'Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres)', often in the news, is

This snippet lists the World Health Organization (WHO) among the UN's 'specialised agencies', implying WHO is an intergovernmental, UN-associated body.

A student could extend this by noting that organisations listed as UN specialised agencies are formal intergovernmental entities, and then check whether Doctors Without Borders appears on similar official lists (if it does not, that suggests it is not a WHO division).

WHO is grouped with other international organisations that handle social and economic issues, indicating it functions as a major international agency rather than a local or ad hoc group.

Use the pattern that large international agencies are listed in official intergovernmental compendia; then see whether Doctors Without Borders is listed alongside UN agencies or instead listed among independent NGOs.

The Codex Alimentarius example shows WHO participates in creating formal, joint international bodies (with FAO), illustrating WHO's role in official, intergovernmental standard-setting.

Knowing WHO engages in official intergovernmental partnerships, a student could contrast that institutional role with the organizational style of Doctors Without Borders (e.g., independent operational humanitarian missions) to judge if MSF would fit the WHO 'division' model.

The snippet gives WHO's authoritative definition of 'health', showing WHO's normative, policy-setting role at the global level.

From WHO's policy/standards role, a student could reason that an organisation which primarily provides medical relief on the ground (if known as such from basic external knowledge) likely operates differently from a WHO 'division', and should be checked for formal institutional ties to WHO.

The discussion of transnational health crises and humanitarian responses highlights the different kinds of actors involved in global health (international agencies, humanitarian responders).

A student could use this to separate 'intergovernmental agencies' (like WHO) from 'humanitarian organisations' that respond to crises, then check whether Doctors Without Borders is characterised as a humanitarian NGO rather than a WHO component.

Describes Human Rights Watch as an international NGO involved in research and advocacy and as an example of an organisation operating across countries.

A student could note the pattern that organisations labelled 'international NGO' operate across borders and then check whether MSF operates in multiple countries and performs similar cross-border humanitarian activities.

Amnesty International is presented as an NGO that campaigns globally for human rights, illustrating the typical functions and global scope of NGOs.

Use this example to ask whether MSF also engages in global humanitarian campaigns/operations independent of governments to infer its NGO character.

Mentions that five global non-governmental organisations have formal status as International Organization Partners (IOPs) of a convention, showing NGOs can have recognized international organisational roles.

From this rule-pattern, a student could check if MSF is listed or functions similarly as an international NGO partner to treaties or international bodies.

Notes cooperation that leverages government and non-governmental partners, indicating NGOs participate in international cooperative efforts distinct from states.

A student might test whether MSF commonly partners with governments or international agencies while remaining organisationally independent, a trait of NGOs.

Lists many international agencies addressing social and economic issues, highlighting the ecosystem of organisations (including NGOs and UN agencies) that operate internationally.

Use this context to classify MSF within the landscape of international actors by checking its primary activities (health/humanitarian) and cross-border presence.

Lists international organisations (WHO, UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNESCO) that deal with social and economic issues—these are examples of intergovernmental/UN agencies.

A student could check whether MSF appears in such official lists (UN or EU agency lists); if not, that suggests it is not an intergovernmental agency sponsored by a supranational body.

Describes the European Union evolving into a political entity with its own symbols and common foreign/security policy—showing the EU functions as a state-like sponsor for policies and agencies.

A student could look for formal EU sponsorship records or treaties establishing an agency to see if MSF was created or funded by such EU-level instruments.

Gives the timeline of European integration and treaty-making (ECSC, EEC, Euratom), illustrating that EU agencies and institutions are typically created by treaties among member states.

A student could test the claim by checking if MSF was established by an EU treaty or by member-state agreement (expected for intergovernmental bodies).

Explains the Maastricht Treaty establishing the EU and its move toward common foreign/internal policies—implying that formal EU-sponsored agencies normally originate from such treaties or EU institutional decisions.

A student could search EU institutional records or the Maastricht framework to see whether MSF is listed as an EU-sponsored body.

Notes limitations on the EU's ability to act in foreign relations and defence because some members opted out—indicating that EU-level sponsorship of agencies in sensitive areas may be constrained and documented.

A student could infer that any EU sponsorship of a medical/relief agency would be documented and likely visible in EU foreign policy or budget records; absence there would be informative.

Gives a concrete rule/example: the UN has a defined set of 'specialised agencies' and lists prominent members (ILO, FAO, IMF, UNESCO, WHO, World Bank).

A student could obtain the official list of the 15 specialised agencies and check whether Médecins Sans Frontières appears among them.

Lists agencies (WHO, UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCO, etc.) as bodies that deal with social and economic issues, illustrating the kinds of organisations classified as UN agencies.

Compare the institutional nature and typical functions of these listed agencies with that of Doctors Without Borders to see if MSF fits the pattern.

States that 'humanitarian policies are implemented by the main organs and specialised agencies', implying specialised agencies are an official channel for UN humanitarian action.

Determine whether MSF operates as an official UN implementing agency (i.e., part of UN organs/agency system) or as an independent actor providing humanitarian services.

Notes that UN subsidiary bodies (like UNFF) are composed of UN member states and 'specialized agencies', suggesting specialised agencies are intergovernmental bodies formally associated with the UN.

Use this criterion (formal intergovernmental association/composition) to check whether MSF is structured or recognized in that way.

Describes the UN's scope (peace, development, humanitarian work) and the need to allocate issues to UN jurisdiction and agencies, implying specialised agencies are official UN institutions with defined remits.

Assess whether MSF's mandate and institutional status match that of an official UN specialised agency with a defined remit under the UN system.