LibGuides: International Government Organizations and Foreign Government Information: International Organizations (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between international governmental organization and international non-governmental organization? ›

The United Nations and the Organization of American States are examples of international governmental organizations. The other category of international organization is the non-governmental organization (or NGO). NGOs are made up of private citizens. NGOs do not enter into treaties or other international agreements.

Conventional Categories. It is usual to distinguish between three main types of "international organization", namely: inter-governmental organizations, international non-governmental organizations, and multinational enterprises.

International Organizations are sometimes referred to as intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), to clarify the distinction from international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), which are non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that operate internationally.

A prominent example of an IGO is the United Nations. Other larger IGOs include the African Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

The biggest difference between IGOs and NGOs is that IGOs are formally recognized and represent member states, while NGOs are independent organizations. IGOs cooperate with governments and influence global policy-making, while NGOs focus on specific issues and operate through donations and volunteers.

International organizations serve many diverse functions, including collecting information and monitoring trends (e.g., the World Meteorological Organization), delivering services and aid (e.g., the World Health Organization), and providing forums for bargaining (e.g., the European Union) and settling disputes (e.g., ...

This is an introduction to six of the world's most prominent international organizations: the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Group of Twenty (G20), and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

75,000 international organizations from 300 countries and territories, c. 42,000 of which are active organizations. Coverage includes intergovernmental (IGOs) and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs).

IGOs cover multiple issues and involve governments from every region of the world, including offices in the U.S. Among the oldest IGOs are the United Nations, which replaced the League of Nations, the Universal Postal Union, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

A significant disadvantage of joining an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) such as the European Union, for member countries can be the potential loss of sovereignty. These countries may have to follow policies and decisions made by the organization which may not suit their individual best interests.

Are international organizations and international institutions the same? ›

Traditionally, scholars and others have frequently used the term “international institution” to refer to formal international organizations, for example, the international financial institutions of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

An international non-governmental organization (INGO) is an organization which is independent of government involvement and extends the concept of a non-governmental organization (NGO) to an international scope.

As per the Wikipedia “The United Nations, is an intergovernmental organization responsible for maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, achieving international cooperation, and being a center for harmonizing the actions of nations” so UN is not an NGO.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) seek to improve social and political problems locally, nationally, or internationally. They work outside the frame of the government, are usually not-for-profit, and can obtain tax-exempt status if they meet certain criteria.

NGOs receive funding much like NPOs. They may call on private donations, loans, grants, membership dues, and the sale of services to stay in business. While it's possible to receive government aid and funding, governments do not get to influence NGOs' decision-making, hence the term “non-governmental” organization.

What distinguishes the two is that intergovernmental organizations are international organizations whose members are states, whereas nongovernmental organizations are associations composed of private individuals.

IGOs (Intergovernmental Organizations) are formed by governments to address international issues, while NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) are formed by individuals or groups to address various issues, often including those related to human rights and environmental concerns.

NGOs can also be lobby groups for corporations, such as the World Economic Forum. NGOs are distinguished from international and intergovernmental organizations (IOs) in that the latter are more directly involved with sovereign states and their governments.