NGLS HANDBOOK

UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION

ORIGINS AND BACKGROUND

The Charter of the United Nations, drawn up and adopted in 1945 at the end of World War II, established six principal organs of the UN: the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. The United Nations Organization has its headquarters in New York and offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi. It is headed by a Secretary-General, currently Kofi Annan of Ghana, who is appointed for a five-year term. There have been seven Secretaries-General since the founding of the United Nations. They are: Trygve Lie (1946-1953), Dag Hammarskjöld (1953-1961), U Thant (1961-1971), Kurt Waldheim (1972-1981), Javier Perez de Cuellar (1982-1991), Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1992-1996) and Kofi Annan (1997-2001).

PRINCIPAL ORGANS

General Assembly

The General Assembly is the UN’s main deliberative body. All Member States are represented in it, and each has one vote. The assembly has the right to discuss and make recommendations on all matters within the scope of the UN Charter. It does not have power to compel action by any government, although its recommendations carry the weight of world opinion. The assembly also sets policies and determines programmes for the UN Secretariat, sets goals and directs activities for development, approves the budget of peacekeeping operations, and calls for world conferences on major issues. The assembly considers reports from other organs, admits new members, approves the UN budget, and appoints the UN Secretary-General upon recommendation of the Security Council.

Because of the great number of agenda items that the assembly debates at each session, it allocates most questions to its six main committees. These are: First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), Second Committee (Economic and Financial), Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) and Sixth Committee (Legal).

In addition to regular sessions of the General Assembly, the body also convenes “special sessions,” which are additional meetings convened for a specific purpose. Since the opening of the United Nations, the General Assembly has held 22 special sessions, addressing topics ranging from disarmament and apartheid to international economics. Throughout the 1990s, a series of United Nations summits and world conferences was convened, each of which has a monitoring and review process and some of which have a five-year review. It is not pre-determined how the reviews will be held, but Member States have agreed to five-year reviews of many of the conferences of the 1990s, primarily in the form of a special session of the General Assembly.

A five-year review was held in 1997 to assess and appraise implementation of the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21, the outcome of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Other General Assembly special session reviews include: a special session in June 1999 to review implementation of the Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development; a special session in September 1999 to review implementation of the Barbados Declaration and Programme of Action of the 1994 Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS); a special session in June 2000 to review the Beijing Declaration and Platform For Action of the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women; a special session in June 2000 to review implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action of the 1995 World Summit for Social Development; and a special session in June 2001 to review and appraise implementation of the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements and Habitat Agenda of the 1996 Second UN Conference on Human Settlements (HABITAT II).

Security Council

The UN Charter gives primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security to the Security Council.

The council has 15 members. Five of these--China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and the United States--are permanent members, which have the right to veto any council decision. The other ten are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. Decisions require nine affirmative votes, and except in votes on procedural questions, a decision can be taken only if all permanent members vote in the affirmative.

When a threat to international peace is brought before the council, it usually asks the parties to try to reach agreement by peaceful means. The council may undertake mediation or set forth principles for a settlement. It may request the Secretary-General to investigate and report on the situation. If fighting breaks out, the council tries to secure a ceasefire. It may, with the consent of the parties involved, send peacekeeping missions to troubled areas to reduce tension and keep opposing forces apart. The council has the power to enforce its decisions by imposing economic sanctions and ordering collective military action.

The council also makes recommendations to the assembly on a candidate for Secretary-General and on the admission of new members to the UN. In recent years, there has been a debate on reforming the Security Council to better reflect the increase in the number of Member States and the changing political reality.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

ECOSOC, with 54 Member States, coordinates the economic and social work of the United Nations system. It oversees nine functional commissions, five regional commissions and five standing committees, as well as relations with NGOs. ECOSOC’s functional commissions are on crime prevention and criminal justice, human rights, narcotic drugs, social development, science and technology for development, sustainable development, the status of women, population and development, and statistics. The regional commissions are: Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. The standing committees are on human settlements, programme and coordination, non-governmental organizations, negotiations with intergovernmental agencies, and energy and natural resources. ECOSOC also has expert bodies on development planning; economic, social and cultural rights; natural resources; new and renewable sources of energy and energy for development; international cooperation in tax matters; the transport of dangerous goods; public administration and finance; and geographical names.

