What international organisations is the UK part of and what do they do?
The role of the main international organisations the UK belongs to, including the United Nations, NATO, the Commonwealth and the World Trade Organization, what each does, and how membership benefits and constrains the UK.
A focused answer for OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies on the international organisations the UK belongs to: the United Nations, NATO, the Commonwealth and the World Trade Organization, what each does, and how membership benefits and constrains the UK.
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What this dot point is asking
OCR wants you to explain the main international organisations the UK belongs to, what each does, and how membership both benefits and constrains the UK. This Section 3 topic is examined through knowledge questions identifying organisations and their roles and through "Explain" questions on what bodies such as the UN do and why the UK joins them.
The United Nations
NATO, the Commonwealth and the WTO
How membership benefits and constrains the UK
OCR rewards weighing both sides: the UK gains security, influence and cooperation, but accepts rules and obligations in return. The strongest answers reach a judgement on whether the benefits outweigh the constraints.
Try this
Q1. What does NATO stand for, and what kind of organisation is it? [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization; a military and defensive alliance based on collective defence.
Q2. Explain one role of the United Nations. [Short explanation]
- Cue. Maintaining international peace and security, for example through peacekeeping missions and by trying to prevent and resolve conflicts between countries.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
OCR J270 20191 marksWhich organisation is a military alliance of North American and European countries? Tick one box.Show worked answer →
A multiple-choice knowledge question (1 mark). The correct answer is NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
NATO is a military and defensive alliance of North American and European countries, based on the principle of collective defence: an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. Distractors might include the United Nations (a global peace and cooperation body), the Commonwealth or the World Trade Organization, which are not military alliances.
OCR J270 20228 marksExplain the role of the United Nations in the world.Show worked answer →
An extended "Explain" question (8 marks, AO1 and AO2). Reward developed roles, each explained.
Role one (peace and security). The UN works to maintain international peace and security, for example through peacekeeping missions and by trying to prevent and resolve conflicts between countries.
Role two (human rights and aid). The UN promotes human rights (it produced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and coordinates humanitarian aid and development through agencies such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization.
Role three (cooperation on shared problems). The UN provides a forum where countries cooperate on global issues such as climate change, poverty and refugees, which no country can solve alone.
Top band. Three developed roles (peace, human rights and aid, cooperation), with examples and a judgement on the most important, while noting limits such as the power of veto.
Related dot points
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- How the UK is connected to politics beyond its borders, the role of international and intergovernmental organisations, how decisions made elsewhere affect UK citizens, the UK's departure from the European Union, and how citizens can engage with global political issues.
A focused answer for OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies on politics beyond the UK: how the UK connects to international politics, the role of intergovernmental organisations, how decisions made elsewhere affect UK citizens, the UK's departure from the EU, and how citizens engage with global issues.
- The meaning of identity and diversity, the multiple identities people hold, what makes the UK a multicultural and diverse society, shared values such as democracy and the rule of law, and the benefits and challenges of living in a diverse society.
A focused answer for OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies on identities and diversity in the UK: what identity and diversity mean, the multiple identities people hold, what makes the UK a multicultural society, the shared values that bind it, and the benefits and challenges of diversity.
- The meaning of human rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998, how rights are protected and enforced in the UK, and how citizens and groups campaign to defend rights.
A focused answer for OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies on human rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998, how human rights are protected and enforced in the UK, and the role of citizens and pressure groups in defending them.
Sources & how we know this
- OCR GCSE (9-1) Citizenship Studies J270 specification — OCR (2016)
- About the UN — United Nations (2023)