IOs’ selective adoption of NGO information: Evidence from the Universal Periodic Review

Mintao Nie ()
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Mintao Nie: China University of Political Science and Law

The Review of International Organizations, 2023, vol. 18, issue 1, No 2, 27-59

Abstract: Abstract Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have actively participated in the policymaking process within international organizations (IOs) by providing policy information. But due to limited policy attention and agenda space, IOs are capable of accommodating some but not all NGO information. How do IOs decide which NGO information to be accepted on the international agenda? Leveraging a unique information-filtering mechanism in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) preparation of summary reports that selectively incorporate information from NGO shadow reports during the United Nations Universal Periodic Review between 2008 and 2016, this article looks inside the “black box” of agenda setting in global governance. Using an original corpus of documents from OHCHR and more than 7000 advocacy organizations or coalitions, and a new method that quantifies OHCHR’s information gatekeeping behavior, I provide empirical support for the general claim that IOs are more likely to adopt NGO information provided by more reputable informants, expressed in neutral language, and supported by a greater number of organizations. These findings highlight the importance of IO agency in shaping the transnational advocacy agenda.

Keywords: Agenda setting; United Nations; Nongovernmental organizations; Universal Periodic Review; Global governance; Text analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1007/s11558-022-09455-3

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