Absenteeism in the General Assembly of the United Nations: Why some member states rarely vote

Most IOs have been created on the premise that all sovereign states are formally equal. The United Nations General Assembly is no exception, as it relies on the one-state, one-vote rule when it comes to decision making. However, the equalizing effect of UNGA institutions is limited as not all states use their formal rights equally. Why does a state not exercise its sovereign equality through the act of participating in IO voting? Why are some states more often absent than others? This demonstrates that shortages in political, staff and ideational capacities, as well as budgetary limitations can prevent states from expressing their sovereignty through participating in IO voting, even if they would be willing to do so. In addition, absenteeism can also be strategic in nature, as smaller states tend to prioritize and focus on fewer UNGA resolutions.