International Organisations

What is International Organisations?

Within Economics & Civics, which covers money, markets, business, government, law and citizenship: how societies are organised and run, this topic explains International Organisations. Economics and civics topics explain how money, markets, laws and government affect people, so each topic here pairs a clear definition with a model.

Check that you can explain International Organisations in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.

Understanding International Organisations helps you read the news critically and weigh up policies, choices and arguments about society.

International Organisations in detail

International organisations bring countries together to cooperate on shared problems. The United Nations works for peace, security and development, NATO is a military alliance for collective defence, and the World Trade Organization regulates trade. The World Health Organization coordinates health efforts and the International Monetary Fund and World Bank support financial stability and development.

Others include the African Union, the Commonwealth, ASEAN and the European Union. They create rules, solve disputes and provide aid, but have limited power because member states keep their sovereignty. Their effectiveness depends on cooperation, funding and political will, and they are often criticised for slow action.

How the interactive helps you understand International Organisations

Watch the network in the interactive. Use any sliders or buttons it offers to change the values and see how the network responds.

Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of International Organisations.

Real-life uses and examples

• Explain International Organisations to a classmate using a choice you make yourself, such as spending pocket money.
• Give a balanced answer about International Organisations by considering more than one point of view.
• Relate International Organisations to a news story about prices, jobs, elections or government spending.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Giving an opinion without evidence or a clear economic or civic reason.
• Confusing a short-term effect with a long-term one.
• Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.