A range of the UN’s economic and social programmes, funds and agencies report to ECOSOC including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF); UN Development Programme (UNDP); UN Population Fund (UNFPA); the World Food Programme (WFP); and specialized agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); World Health Organization (WHO); International Labour Organization (ILO); UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); and the Bretton Woods Institutions (World Bank and the International Monetary Fund). The World Trade Organization (WTO) also participates in ECOSOC sessions.

International Court of Justice (ICJ)

The International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, is seated in The Hague (Netherlands). It is the principal judicial organ of the UN and is available to all Member States. The court’s 15 judges are elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council. Only countries may be parties in cases brought before the court. A country does not have to take part in a proceeding if it does not wish to, unless required by special treaty provisions. However if the country accepts to take part, it is obliged to comply with the court’s decision. The General Assembly, Security Council and other organs of the UN can ask the court for advisory opinions on legal questions.

Trusteeship Council

This UN organ, made up of the five permanent members of the Security Council, was established to ensure that governments responsible for administering Trust Territories take adequate steps to prepare the territories for self-government or independence. In 1994, the Security Council terminated the UN Trusteeship Agreement for the last of the original 11 trusteeships, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau), administered by the United States. The task of the trusteeship system was thus completed since all trust territories had attained self-government or independence as separate states or by joining neighbouring independent countries.

United Nations Secretariat

The UN Secretariat, based in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi, carries out the diverse day-to-day work of the organization, services UN organs, and implements the programmes and policies laid down by them. A major feature of the Secretariat’s work is servicing the intergovernmental bodies, particularly the General Assembly and its committees, the Security Council, and ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies.

The Secretariat deals with the full range of issues addressed by the United Nations. These include peacekeeping, emergency and humanitarian assistance, political affairs, policy coordination and sustainable development, Africa and the least developed countries, energy and environment, social development, status of women, crime, drug abuse, human rights, decolonization, disarmament, exploitation of the deep sea-bed and peaceful uses of outer space. It prepares economic and social information, provides analysis and statistics, and coordinates operational activities. It is also responsible for technical cooperation and public information.

The Secretariat has many different departments responsible for undertaking this wide range of activities, although periodic reorganization has changed department names and rearranged their responsibilities. The UN Secretariat in New York is made up of the following departments:

--            Executive Office of the Secretary-General

--            Department for Disarmament Affairs

--            Department of Administration and Management

--            Department of Economic and Social Affairs

--            Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services

--            Department of Peacekeeping Operations

--            Department of Political Affairs

--            Department of Public Information

--            Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

--            Office of Legal Affairs

--            Office of Internal Oversight Services

The Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for External Relations heads the UN Office of External Relations and reports directly to the UN Secretary-General, working on his behalf in many areas including with NGOs. The ASG currently chairs the Inter-Departmental Working Group on NGOs, which seeks to improve coordination of the activities of departmental NGO focal points and to ensure consistency in the Secretariat’s dealings with NGOs. The main objective of the working group, which has a counterpart at the UN Office in Geneva, is to develop common guidelines and exchange information among different Secretariat and other UN departments, without curtailing the flexibility that should govern their interaction with specific NGOs.

NGO RELATIONS

Non-governmental organizations have been active in the United Nations since its founding. They interact with the UN Secretariat, programmes, funds and agencies, and they consult with the Member States. NGO work related to the UN comprises a number of activities including information dissemination, awareness raising, development education, policy advocacy, joint operational projects, and providing technical expertise and collaborating with UN agencies, programmes and funds. This work is undertaken in formal and informal ways at the national level and at the UN. Official UN Secretariat relations with NGOs fall into two main categories: consultations with governments, and information servicing by the Secretariat. These functions are the responsibility of two main offices of the UN Secretariat dealing with NGOs: the NGO Unit of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), and the NGO Section of the Department of Public Information (see below). Formal interaction and consultation between NGOs and the UN are governed by the UN Charter and related resolutions of ECOSOC.

