LibGuides: International & Global Studies: International Orgs & NGOs

International Organizations

There are dozens of International Organizations. Keep in mind that organizations are often affiliated with large political interests. There does not seem to be a definitive listing service for the International Organizations or IGOs.

Below is a brief list of links that correspond to The Council on Foreign Relations' Six Essential International Organizations You Need to Know.

Go to the bottom of this page for NGO information.

The United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945. Currently made up of 193 Member States, the UN and its work are guided by the purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter. Did you know that the group’s original meetings were held at CUNY’s Lehman College campus years before the construction of the UN headquarters on 42nd Street?
NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
NATO's key purpose is to ensure the collective defense of its 32 members, based on a 360-degree approach, and outlines three core tasks – deterrence and defence, crisis prevention and management, and cooperative security.
The European Union (The EU)
The European Union (EU) is a unique economic and political union between 27 European countries. The EU that we know today has its roots in several treaties signed in the aftermath of the Second World War. The first step was to foster economic cooperation, based on the idea that countries that trade with one another become economically interdependent and so are more likely to avoid conflict. What began as a purely economic union has evolved into an organisation spanning many different policy areas – from climate, environment and health to external relations and security, justice and migration.
World Trade Organization (The WTO)
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.
Group of 20 (G20)
Founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis of 1997 – 1998, the forum initially focused largely on broad macroeconomic issues. It has since expanded its agenda to inter-alia include trade, climate change, sustainable development, health, agriculture, energy, environment, climate change, and anti-corruption.
International Criminal Court (ICC)
The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.

NGOs - Non-governmental Organizations

NGOs - like Oxfam or Amnesty International - focus on humanitarian and human rights issues.

WANGO,the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations has an NGO directory that lets you search by region.

Worldwide NGO Directory
The Worldwide NGO Directory is a leading source of information on and resource for connecting with NGOs globally. It includes over 54,000 organizations in all fields of activity in more than 190 countries.