[ID:0768]Following the Second World War, the states of the world came together and decided that global peace, security and prosperity could only be maintained by creating a truly international society that would be governed by states acting through institutions that are now commonly referred to as intergovernmental organizations (IGOs).

The United Nations would rest at the center of the international system and was given the mandates of preventing international conflict, promoting human rights, ensuring respect for the international rule of law, supporting the peaceful settlement of disputes and promoting social and economic progress.

Specialized agencies of the UN and other autonomous IGOs were subsequently created to oversee particular areas of responsibility. The Bretton Woods institutions were created to coordinate the international economic system, the World Health Organization (WHO) would promote international cooperation aimed at improving the health of the world's people, and the International Labour Organization (ILO)...