The Preamble of the United Nations Charter affirms the aims and purposes that “We, the peoples of the United Nations” are committed to realize through the organization. The peoples of the world, through NGOs and other non-state organizations, play an increasingly important and constructive role in furthering the mandate set out in the Charter. Article 71 says that “The Economic and Social Council may make suitable arrangements for the consultation with non-governmental organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence. Such arrangements may be made with international organizations and, where appropriate, with national organizations after consultation with the Member of the United Nations concerned.”

This article and the arrangements established by ECOSOC form the basis for NGO consultation with governments at the UN and establish guidelines for the UN Secretariat when dealing with NGOs. These procedures and arrangements also govern or guide other UN agencies and programmes in their relations with NGOs.

Consultative Status with ECOSOC

Arrangements for consultation with NGOs are governed by ECOSOC resolution 1996/31 adopted on 25 July 1996, following a three-year review process by an ECOSOC working group composed of Member States. In addition to updating ECOSOC resolution 1296 of May 1968, the working group recommended that the UN General Assembly “examine, at its 51st session, the question of the participation of non-governmental organizations in all areas of the work of the United Nations.” At the 51st General Assembly, governments and NGOs began exploring new forms of interaction, such as including NGO representatives on panels, and engaging in informal discussions with officers of the plenary and main committees of the General Assembly and in multi-sector dialogues of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).

ECOSOC resolution 1996/31 defines NGOs as “any international organization which is not established by a governmental entity or intergovernmental agreement.” It says organization refers to NGOs at the national, subregional, regional and international levels, except where expressly stated otherwise. It also specifies certain principles for NGOs concerning their consultative status with ECOSOC, as well as NGO consultations with the Secretariat. It establishes three categories of consultative status for NGOs. General consultative status is for large, international NGOs whose area of work covers most of the issues on ECOSOC’s agenda. Special consultative status is for NGOs that have special competence in a few fields of ECOSOC’s activity. The third category, which is inclusion on the roster, is for NGOs whose competence enables them to make occasional and useful contributions to the work of the United Nations and that are available for consultation upon request. NGOs on the roster may also include organizations in consultative status with a specialized agency or other UN body.

The following are the formal rights and arrangements for the participation of NGOs in consultative and roster status with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies.

--            The provisional agenda of the Economic and Social Council shall be communicated to organizations in general, special and roster status.

--            NGOs with general status have the right to place items on the agenda of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies.

--            Organizations with general and special status may designate authorized representatives to sit as observers at public meetings of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies. Those on the roster may have representatives present at such meetings concerned with matters within their field of competence.

--            Brief written statements can be submitted by organizations in general and special status and can be published as UN documents and circulated to members of the council or subsidiary body. These statements will be circulated by the Secretary-General in the relevant UN working languages and also may be translated into any of the official languages of the UN upon request by a member government. NGOs on the roster may be invited to submit written statements.

--            The ECOSOC Committee on NGOs shall make recommendations to ECOSOC concerning which NGOs in general status make an oral presentation during the session; NGOs in special status may also address ECOSOC, provided there is no ECOSOC subsidiary body with jurisdiction in a major field of interest to the council and to an organization in special status. No provision is made for NGOs on the roster to address ECOSOC.

--            Commissions and other subsidiary organs of ECOSOC may consult with NGOs in general and special status; such consultations may be arranged on the request of the NGO. Organizations on the roster may also be heard by the commissions or subsidiary organs on the recommendation of the UN Secretary-General and at the request of the commission or other subsidiary organ.

--            A commission of ECOSOC may recommend that an NGO with special competence in a particular field undertake studies or investigations or prepare papers for the commission.

--            NGOs shall be able to consult with officers of the appropriate sections of the Secretariat on matters of mutual interest or concern. Such consultations shall be upon request of the NGO or the Secretary-General.

