On Friday, 10 December, the UN Department of Global Communications Civil Society Association Committee selected 19 civil society organizations for formal association with the Department. The organizations join from 8 countries, including Bangladesh, France, Greece, India, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United States, highlighting the diversity of the new group and the importance of collaboration.
The Deputy Director of the Outreach Division, Robb Skinner, welcomed the new civil society organizations, saying: “It is only working with civil society that the United Nations will be successful in its efforts to build a more sustainable future for all. As Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his oath of office a few months ago, we live in a changed world, in which ‘the levers of change lie in many hands. The United Nations, and the States and people it serves, can only benefit from bringing others to the table. Civil society, cities, the private sector and young people, to name a few, are critical voices that must be heard in a context of true gender equality’. It is the spirit of leaving no one behind at the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that motivates and drives our efforts” said Mr. Skinner.
The following organizations, working on issues such as children’s rights, cultural diversity, community building, education for global citizenship, environmental protection, sustainable and responsible consumption and production, rights of peoples with disabilities, social inclusion, women and youth empowerment, among others, were formally associated with the Department of Global Communications:
1. Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC) [USA]
2. Assyrians for Education [USA]
3. Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication [Bangladesh]
4. Basic Education and Employable Skill Training Pakistan (BEST-Pak) [Pakistan]
5. Education for All Coalition [USA]
6. Humanitarian Focus Foundation [USA]
7. International Action Network for Gender Equity and Law [USA]
8. International Masonic Order “DELPHI” [Greece]
9. Magistrats Europeens pour la Démocratie et les Libertés (MEDEL) [France]
10. Making the World Beautiful Through Film (MWBTF) [Republic of Korea]
11. Nadam Foundation [India]
12. Pop Culture Hero Coalition [USA]
13. PVBLIC Foundation [USA]
14. Saudi Green Building Forum (SGBF) [Saudi Arabia]
15. SERAC-Bangladesh [Bangladesh]
16. Society for Human Advancement and Disadvantaged Empowerment (SHADE) [Pakistan]
17. Turkish Women’s League of America [USA]
18. Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy [USA]
19. World Without Genocide [USA]
Civil society organizations are important partners in disseminating and amplifying information globally on the work of the United Nations and its priority issues. The importance of such partnerships has been highlighted, for example, in the fight against climate change, on issues around gender equality and during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the network of civil society organizations has been a key driver in fighting misinformation as part of the United Nations Verified campaign, a major initiative. The growing number of stories of civil society response to COVID-19 also provide a snapshot of the tremendous positive impact that civil society organizations bring to their communities during crisis.
About Department of Global Communications Civil Society Association
The Department of Global Communications works with diverse civil society organizations ranging from small groups to subsidiaries of large networks and academic institutions around the world. Organizations are required to meet certain minimum requirements before they are associated with the Department. In addition to their main activities, associated organizations are expected to use their communications assets to disseminate information received from the Department about the work of the United Nations and issues on its agenda to their members and audiences.
Department of Global Communications‑associated organizations are expected to join the global effort to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, promote and defend human rights, and promote peace and security. They also have the opportunity to network with other organizations and to share information about their activities during the thematic briefings, capacity‑building sessions and the United Nations Civil Society Conference.
Civil society organizations accepted for association with the Department receive up to six grounds passes (two of which are designated for youth representatives ages 18 to 32) to facilitate access to United Nations official meetings, events and information sessions at Headquarters in New York. Youth engagement has been an important dimension of the Civil Society Unit outreach activities for many years.
Organizations that successfully meet the criteria for association with the Department are also eligible to propose and lead civil society briefings organized by the Department. A dedicated Civil Society Resource Centre with materials and information on the Organization’s work is located in the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Building at 801 United Nations Plaza, 2nd Floor, New York*.
For further information, please visit www.un.org/civilsociety or e-mail undgccso@un.org.
For information on how to apply for association, please visit www.un.org/en/civil-society/page/application.
Visit us on Facebook (@UNDGCCSO) and Twitter (@UNDGC_CSO).
Contact: Felipe Queipo, Communications Officer, Civil Society Unit, e-mail: queipo@un.org; tel.: +1 212 963 7232.
* Please note that due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, access to the Civil Society Resource Centre is currently suspended. The Civil Society Unit can be reached at undgccso@un.org
