Concern with international associations has
been a central focus since the foundation of the UIA in 1910, whether
labelled as nongovernmental organizations ("NGOs") by the UN
Charter or more recently as the actors of civil society.
Facilitation through information
Despite its name as Union of International
Associations, the UIA's prime function has been to act as a clearinghouse
for information on these bodies and their concerns. It is therefore sought
to collect and present information in ways that facilitate the action
of these bodies and the comprehension of their role by intergovernmental
bodies, the academic community and wider society.
Preoccupations
Civil society bodies have been created in
response to a multiplicity of concerns. The UIA has sought to re-present
these concerns, and the response to them, within an information context
that helps clarify the interdependencies between the preoccupations,
the bodies involved, and the strategies they advocate or envisage.