--            The Secretary-General may request organizations in general, special and roster status to carry out studies or prepare papers.

--            The Secretary-General is authorized to offer facilities to NGOs in consultative relationship, including:

$             prompt and efficient distribution of documents of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies as the Secretary-General considers appropriate;

$             access to UN press documentation services;

$             arrangement of informal discussions on matters of special interest to groups or organizations;

$             use of UN libraries;

$             provision of accommodation for conferences or smaller meetings of consultative organizations on the work of ECOSOC; and

$             appropriate seating arrangements and facilities for obtaining documents during public meetings of the General Assembly that deal with matters in the economic, social and related fields.

NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC must report every four years on their activities. The reports are submitted to the committee on NGOs, which can revoke an organization’s consultative status if:

--            it fails to submit reports;

--            it “abuses its status by engaging in a pattern of acts contrary to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations including unsubstantiated or politically motivated acts against Member States;”

--            “there exists substantiated evidence of influence from proceeds resulting from international recognized criminal activities such as the illicit drugs trade, money laundering or the illegal arms trade;” and

--            within the preceding three years, an organization has not made a positive or effective contribution to the work of the UN, in particular ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies.

The ECOSOC Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations is the only intergovernmental committee in the UN system that focuses exclusively on relations with NGOs. The committee is composed of 19 Member States and meets every year. Its main function is to review NGO applications for consultative or roster status, request changes in status, and submit its recommendations on applications to ECOSOC.

The committee may consult with organizations in consultative status on specific items on the ECOSOC agenda or other matters and reports to ECOSOC on these consultations. It is also responsible for “regular monitoring of the evolving relationship between non-governmental organizations and the United Nations,” and holds annual consultations with NGOs about that relationship. Reports on such consultations are to be transmitted to ECOSOC for appropriate action.

Association with the Department of Public Information (DPI)

In addition to consultative status with ECOSOC, appropriate NGOs may seek associative status with the UN Department of Public Information.

The importance of working with NGOs as an integral part of United Nations information activities was recognized when DPI was established. The General Assembly, in resolution 13 (I), instructed the department and its field offices of United Nations Information Centres and services to “actively assist and encourage national information services, educational institutions and other governmental and non-governmental organizations of all kinds interested in spreading information about the United Nations. For this and other purposes, it should operate a fully equipped reference service, brief or supply lecturers, and make available its publications, documentary films, film strips, posters and other exhibits for use by these agencies and organizations.”

The Economic and Social Council, in resolution 1297 (XLIV) of 27 May 1969, called on DPI to associate NGOs, bearing in mind the letter and spirit of the council’s resolution 1296 (XLIV) of 23 May 1968, which established arrangements for consultations between the United Nations and NGOs.

Organizations eligible for association with DPI are those that share the ideals of the United Nations Charter; operate solely on a non-profit basis; have a demonstrated interest in United Nations issues and a proven ability to reach large or specialized audiences, such as educators, media representatives, policy makers and the business community; and have the commitment and means to conduct effective information programmes about United Nations activities through publication of newsletters, bulletins, backgrounders and pamphlets or through the organization of conferences, seminars and roundtables and by enlisting the cooperation of print and broadcast media. Close to 1,600 NGOs with effective information programmes on issues of concern to the United Nations are associated with the department, which gives the UN valuable links to civil society worldwide.

Association with the department can be initiated with a written request to the NGO Section of DPI. The request should be accompanied by documentary evidence attesting that the applying organization meets the criteria indicated above. A profile of the organization, based on the information received, is submitted to the senior Departmental Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations for review at its annual session.

NGOs that enjoy consultative status with the Economic and Social Council are granted association with the department, upon written request and demonstration of an active information programme, without going through the review process mentioned above.

