[asia-apec 1116] Opportunity for NGO Input

[UN-NGLS (NY Office)]

Dear Friends,

Below is an NGLS fact-sheet regarding NGO input to the Secretariat on
the interaction of NGOs in all activities of the UN System.  NGOs have
been invited by the Secretary-General to give written input which will
be considered in preparing the S-G's report for the 54th General
Assembly.  

This is a unique opportunity for NGOs to offer their views.  

The deadline for written comments is 7 June, 1999. The SG's report
(A/53/170) is available on the web, at
<http://www.un.org/partners/civil_society/csngo.htm>, or from the
UN-NGLS office (see below).  If you are planning to submit comments,
please send an e-mail to us at <ngls at un.org> and we can fax you the
cover questionnaire. Please consider taking advantage of this
opportunity.  

We apologise for any cross-postings! 

===================================================================

UN Requests NGO Input on

Arrangements and Practices for the interaction of Non-governmental
organizations in all activities of the UN system 

[Report of Secretary-General A/53/170]

Written NGO input due by 7 June 1999

At the request of the General Assembly (GA), the Secretary-General is
currently soliciting the views of member states, UN agencies,
intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) regarding UN/NGO relations. 

Non-governmental organizations have had a major presence in UN 
fora over the last decade, particularly through the UN global
conferences on such issues as sustainable development, human rights,
women, social development, and population and development.  NGOs are
accredited through the Economic and Social Council to participate in
ECOSOC-related Commissions and meetings.  The General Assembly has
passed resolutions on a case-by-case basis for NGO participation in
Special Sessions of the GA, including the follow-up (or "plus five")
processes to the major inter-governmental global conferences of the
nineties. The UN has experimented with diverse ways of hearing from
NGOs within inter-governmental fora.  Formal NGO participation at the
UN, for example,  ranges from brief NGO presentations in some ECOSOC
Commission meetings to extensive multi-stakeholder dialogues in the
Commission on Sustainable Development. 

The Secretary-General has welcomed and encouraged the increasing role
and influence of NGOs, which "is contributing to a process of
enlargement of international cooperation and spurring the UN
system...towards greater transparency and accountability..." (A/53/170
para 71).  This is evidenced in increased Secretariat outreach and
support for NGO presence in UN fora, and access to UN information via
a web-site.  "At the same time, a number of questions have arisen with
regard to the participation of NGOs in UN activities, linked both to
the financial and legal constraints within which the Organization
operates and to the fast-growing number and diversity of NGOs engaged
in collaboration with the UN" (A/53/170 para 71). 

Background:

At the request of member states, in July 1998 the Secretary-General
issued a report to the Fifty-third Session of the General Assembly
under the agenda item "Strengthening of the UN system" (A/53/170).
That report, Arrangements and practices for the interaction of
non-governmental organizations in all activities of the United Nations
system, reviews the UN's relationship with civil society, including
institutional arrangements, operational partnership, the participation
of NGOs from all regions, and enhancing the participation of NGOs in
all areas of the UN system.  UN General Assembly decision (A/53/452)
of 17 December 1998 requested the Secretary-General to: 

(a)   seek the views of Member States, members of the 
specialized  agencies, observers and intergovernmental organizations,
as well as the views of non-governmental organizations from all
regions, on the report A/53/170;

b)  submit a further report to the General Assembly, at its 
fifty-fourth session, taking into account the submissions received;

The Secretariat is now gathering this input, and has invited written
NGO responses to A/53/170.  NGOs are requested to submit their views
on the report, together with an accompanying questionnaire, by 7 June
1999.    

How to submit your views regarding NGO participation in the UN system:

1.  Obtain a copy of document A/53/170.  The English language version
of the report can be found on the United Nations web page at
<http://www.un.org/partners/civil_society/csngo.htm>. If you prefer to
receive it as an e-mail message, please request it from the
Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) at<ngls at un.org> A hard copy of
the report, in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish,
can be mailed to you, on request by NGLS (fax no: 212 963 8712).  The
hard copy report, in six language versions, may also be obtained from
United Nations Information Centres and UNDP country offices.

2.  In preparing your submission, please format your views according
to the six sections outlined in the Secretary-General's report
A/53/170.  These include:  1) introduction  2) institutional
arrangements  3) a growing operational partnership  4) building
bridges between civil society and the UN  5) participation of NGOs
from all regions, and  6) enhancing the participation of NGOs in all
areas of  the UN system.  You may also wish to suggest further
measures for improving the current arrangements for the interaction of
non-governmental organizations in the activities of the United
Nations. Your submission should be concise, type-written and no longer
than four pages.  

3.  Complete the cover questionnaire (available from UN-NGLS) and
submit it with your written comments.  It should be mailed to NGLS,
Room FF-346, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, to arrive no later
than 7 June 1999.  (Fax: +1-212/ 963 8712.  If you fax a copy, please
mail a hard copy as well).

This is an extremely important, but time-sensitive, opportunity which
will shape the future of UN/NGO relations. 

For further information, contact: 

UN-Non-governmental Liaison Service 
Room FF-346, 
United Nations
New York, NY 10017 
telephone: +1-212/963-3125 
fax: +1-212/963-8712 
e-mail: <ngls at un.org>