First NGOs in the League of Nations: Lessons to be Learned

Abstract

Although international law was originally conceived as a law by and for states, individuals have struggled since its inception to make their voices heard and influence its rules, using their ability to associate with others and their position as members of public opinion. This article analyses the formation of the first private associations and focuses on the regulation of their status before the League of Nations, concluding that their way of acting and the obstacles they faced are still relevant today, in order to prompt reflection on the best response to an old dilemma: whether or not to regulate their status.