10.4.2

International Intervention Players

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Intergovernmental Organisations and Non-governmental Organisations

In addition to those of individual governments, geopolitical interventions are also made by IGOs (e.g. the UN, EU, World Bank and WTO) and NGOs (e.g. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch).

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IGOs

  • Some IGOs have an interest in human development.
    • E.g. The World Trade Organisation (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB).
  • Some UN based bodies are also involved including UNESCO and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
  • As there are many IGOs operating in the development arena, there is occasionally a sense of competition between them and consensus may be lacking.
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NGOs

  • NGOs are charities.
  • They are not subject to government intervention.
  • Some are concerned primarily with human rights (e.g. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch).
  • Others are more focused on human development and aid, including emergency aid in response to natural disasters e.g. Oxfam, Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF).
  • Both Oxfam and MSF were embroiled in scandal in 2017/18 with historical claims of sexual abuse by aid workers in disaster zones such as Haiti.

Human Rights Charities

There are charities like Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) that challenge global abuses of human rights.

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Amnesty International

  • AI, founded in the UK, investigates and exposes human rights abuses around the world.
  • It challenges both governments and powerful bodies (e.g. major TNCS).
  • It also provides education and training so that people are made aware of their rights.
  • It has an international reputation, though makes full use of grassroots activists at a local scale.
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Human Rights Watch

  • HRW was founded under the name of Helsinki Watch to monitor the former Soviet Union’s compliance with the Helsinki Accord (aimed at reducing Cold War tensions).
  • It currently monitors violations of the UDHR and challenges non-compliant governments through media coverage and direct conversations with policymakers and decision-makers.

Jump to other topics

1Tectonic Processes & Hazards

2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change

3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change

4Globalisation

5Option 4A: Regenerating Places

6Option 4B: Diverse Places

7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)

8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)

9Superpowers (A2 only)

10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)

11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)

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