FUNCTIONS OF

INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS
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
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.
 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
 THE
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL
COURT
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.
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.
 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.
 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
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.
 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ON
SHAPING NATIONAL WELFARE STATES
 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.
 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?
 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.