Rule-Making They make rules for the arrangements of relations between its members. Rules can take form of a decision, a resolution, a recommendation, a conference declaration, or a treaty or agreement. For example, the EU makes rule for its member states, civil groups or citizens to follow. The UN takes resolutions or recommendations on different issues. But in most cases, these rule should be taken by the consensus of the members to be effective.
- 10. Rule-Application Rule – application means putting the rule into effect In most cases, the rules are expected to be put into effect by the member governments because the international organisations may not have the resource or means to put them into effect. But for the rules to be applied widely, they should be accepted by the members states as useful for their interests. Otherwise, they can remain as papers. For example, the UN Security Council imposed sanctions to several aggressors, but only a few of them were put into practice, such against Iraq, but not against Israel.
- 11. Rule - Adjudication Rule – adjudication means the legal solution of the problems by the judicial courts. In nation-states, the rule-adjudication is carried out by the judiciary- law courts, arbitration panels, tribunals, an so on. In international level, this is done by some institutions such as International Court of Justice inn the case of the UN, and the Permanent Court of International Justice in the case of the League of Nations, or the European Court of Justice in the Case of the European Union. But the decisions of these courts are boundary only for those who accept its authority.
- 12. Information They collect, keep, and disseminate information to the states which need them. For example, the WHO, WMO, FAO, and many other functional international organisations have wide array of information in their own special field. And states uses their own interests.
- 13. Operations Their operations vary depending on the field of the international organisation. Thus some deal with providing credit (IMF-World Bank), some with helping refugees (UNHCR), some with health problems (WHO) and so on.
- 15. What is the International Criminal Court? The International Criminal Court (“the ICC” or “the Court”) is a permanent international court established to investigate, prosecute and try individuals accused of committing the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole, namely the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.
- 16. Why was the ICC established? Some of the most heinous crimes were committed during the conflicts which marked the twentieth century. Unfortunately, many of these violations of international law have remained unpunished. The Nuremberg and Tokyo tribunals were established in the wake of the Second World War. In 1948, when the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted, the United Nations General Assembly recognised the need for a permanent international court to deal with the kinds of atrocities which had just been perpetrated.
- 17. The idea of a system of international criminal justice re-emerged after the end of the Cold War. However, while negotiations on the ICC Statute were underway at the United Nations, the world was witnessing the commission of heinous crimes in the territory of the former Yugoslavia and in Rwanda. In response to these atrocities, the United Nations Security Council established an ad hoc tribunal for each of these situations.
- 18. These events undoubtedly had a most significant impact on the decision to convene the conference which established the ICC in Rome in the summer of 1998
- 19. What is the Rome Statute? On 17 July 1998, a conference of 160 States established the first treaty-based permanent international criminal court. The treaty adopted during that conference is known as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Among other things, it sets out the crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the ICC, the rules of procedure and the mechanisms for States to cooperate with the ICC. The countries which have accepted these rules are known as States Parties and are represented in the Assembly of States Parties.
- 20. The Assembly of States Parties, which meets at least once a year, sets the general policies for the administration of the Court and reviews its activities. During those meetings, the States Parties review the activities of the working groups established by the States and any other issues relevant to the ICC, discuss new projects and adopt the ICC’s annual budget.
- 21. How many countries have ratified the Rome Statute? Over 120 countries are States Parties to the Rome Statute, representing all regions: Africa, the AsiaPacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Western European and North America.
- 22. Where is the seat of the Court? The seat of the Court is in The Hague in the Netherlands. The Rome Statute provides that the Court may sit elsewhere whenever the judges consider it desirable. The Court has also set up offices in the areas where it is conducting investigations.
- 23. How is the Court funded? The Court is funded by contributions from the States Parties and by voluntary contributions from governments, international organisations, individuals, corporations and other entities.
- 24. How does the ICC differ from other courts? The ICC is a permanent autonomous court, whereas the ad hoc tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, as well as other similar courts established within the framework of the United Nations to deal with specific situations only have a limited mandate and jurisdiction. The ICC, which tries individuals, is also different from the International Court of Justice, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations for the settlement of disputes between States. The ad hoc tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice also have their seats in The Hague.
- 25. Is the ICC an office or agency of the United Nations? No. The ICC is an independent body whose mission is to try individuals for crimes within its jurisdiction without the need for a special mandate from the United Nations. On 4 October 2004, the ICC and the United Nations signed an agreement governing their institutional relationship.
- 26. Is the ICC meant to replace national courts? No. The ICC does not replace national criminal justice systems; rather, it complements them. It can investigate and, where warranted, prosecute and try individuals only if the State concerned does not, cannot or is unwilling genuinely to do so. This might occur where proceedings are unduly delayed or are intended to shield individuals from their criminal responsibility. This is known as the principle of complementarity, under which priority is given to national systems. States retain primary responsibility for trying the perpetrators of the most serious of crimes.
- 27. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ON SHAPING NATIONAL WELFARE STATES
- 28. Globalization challenges national welfare systems and stretches the creative capacities of citizens, political leaders and academics to invent suitable policy responses. Some labor advocates, fearing the erosion of worker rights, fight to limit free trade, while others seek to strengthen domestic labor laws. Other groups propose compensating displaced workers, or toughening labor standards in multinationals' corporate codes of conduct. Parallel to these national efforts, a more coordinated alternative is on the rise— international legislation regulating domestic labor and social conditions.
- 29. While the ILO promotes a new wave of core labor rights, and the EU, NAFTA, MERCOSUR and ASEAN develop regional responses,2 academics delay in including these increasingly important solutions in their studies. As supra-national organizations promote new and potentially powerful labor norms, a key question emerges: will national governments comply with their international obligations, and how will this shape national social systems?
- 30. Examining the most advanced system of regional and social employment coordination, the European Union, can help us understand how existing and upcoming international social policy agreements matter. The EU influences social policy through a multiplicity of channels. Instruments of EU law, including treaties, regulations, and directives, bind states to uphold labor and social standards. On the “soft law” side, the practice of issuing recommendations and other non-binding documents has been expanding into the Open-Method of Coordination of member state employment, pension and inclusion policies. The structural funds provide substantial monetary incentives for policymaking to benefit poor regions, sectors and individuals.