Dear NGOs representatives accredited at the United Nations Office at Geneva,
We are pleased to share some updates, news and events taking place at the UN in Geneva (and in New York exceptionally this month) in the coming weeks with you.
We would be grateful if you could circulate the September Newsletter with your colleagues.
With very best regards,
NGO Liaison Unit
See newsletter here: 2023.09 NGO Liaison Newsletter – SEPTEMBER
Dear Civil Society Representatives,
The UNODC Civil Society Unit, in cooperation with the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC) is pleased to inform NGOs about the upcoming thematic discussions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), which will take place on 23-25 October 2023, and invites relevant NGOs to express interest to participate as speakers. Deadline for applications is 17 September 2023 at 23:45 CET (Vienna time).
The thematic discussions form part of the comprehensive stock-taking of progress made in implementing all international drug policy commitments to address the challenges identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration, that is being conducted by the Commission in preparation of the 2024 Mid-Term Review. The thematic discussions will consist of two intersessional meetings – the first one will take place 23-25 October 2023 and the second one on 4-6 December 2023.
The October meeting will cover the following topics:
Morning: Expanding & diversifying range of drugs & drug markets
Afternoon: Illicit abuse, cultivation, production, manufacture of & trafficking in illicit narcotic drugs & psychotropic substances
Morning: Links between drug trafficking, corruption & other forms of organized crime
Afternoon: Low value of confiscated proceeds of crime related to money-laundering arising from drug trafficking
Morning: Criminal misuse of information & communications technologies
Afternoon: Non-compliance with international drug control conventions & international human rights law
For each topic, up to 3 NGOs will have the possibility to present their work and discuss the progress made. To ensure an inclusive, comprehensive, and meaningful civil society participation, NGO interventions will be coordinated by the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC).
Each speaker will have 3 minutes to present their work on the thematic focus of the day, interventions can be made either in person or online.
Note: Interpretation will not be available during the meetings and all abstracts and statements have to be submitted in English.
To apply for a speaking slot please fill out this online form:
https://forms.office.com/e/XQGM6RSEJF
Deadline for applications is 17 September 2023 at 23:45 CET (Vienna time).
When submitting your application please make sure that your abstract is relevant to the topic of the event, and clearly describes what you will be presenting about. Statements focusing on good practice examples and/or showcasing experiences ‘from the ground’ are especially welcome.
Please share this call with your respective partners and networks to ensure wider participation.
Kind regards,
The UNODC Civil Society Unit
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Vienna, Austria
Distinguished NGO Representatives,
Further to our first “Information Session for the NGOs in Consultative Status with ECOSOC” held on the margin of “the Consultation with the NGOs” on December last year, you are cordially invited to attend the second “Virtual Information Session for the NGOs in Consultative Status with ECOSOC” on Monday 20 March 2023 at 10:00-11:00 EST via Teams.
*The video of the last Information Session is available here: Consultations with Non-Governmental Organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council | UN Web TV
This meeting will provide an opportunity to review the ECOSOC events of this year, details from the Secretariat, and essential guidance from the NGO Branch.
The tentative program for this event will proceed as follows:
We strongly encourage all NGOs participated in the Consultation to be present at this upcoming virtual session where key information will be shared, and questions to be answered.
Kindly find below the registration link: https://forms.office.com/e/
We look forward to welcoming you to the information session.
Best regards,
Chang, Wook-Jin
Chief, NGO Branch
UN 2023 WATER CONFERENCE
OPEN CALL FOR SIDE EVENTS
Deadline: 13 January 2023
More information HERE
Pursuant to General Assembly decision A/RES/73/226 of 20 December 2018, the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action (UN 2023 Water Conference) will be held from 22 to 24 March 2023 at the UN Headquarters in New York. The co-hosts are the governments of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Tajikistan.
Side events can be organized in connection with the UN 2023 Water Conference, either in-person or virtually, by Member States, the UN system, Intergovernmental Organizations and accredited non-governmental stakeholders. The side events will be an opportunity for all participants to share knowledge and solutions to accelerate implementation of SDG 6, identify new and emerging issues, exchange national and local experiences and practices, and showcase voluntary commitments for the Water Action Agenda.
Priority will be given to events organized by Member States and those organized in partnership by several networks/organizations. All interested parties are strongly encouraged to partner with others to organize a side event.
Side events can be hosted (1) in-person inside the UN Headquarters; (2) in-person in other locations in New York; or (3) virtually.
