Başlar (2005: 32-33) has developed the most comprehensive definition of international nongovernmental organizations and identified their basic characteristics as follows: • International NGOs emerged as a result of carrying individual and group interests beyond the state borders. • International NGOs are not founded by states or intergovernmental organizations. • International NGOs are constituted by natural or legal persons with voluntary membership.• Through their activities, international NGOs are able to play roles in international relations. Their members have independent voting rights. • International NGOs have a permanent and institutionalized administrative structure with full-time personnel, an organization scheme, and a headquarter in a specific location. • International NGOs have a democratically accepted charter that is prepared by a representative body, an autonomous decision-making mechanism independent from government policies, and financial resources that are totally or largely independent from central governments. • International NGOs do not engage in a partisan behavior. • International NGOs have organizational structures in more than two countries. • International NGOs adopt the objective of the United Nations as their own principles, and they aim to realize policies that will improve people’s quality of life, serve for the common good of humanity, and help disadvantageous people. • International NGOs do not use violence. • The primary aim of International NGOs is not to obtain profits. • International NGOs are social institutions that possess legal personality. • International NGOs respect the principle of non-interference in domestic affairs of states.