Research Guides: Immigrants and Refugees: International Organizations

Intergovernmental Organizations

Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) are organizations whose membership is made up of countries. The best know example being the UN where countries appoint ambassadors to the UN.

Intergovernmental Organizations Search
A specialized Google Search Engine that allows you to cross search many IGO's at once.

UN Organizations

UNHCR -- The UN Refugee Agency
The UN's High Commissioner for Refugees works to "to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution, war or disaster at home."
United Nations -- Protecting Human Rights
The UN has a number of agencies dedicated to human rights who's work intersects with immigration and refugee issues. This page outlines and links to those agencies.
International Organization for Migration
Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-"governmental partners." Part of the UN family of Agencies
UN OCHA

European Union

EU Agencies involved with migration issues
Within the Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs there are a number of agencies that deal with migration, immigration, and refugee issues. This page outlines those agencies.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

OECD- Migration
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, made up of the 33 largest world economies, publishes significant policy papers and data on migration issues.

Organization of American States

Main OAS homepage
OAS -- Migration
Links to the main committees and programs dealing with migration in the OAS

Non-Governmental Organizations

Non-governmental Organizations are composed of individual members rather than country members. This is sometimes referred to as "civil society".

IGO & NGO Search Engine
A specialized Google search tool that allows you to cross search civil society organizations. Learn more about the search engine from the American Library Associations Government Documents Round Table wiki here.
GuideStar Pro
GuideStar specializes in nonprofit company intelligence; it features: Current financial data, IRS forms, and visualizations of financial trends for nonprofits. A directory to search for nonprofits by size, cause, and location. A directory to search for people in leadership roles at nonprofits.
UNESCO Database of Non-Governmental Organizations
The database is freely accessible, and contains the fully searchable profiles in English and in French NGOs, as well as the contact details of their institutional members.
Human Rights Watch
Defends human rights around the globe including the right of migrants and refugees
Amnesty International
Another major human rights organization that advocates for migrants and refugees. Excellent country reports.
ORAM
The Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration protects and empowers LGBTIQ asylum seekers and refugees globally, creating sustainable and systemic change.