APPLY NOW!
For additional details and guidance on how to submit a side event proposal, including Guidelines, please visit the website: https://bit.ly/
The deadline for applications is 13 January 2023. The Conference Secretariat will review submissions and only notify those organizers whose events have been approved.
For more general information on the UN 2023 Water Conference, please visit: https://sdgs.un.org/
Dear colleagues,
We would like to inform you that submission of written statements to the fifty-sixth session of the Commission on Population and Development (10-14 April 2023) is now open. The special theme of the session is: “Population, education and sustainable development”.
Written statements by NGOs in General and Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC, to be circulated as official documents for consideration of the Commission at its fifty-sixth session, can be submitted by email between 1 November and 1 December 2022. Only the first twenty statements received by 1 December 2022 will be processed by the UN Secretariat and published as formal documents that will be posted on the session’s webpage.
Information on submitting written statements is available online at CPD56 written statement submission.
Statements must be submitted via email using the template provided at the link above. Please follow all instructions on the website carefully to avoid rejection of submitted statements.
Please note that registration of NGO representatives for the fifty-sixth session will open in early 2023. Submission of requests for oral statements will also open at that time. Detailed information will be sent prior to the opening of registration and posted on the Commission’s website.
General information on the fifty-sixth session of the Commission on Population and Development is at https://www.un.org/
Inquiries may be directed to cpdngo@un.org.
Sincerely,
Population Division
DESA
ALERT: The consultation has now been rescheduled to Dec. 13, Tuesday.
Dear NGO Representative,
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) is holding consultations with organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC to discuss questions of interest to the Committee or to the organizations relating to the relationship between the NGOs and the United Nations in line with paragraph 61 (a) of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31.
The consultations will provide an opportunity for NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC to present and exchange views with members of the Committee on the issues outlined in the attached Concept Note. NGOs in consultative status who can attend the hearing in New York are invited to interact with the Committee during this open session. Organizations who wish to speak at the hearing will be given three minutes to make their intervention.
The consultations will take the form of written submissions and an interactive hearing on Tuesday 6 December 2022 from 10:00am – 1:00pm in Conference Room 4 at the United Nations Headquarters, New York.
Please note the following:
The deadline for registration is Monday, 14th November 2022.
In addition to registering, each attending representative must have a valid UN Grounds Pass. Instructions for obtaining your grounds pass are available on the following page: https://csonet.org/?menu=86
Please note that the event will also be webcast live on UN WEB TV: https://media.un.org/en/webtv
Dear NGO Representatives,
The UNODC Civil Society Unit, in cooperation with the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (Alliance) is pleased to inform NGOs about the upcoming thematic discussions of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) which will take place on 5-7 December 2022 in Vienna, and invites relevant NGOs to express interest to participate as speakers.
The thematic discussions which will be on Pillar II of the Kyoto Declaration (Advancing the criminal justice system) will be held in Vienna in a hybrid format and will cover the following topics:
The meeting will cover the following topics:
Please see here the Secretariat’s note to understand better the context and how your work might be related to the topics.
For each day, up to 5 NGOs will have the possibility to present their work and positioning as panelists (1 per panel – 3 in total) and speakers (up to 4 per segment – 12 in total). In order to ensure an inclusive and meaningful civil society participation, NGO interventions will be coordinated by the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (The Alliance) in co-operation with the UNODC Civil Society Unit.
Each speaker will have 2-5 minutes to present their work on the thematic focus of the day.
Note: There will be no interpretation during the meetings and all abstracts and statements need to be submitted in English.
To apply for a speaking slot please fill out this online form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q7CPVJP
Deadline for applications is 26 October 2022 at 23:45 CET (Vienna time).
When submitting your application please make sure that your abstract is relevant to the topic of the event, and clearly describes what you will be presenting about. Statements focusing on good practice examples and/or showcasing experiences ‘from the ground’ are especially welcome.
Please share this call with your respective partners and networks to ensure wider participation.
We are looking forward to receiving your applications.
Kind regards,
The UNODC Civil Society Unit
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Vienna, Austria
Photo: UN.org
In 2023, the General Assembly of the United Nations will undertake the 8th biennial review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/RES/60/288), during which it will consider providing updated guidance related to the Strategy.
