High-Level Panel on UN-Civil Society
The diversity of actors within the UN System
Background
The Panel's terms of reference call on it to advise the Secretary-General
on priorities for "enhancing interaction between the Organization and
civil society, including parliamentarians and the private sector". This
has led to questions both within the panel and from outside parties about
what is meant by civil society; whether it is useful or confusing to
address the private sector in the same way or even as a component of civil
society, and whether parliamentarians should be seen as "non-governmental".
This note is intended to clarify the discussions within the panel. It suggests
that a clear distinction be made between actors that are state and non-state,
and that within the non-state actors there are various categories - some of
which are generally viewed by social scientists as part of civil society and
some would not. The following is a suggested typography; it is not
an official UN classification, but draws on the categorization that others
(including within inter-governmental processes such as the Commission on Sustainable
Development) have used. It also only addresses actors that have a bearing
on the UN - in particular on its deliberative functions. It should also be
stressed that the boundaries between the different categories are porous;
some organizations could be put in multiple places.
A. State or Governmental Actors
The UN is a membership organization of Member States who are represented by their national governments. There are other components of the formal mechanisms of state power besides governments (including the military and judiciary) and some of these engage in the deliberative processes of the UN system. They include:
1. Parliaments:
The national body that makes laws, deliberates government actions and priorities and holds governments to account; these comprise the speaker or president of the parliament and the full complement of parliamentarians. Also in this category would be the regional and global associations of parliaments, who often engage in UN deliberations.
2. Associations of parliamentarians:
MPs come together in political parties (which usually just focus on domestic issues) but also they form regional and international associations, particularly on specific issues such as environmental legislation. These associations frequently engage in UN deliberative processes.
3. Local authorities:
Including their regional and international federations; associations of city/town mayors, cities' alliances
B. Private Business Sector
This includes for-profit firms, their federations and philanthropic initiatives emanating from firms.
1. Private Sector:
Some firms, particularly trans-national corporations, have interests in specific UN deliberative processes and may seek to influence these
2. Business Federations:
Industry federations, industry lobbies representing multiple firms, chambers of commerce
3. Foundations:
These are usually philanthropic organizations that use a private endowment or annual contributions from a specific corporation for grant making. In some the decision-making is closely linked to the parent corporation, in others the connection is arms length or slight. In the latter case, such foundations have a style of work and ethos closer to the public benefit NGOs than to the business world. This category could also include other business-linked social endeavors, including the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, Business for Social Responsibility and World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
4. The media:
The mainstream press and broadcast media and federations representing them.
C. Civil Society
This is the associational activity of citizens (outside their families, friends and workplaces) that is entered into voluntarily to advance their interests, ideas, ideals and ideologies. It doesn't include associational activity of people for profit-making purposes (the private sector) or for governing (the state or public sector). Components of civil society interested in the UN include:
1. Mass organizations:
Formally constituted organizations which are mostly (but not always) membership and which represent the interests of particular population groups. The most important within the UN system comprise: organizations representing women, children and youth, peasants, the unemployed, indigenous people, the elderly, and disabled people.
2. Trades-related organizations:
Membership organizations representing people through the profession or means of employment they pursue. The most important within the UN system comprise: trade unions and their international umbrella federations; professional associations representing employees in the health, education, legal and other professional fields; the scientific and technological community; farmers' associations/unions; producer cooperatives (though some are akin to business partnerships and fit better into the private sector).
3. Faith-based organizations:
Mostly membership religious organizations either dedicated to worship or the advance of a creed or ancillary to such a cause. The most important within the UN system are international umbrellas of faiths, inter-faith organizations, and development organizations linked to particular faiths.
4. Academe:
Communities of scholars, researchers, intellectuals and other academics. Many of these (particularly think tanks and specialized centers within universities) are interested in particular UN activities; some simply study these but others have an ideological or advocacy bent and seek to influence them - particularly the think tanks, which may receive funding from commercial or other interested parties.
5. Public Benefit NGOs:
Organizations formed to provide a benefit to the general public or the world at large either through the provision of specific services or through advocacy. Most are membership organizations, recruiting those who share the common interest; they are mostly considered philanthropic or public service organizations because their programmes reach well beyond their members. Examples include environment, development, volunteering NGOs, human rights, reproductive rights organizations, consumer groups and cooperatives, disarmament organizations, anti-corruption watchdog organizations, etc. (the mainstream international development NGOs comprise the one category that conspicuously is not generally membership-based). International networks of like-NGOs.
6. Social movements and campaign networks:
Mass and loose associations of people who share common experiences or "framings" and who elect to work together to redress identified wrongs. Examples include the landless peasant movements, the anti-globalization movement, the Tobin-Tax movement, the feminist movement. There is overlap in this category with mass organizations and NGOs.
D. Global Public Opinion
The emergence of public opinion as a powerful global force, thanks in part to CSO mobilization. Some argue that this is part of civil society; others suggest it is worth distinguishing it because it does not necessarily entail the association of citizens (other than the expression of common concerns or grievances) and because of the very special power it appears to wield in contemporary political affairs.
