Global Organistaions Flashcards
When did IGOs start to become increasingly important?
Since WW2
How many nations were in the UN when it was set up?
51
How many nations are part of the UN today?
193
What is the main aim of the UN Security Council?
Tasked with maintaining global peace and prevent ‘generations from the scourge of war’
What is the UN general assembly?
This is where countries meet for debates and to vote on action to be taken with each nation getting one vote
How can only having one vote in the UN general assembly be bypassed?
Political influence like China investing in Africa meaning countries will vote with them
What is the aim of the UN?
Achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character
What was set up by the EU in 2015 to help cooperation of international problems?
Millennium development goals later named the 2030 agenda for sustainable development
How many development goals were there?
21
What did the UN do to encourage countries to go to a meeting about climate change?
created an advert
What was once said about WHO, FAO and WFP?
They had made the best contributions to social progress and a better standard of life ad larger freedom
Why is the UN most likely to have an effect on climate change?
Climate change is a global issue that requires global action the UN is the largest IGO so have the greatest chance of many countries working together
What does the UN do in regards to climate change?
Releases regular reports on climate change and our progress in tackling it via the IPCC and also have regular talks on how to better progress
How is many countries being part the UN a problem?
A big group of contradicting states with various political issues so they tend to vote in contradicting ways
What clause in the UN means it can be ineffective?
The veto power of the 5 permanent members
Why is the UNs goal collective security a criticism?
Its harder to put into practice then in theory
What is an example of collective security being ineffective in practice?
During the Cold War the UN Security Council passed a total of 193 vetos as a result of the mistrust between the US and USSR
What are some examples of the UN being unable to prevent invasions?
US invasion of Vietnam
USSR invasion of Afghanistan
Hungary and Czechoslovakia
What is the criticism conclusion of the UN?
The UN is ineffective at preventing conflict and that there is no supranational authority that wields overwhelming power
What are the socio-economic factors for people from UNICEF? (Splino)
UNICEF reaches 350,000 children with cash assistance through “splino” programmes ($125 million)
What does UNICEF stand for?
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund
What are the socio-economic factors for people provided by WHO? (MDG)
Millennium development goals
What does WHO stand for?
World Health Organisation
What are the socio-economic factors for people from the UN population fund ? (social justice)
Advancing equity and social justice for people of African decent through Montevideo concensus
What are the socio-cultural factors for people from UNICEF? Protective practices)
Work to change the environments in which they act making it easier for individuals to accept protective practices for children
What are the socio-cultural factors for people from WHO? (inclusive)
Considering cultural factors of places to develop more inclusive health systems
What are the socio-cultural factors for people from UN population fund? (culturally sensitive)
Set out to work in a more culturally sensitive way to achieve better more sustainable results, listen carefully and invest time understanding how people think, what they believe and how they behave
What are the socio-political factors for people from UNICEF? (Protection programmes)
Social protection programmes- cash transfer, health insurance, and education subsidies gives
What is the benefit from the UNICEF social protection programmes?
Improved access to good nutrition, healthcare, and education
What are the socio-political factors for people from WHO? (cities)
Calls on countries to build resilient and healthy cities
What are the socio-political factors for people from UN population fund? (Ethiopia)
Work providing aid in politically unstable regions (Ethiopia women and girls disproportionately affected by conflict and climate shocks)
How do UNICEF aim to improve the environment? (activists)
Give voice to young climate activists
Programs for survival, health, wellbeing
Local biodiversity and nature based solutions
What do UNICEF want to protect children from? (Pollution)
Toxic metals
Chemicals
Air pollution
How do WHO aim to improve the environment? (building capacity)
Building capacity for emergency preparedness and response in case of environment related incidents and provide related guidance on environmental heath services and occupational health and safety
How do UN population fund aim to improve the environment? (local action)
believe local action is essential to drive global progress towards a climate friendly sustainable future
What does IBDR stand for?
International bank for reconstruction and development
What is the general purpose of the IBDR?
Loan money to countries to rebuild their economies or relieve poverty
What did IBDR change to be?
World bank
What is the aim of IBDR/ world bank today?
Focus on countries where the people live on less then $1.25 a day by encouraging income growth
What is it called when someone earns less then $1.25 per day?
Absolute poverty
How is the world bank encouraging economic growth?
By working with governments of those impoverished countries to deliver projects thats are designed to grow economies
What is an example of a country where world bank loans were successful?
Botswana
How were loans successful in Botswana?
HIV was rife and meant life expectancy was 31 years
Loan money used to increase education and health services
Now life expectancy 66
Why was the population having HIV a problem for Botswana?
Low life expectancy meant government paid for education but when population got to working age they were too ill to work so didn’t pay tax (reinvest)
What is one of the criticisms of world bank and IMF?
Political power imbalances in their governance structure where voting is based principally on size of a countries economy
Why are poor countries affected by the voting structure of world bank and IMF?
They are often those receiving the loans but are under-represented in the decision making process
What is the issue of political power imbalance exacerbated by in IGOs?
Undermine sovereignty of borrowing nations
Why do loans from IMF and World bank undermine sovereignty?
Limits the ability of the country to make their own policy decisions causing erosion of national development strategies
What are the conditions part of IMF and world bank loans called?
SAPs- structural adjustment policies
What have SAPs been argued to decrease?
the quality of life of the borrowing nation due to removal of subsidies or debt increases
How are loans and reduced subsidies linked?
Countries can’t often afford to pay loan repayments and subsidies and loan repayments have to occur so there is budget cuts in government owned sectors
What is Jamaicas debt like?
One of the most indebted countries
How much more does Jamaica spend on debt repayments compared to health and education?
2 times as much
What is the likelihood with Jamaica and the millennium development goals?
Likely to miss several
What was the size of the loan for Jamaica to help meet huge debt payments?
$1bn
What was the policy linked to the Jamaica $1bn loan?
Accompanied by 4 years of austerity
Pay freeze amounting to 20% real terms cut in wages
What are austerity measures?
Cuts to public services
For how long has Jamaica been taking out loans?
Since the 1980’s
How has life been affected in Jamaica by continued loans?
Progressively worse due to constant SAPs
What agreement was signed in 1947?
GATT- global agreement on trade and tariff
Who was GATT later taken over by?
WTO- World trade organisation
What is the main aim of the WTO?
Liberalise trade (make global trade easier)
What have studies shown about the WTO?
It has boosted trade and reduced trade barriers increasing the amount of trade agreements between countries
How much of global products brought and sold are covered by the WTO?
90%
What terms out set out the by the WTO about trade?
They say that for member nations to increase trade they should treat products from other members equally to their own
What are the only trade restrictions allowed by the WTO?
When a country wants to protect industry within a state or protect the environment
Why do some argue that the WTO does not manage the global economy fairly?
Say that their is a bias toward rich countries and TNCs harming smaller countries that have less negotiating power
What are some examples of WTO bias?
Rich countries able to maintain high import aunties and quotas in certain products while blocking imports from developing countries (bra wars)
High protection of agriculture in developed countries while developing pressed to open their markets
