Question 95 from UPSC CSE 2016 - Current
Affairs

Question

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

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. a non-governmental international organization

Strategy: Identify Doctors Without Borders as an independent, non-governmental humanitarian organization to eliminate options that incorrectly link it to intergovernmental bodies like the UN, WHO, or EU.

Key Info: ### Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders
- Nature: MSF is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization.
- Foundation: It was founded in 1971 in Paris, France, by a group of doctors and journalists.
- Mission: Its primary mission is to provide emergency medical assistance to populations affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters, and exclusion from healthcare.
- Principles: MSF operates on principles of independence, impartiality, and neutrality. It provides care based on need alone, regardless of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation.
- Funding: A significant portion of its funding comes from private donors, which underscores its independence from governmental or institutional funding bodies.
- Recognition: MSF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 for its pioneering humanitarian work on several continents.
- Distinction from Intergovernmental Bodies: MSF is distinct from intergovernmental agencies like the World Health Organization (WHO), which is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN). It is neither a division nor a specialized agency of the UN, nor is it an inter-governmental agency sponsored by the European Union. While it may collaborate with such bodies, it maintains its operational and financial independence.

### World Health Organization (WHO)
- Nature: A specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.
- Formation: Established on 7 April 1948, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

### United Nations (UN)
- Nature: An intergovernmental organization aimed at maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, achieving international cooperation, and being a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.

### European Union (EU)
- Nature: A political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: a division of World Health Organization

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: an inter-governmental agency sponsored by European Union

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: a specialized agency of the United Nations