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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. Formal interactions
between NGOs and the UN are governed by the UN Charter and
related resolutions of ECOSOC. In February 2003, the
Secretary-General also appointed a
High
Level Panel of Eminent Persons to produce a practical set of
recommendations as to how the UN's work with Civil Society could
be improved. The final report of the Panel will be
presented to the Secretary-General in April 2004.
Broadly speaking, NGOs may cooperate with the United Nations
System in at least four ways:
1. NGOs may receive accreditation for a conference, summit
or other event organized by the United Nations. Such
accreditation is issued through the Secretariat preparing the
event and expires upon completion of the event. It entitles
NGOs to participate in the preparation process and in the event
itself, thus contributing to its outcome. For a compilation of
all legislation regarding NGO accreditation and participation in
UN Conferences and Summits from 1990 - 2001, please click
here.
2. NGOs may establish working relations with particular
Departments, Programmes or
Specialized Agencies of the United Nations System, based on
shared fields of interest and potential for joint activities
complementing the work of the United Nations office in a
particular area. For a list of NGO Focal points throughout
the UN System, please click
HERE. The NGLS Handbook
also provides a wealth of information on Civil Society engagement
throughout the UN system.
3. International NGOs active in the field of economic and social
development may seek to obtain consultative status with the
United Nations
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). For
requirements concerning consultative status with ECOSOC,
please contact the ECOSOC NGO Section by clicking the link above.
4. NGOs that have at their disposal regular means of
disseminating information, either through their publications,
radio or television programmes, or through their public
activities such as conferences, lectures, seminars or workshops,
and that are willing to devote a portion of their information
programmes to dissemination of information about the United
Nations, may apply for association with the United Nations
Department of Public Information (DPI). Please click
HERE for additional information.
Whether affiliated with the
United Nations system or not, NGOs can obtain United Nations
public information materials from the United Nations Information
Centres in countries of their operations (
www.un.org/aroundworld/unics ) . They can also
access the UN information on the web at
www.un.org |