The DPI/NGO Section provides associated NGOs with a number of services. For example the section organizes, in collaboration with the NGO/DPI Executive Committee (an 18-member executive committee of associated NGOs that maintains liaison for the NGOs with DPI), the Annual DPI/NGO Conference, the premiere NGO-related event at headquarters each September; organizes weekly briefings on UN-related issues; conducts an annual orientation programme for newly accredited NGO representatives; organizes quarterly communications workshops for NGOs; processes NGO applications for associative status with DPI; and publishes the Directory of NGOs Associated with DPI. The section maintains a website hosted on the UN homepage (www.un.org/MoreInfo/ngolink/dpingo.htm), and the NGO Resource Center offers access to current UN documents, press releases as well as DPI and UN system publications; a video lending library with a collection of UN system videos; monthly mailings of UN information materials to associated NGOs, and it processes UN passes for NGO representatives.

UN Website on Cooperation with NGOs

DPI also maintains a website that contains information on arrangements and practices for NGO involvement in UN system activities (www.un.org/partners/civil_society/home.htm). Users are able to link directly to NGO focal points in the UN, regional centres of the UN, information centres and depositary libraries, as well as the website of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Status with the United Nations (CONGO).

Contacts

Office of the Secretary-General: Gillian Sorensen, Assistant-Secretary-General for External Relations, Executive Office of the Secretary-General, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States.

ECOSOC: Hanifa Mezoui, Chief, Non-Governmental Organizations Section, Division for ECOSOC Support and Coordination, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Room DC1-1480, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 8652, fax +1-212/963 9248, e-mail <mezoui@un.org>, website (www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo).

UN Office at Geneva: Raymonde Martineau, NGO Liaison Officer, UN Office at Geneva, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/917 2127 or 917 2128, fax +41-22/917 0583, e-mail <rmartineau@unog.ch>, website (www.unog.ch).

UN Office at Nairobi: Tore Brevik, Director, UN Information Centre, PO Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya, telephone +254-2/623292 or 623293, fax +254-2/624349 or 623927, e-mail <cpiinfo@unep.org>.

UN Office at Vienna: Boris Znamensky, Protocol and NGO Liaison Officer, UN Office at Vienna, Room E1416, Vienna International Centre, PO Box 500, A-1400 Vienna, Austria, telephone +43-1/26060 5497 or 26060 4090, fax +43-1/26060 5929, e-mail <bznamensky@unov.un.or.at>, website (www.unis.unvienna.org).

Department for Disarmament Affairs: Tamara Malinova, Political Affairs Officer, Monitoring, Database and Information Branch, Department for Disarmament Affairs, Room S-3151-D, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 8199, fax +1-212/963 1121, e-mail <malinova@un.org>, website (www.un.org/Depts/dda/DDAHome.htm).

Department of Political Affairs: Room S-3362, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 0496, fax +1-212/963 4199, website (www.un.org/depts/dpa).

--            Division for Palestinian Rights

Elizabeth Cabal, Division for Palestinian Rights, Department of Political Affairs, Room S-3362-F, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 1800, fax +1-212/963 4199, e-mail <cabal@un.org>, website (www.un.org/Depts/dpa/qpal).

Department of Public Information: Paul Hoeffel, Chief, NGO Section, Public Affairs Division, Department of Public Information, Room S-1070L, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 6842, fax +1-212/963 6914, e-mail <dpingo@un.org>, website (www.un.org/MoreInfo/ngolink/dpingo.htm).

Department of Peacekeeping Operations: Peace and Security Section, Public Affairs Division, Department of Public Information, Room S-1005, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 6840, fax +1-212/963 9737, website (www.un.org/depts/dpko).

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: Katarina Toll Velasquez, Special Assistant to the Director, OCHA, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/917 2160, fax +41-22/917 0023, e-mail <dhagva@dha.unicc.org> or Phyllis Lee, Chief, Advocacy and External Relations Unit, OCHA, Room S-3600-B, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 0362, fax +1-212/963 1312, e-mail <ochany@un.org>, website (www.reliefweb.int).

Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)

Focal Points for NGOs

--            Division for the Advancement of Women

Koh Miyaoi, NGO Focal Point, Division for the Advancement of Women, DESA, Room DC2-1204, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 8034, fax +1-212/963 3463, e-mail <miyaoi@un.org>, website (www.un.org/womenwatch).

