Will we be heard?

We are writing on behalf of Together First - an international coalition of over 200 organisations calling for more open and inclusive global governance - to urge you to act on the results of the UN75 global conversation, including by appointing a United Nations champion for civil society.

 

Every day, civil society organisations - large and small - support the UN in countless ways. We work on the ground to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, provide essential assistance in humanitarian crises and step into the breach in conflict zones. We advocate for action on the climate crisis and for the rights of those who are ignored and abused. We serve as partners for the UN and as its conscience, encouraging its Member States to act on behalf of the world’s 7.8 billion people and of future generations.

 

As the Secretary-General said in his Call to Action for Human Rights: “The UN depends on the active engagement of civil society actors.” But civil society has no visible home within the UN structures. It is spread thinly across different parts of the UN system, often those with few resources and little clout. To us on the outside, it appears that the diversity of civil society is still poorly understood within the organization and that engagement is an exercise in box-ticking or confined to the privileged few. 

 

For the past two years, we have engaged our networks in the UN75 global conversation, as well as the “We the Peoples” digital consultation, facilitated by the Igarapé Institute. For some in our community, this was our first experience of direct engagement with the UN. For others, this was yet another consultation.  

 

As much as we appreciate being listened to, we also want to be heard and to see our ideas reflected in the forthcoming Our Common Agenda report. Specifically, we call for the appointment of a high-level champion for civil society. 

 

Our coalition is diverse - encompassing large development-focused NGOs and think tanks, as well as youth groups, climate activists, human rights defenders and grassroots peacebuilders, many of them in the Global South. So too are our concerns. But we are united in this call.

 

The last few years have shown what a difference dedicated envoys and entities can make, even when issues are ‘mainstreamed’ across the organization. Women and youth are two examples.

 

Representation matters. A civil society champion could be a visible - and effective - focal point, especially if given the rank, mandate and resources to empower external perspectives. They could serve as a catalyst for other initiatives - coordinating, streamlining and taking on functions currently spread across the system. They could also support further listening and engagement initiatives that bring in new and marginalised voices. We believe this should be the norm for the UN, not only an anniversary exercise.

 

Many of our members were surprised that such a position does not already exist. Others have been advocating for its creation for several years. There are now more than 400 civil society organisations calling for this position, which has also been backed by over 50 states. 

 

September 2021 marks the conclusion of the UN’s biggest-ever listening exercise. As we look to the next phase, we hope our call will be heeded.

Photo:  UNGA74 President and Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications host a one-on-one conversation with representatives of civil society. Credit: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas