REFORM AT THE UNITED NATIONS

UN System and Civil Society - An Inventory and Analysis of Practices

Background Paper

Secretary-General's Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations Relations with Civil Society, May 2003

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Evolution of Civil Society Engagement in the United Nations
   • The early days
   • The Cold War Days
   • Plain Sailing: the 70s and 80s
   • The NGO Explosion: the conference decade and the present day
   • Accreditation with ECOSOC
   • Accreditation with the Department for Public Information
   • UN-Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS)
   • Operational links
   • Informal relationships
3. Examples of Innovative Practices in Participation
   • Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
   • Economic Commission for Europe
   • Commission on Human Rights
   • Engaging with the General Assembly
   • Engaging with the Security Council
   • Summits and Special Sessions
   • Office for the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
   • NGO Engagement Throughout the System
   • UNAIDS and Other Emerging Coalitions
   • International Criminal Court
   • ECOSOC's Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues
   • Notable Success Stories Outside the UN
   • Some Success Factors
4. Reviewing the Relationship
   • The Question of the General Assembly
   • Where now with NGOs? The Management Dilemma
   • Civil society asks: where now with the UN?
5. Concerns, Problems and Discrepancies
   • Concerns raised by Governments
   • Concerns raised by Civil Society Actors
   • Concerns raised by the UN Secretariat
6. Review of Recommendations Made by Key actors
   • Formal access to the UN
   • New Forums/Mechanisms
   • Improvements in the Dynamics
   • Resource Allocation
   • System wide coordination
   • Concepts, terms and constituencies
7. The Global Drivers
8. References

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REFORM UNDER
BAN KI-MOON

• Home
• Developmental Challenges
• Peace and Security
• Human Rights
• Humanitarian Action
• Management Reform

PRINCIPAL REFORM DOCUMENTS 1997-2006

• Background
• Highlights
• Chronology

GENERAL

• 2006: Investing in the UN
• 2005: In Larger Freedom
• 2002: An Agenda for Further Change
• 1997: A Programme for Reform

THEMATIC

• 2004: Enhancing Staff Security
• 2004: Threats, Challenges and Change
• 2002: UN Civil Society Relations
• 2000: UN Peace Operations

RELATED RESOURCES

• High-level Panel on UN System-Wide Coherence
• 2006: Internal Justice Reform
• 2006: Governance and Oversight Review
• 2006: Mandate Review
• UN Homepage

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