--            Division for Social Policy and Development

Yao N’Goran, NGO Focal Point, Division for Social Policy and Development, DESA, Room DC2-1360, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 3175, fax +1-212/963 3062, e-mail <ngoran@un.org>, website (www.un.org/esa/socdev).

--            Division for Sustainable Development

Zehra Aydin-Sipos, Major Groups Focal Point, Division for Sustainable Development, DESA, Room DC2-2262, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 8811, fax +1-212/963 1267, e-mail <aydin@un.org>, website (www.un.org/esa/sustdev).

--            Information Support Unit

Luciana Marulli-Koenig, Chief, Information Support Unit, DESA, Room DC2-1388, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 3176, fax +1-212/963 4444, e-mail <marulli@un.org>.

--            Issues Related to Ageing

Alexandre Sidorenko, Chief, UN Programme on Ageing and Senior Social Affairs Officer, Social Integration Branch, Division for Social Policy and Development, DESA, Room DC2-1358, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 0500, fax +1-212/963 3062, e-mail <sidorenko@un.org>, website (www.un.org/esa/socdev/ageing.htm).

--            Issues Related to Cooperatives

Albert Vinoukourov, Social Affairs Officer, Division for Social Policy and Development, DESA, Room DC2-1348, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 1713, fax +1-212/963 3062, e-mail <vinoukourov@un.org>.

--            Issues Related to Disability

Akiko Ito, Social Affairs Officer, Social Integration Branch, Division for Social Policy and Development, DESA, Room DC2-1342, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 1996, fax +1-212/963 3062, e-mail <ito@un.org>, website (www.un.org/esa/socdev/disabled.htm).

--            Issues Related to Family

Amr Ghaleb, Officer-in-Charge, Subprogramme on Family, Social Integration Branch, Division for Social Policy and Development, DESA, Room DC2-1302, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 3238, fax +1-212/963 3062, e-mail <ghaleb@un.org>, website (www.un.org/esa/socdev/family/index.html).

--            Issues Related to Financing for Development

Harris Gleckman, Programme Officer, Development Policy Analysis Division (DPAD), DESA, Room DC2-2162, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 4690, fax +1-212/963 1061, website (www.un.org/esa/analysis/ffd).

--            Issues Related to the Follow-Up to the World Summit for Social Development and General Information

Gloria Kan, Chief, Intergovernmental Policy Branch, Division for Social Policy and Development, DESA, Room DC2-1362, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 5873, fax +1-212/963 3062, e-mail <kan@un.org> or Yao N’Goran, NGO Focal Point, Division for Social Policy and Development, DESA, Room DC2-1360, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 3175, fax +1-212/963 3062, e-mail <ngoran@un.org>, website (www.un.org/esa/socdev).

--            Issues Related to Population

Joseph Chamie, Director, Population Division, DESA, Room DC2-1950, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 3179, fax +1-212/963 2147, website (www.undp.org/popin).

--            Issues Related to Poverty

Lul Hassan, Economic Affairs Officer, Intergovernmental Policy Branch, Division for Social Policy and Development, DESA, Room DC2-1372, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 4714, fax +1-212/963 3062, e-mail <hassanl@un.org>.

--            Issues Related to Water and Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

Marcia Brewster, Senior Officer, Water Management and SIDS Branch, Division for Sustainable Development, DESA, Room DC1-0822, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 8590, fax +1-212/963 4340, website (www.un.org/esa/sustdev/sids.htm).

--            Issues Related to Youth

William Angel, Social Affairs Officer, Poverty Eradication, Employment and Youth Branch, Division for Social Policy and Development, DESA, Room DC2-1318, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 1380, fax +1-212/963 3062, e-mail <angel@un.org>, website (www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin).

--            Office of the Special Coordinator for Africa and the Least Developed Countries (OSCAL)

Ruth Engo, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, OSCAL, DESA, Room DC1-1048, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 4780, fax +1-212/963 3892, e-mail <engo@un.org>, website (www.un.org/esa/africa).