In preparation for this review, the Secretary-General, as mandated by paragraph 118 of resolution 75/291, will submit to the General Assembly a report on progress made in the implementation of the Strategy, including suggestions for its future implementation by the United Nations system, as well as on progress made in the implementation of the aforementioned resolution.
This report will also include the Secretary-General’s assessment of “the need to further enhance the integration of the rule of law, human rights and gender, as cross-cutting elements of the Strategy, in the counter-terrorism efforts of the United Nations system in order to strengthen their effectiveness, including the need for internal advisory or monitoring and evaluation capacity in this regard”, as called upon by the General Assembly in operative paragraph 86 of resolution 75/291.
In preparation for the Secretary-General’s report, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism invites interested stakeholders, including civil society organizations, as well as international and other organizations with no standing invitation to participate as observers in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly, to share their views by responding to a questionnaire by 31 October 2022 (submissions before the deadline are encouraged). Updates on activities related to the implementation of the Strategy may cover progress made since January 2021.
Dear NGO Representative,
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), is holding consultations with organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC to discuss questions of interest to the Committee or to the organizations relating to the relationship between the NGOs and the United Nations in line with paragraph 61 (a) of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31.
The hearing will provide an opportunity for NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC to present and exchange views with members of the Committee on the issues outlined in the attached Concept Note. NGOs in consultative status who can attend the hearing in New York are invited to interact with the Committee during this open session. Organizations who wish to speak at the hearing will be given three minutes to make their intervention.
The ground-breaking Consultations of the Committee with NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC will take the form of written submissions and an interactive hearing which will be held in New York either on Friday, 9 December 2022 or Tuesday, 6 December 2022 (confirmation on exact date will be announced soon) from 10:00am – 1:00pm.
NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC can register to participate in the interactive hearing through the Indico registration system here: Consultations of the Committee with NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC (9 December 2022): Overview · Indico (un.org)
The deadline for registration is Monday, 14th November 2022.
In addition to registering, each attending representative must have a valid UN Grounds Pass. Please see instructions on obtaining your grounds pass here https://csonet.org/?menu=
Please note that the event will also be webcast live on UN WEB TV: https://media.un.org/en/webtv
Best regards,
NGO Branch
Office for Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Working Group on Discrimination Against Women & Girls
Call for Inputs from the Mandate of the Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls for Its Upcoming Report “Human Security of Women and Girls in the Context of Poverty and Inequality”
DEADLINE: 03 October 2022
Purpose To collect information/data on human security of women and girls in the context of poverty and inequality. To inform stakeholders on the upcoming (2023) thematic report on the above mentioned issue.
Background
The Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, in preparation for its thematic report to be presented at the 53rd session of the Human Rights Council in June 2023, will be examining the topic of women’s and girls’ human security in the context of poverty and inequality. Human security can be understood as the protection from severe and critical threats encountered by persons and communities, and it encompasses economic security, food security, health security, environmental security, personal security, community security, and political security. The human security approach means creating systems that give people the building blocks of survival, livelihood and dignity. Human security is comprehensive, multidimensional, context-specific, and prevention-oriented. The common understanding of the concept reached by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 2012 (A/Res/66/290) affirms that human security includes the right of people to live in freedom and dignity, free from poverty and despair, stressing that all individuals, in particular those living in situations of vulnerability, are entitled to an equal opportunity to enjoy all their rights, and it specifically asserts that human security ‘equally considers’ all human rights: civil, political, economic, social and cultural. As such, the scope of this questionnaire will cover the various aspects of risks experienced by women and girls living in poverty and inequality in relation to the enjoyment and fulfilment of their human rights. Concept note was prepared to support this questionnaire.
In this regard, the Working Group would like to seek inputs from the States, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders, such as National Human Rights Institutions, international economic institutions, and academic institutions or human rights clinics, to inform the preparation of the report in line with its mandate to maintain a constructive approach and dialogue with States and other stakeholders.
Objectives
Key questions and types of input/comments sought
How inputs will be used
Responses to the questionnaire will be made publicly available at the time of the report publication, unless requested otherwise.
Next Steps
Input/comments may be sent by e-mail. They must be received by 3 October 2022 18:00 CEST.
Email address:
hrc-wg-discriminationwomen@un.
Email subject line:
Input for report on human security of women and girls in the context of poverty and inequality
Word limit:
2500 words
File formats:
Word, PDF
Accepted languages:
English, Spanish, French
Postal address:
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Office at Geneva, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax:
+41 22 917 9008
