Global Policy Forum

The 21st General Assembly of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations

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A. Reaffirming the Resolution on NGOs and the UN General Assembly adopted at the 20th General Assembly of the Conference of Non-governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations in 1997,

Noting the ad hoc arrangements made by the UN General Assembly, its twenty-third Special Session («Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-first Century» - «Beijing+5») and its twenty-fourth special session («World Summit for Social Development and Beyond: Achieving Social Development» for All in a Globalizing World» - «Copenhagen+5») for participation by NGOs;

Reaffirms its support for the extension of consultative relations for NGOs, as defined in ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31, to the General Assembly and its committees;

Calls upon the General Assembly to institutionalize the provisions of Part VII of ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 to provide for the participation of NGOs in its special sessions, conferences and meetings of the UN General Assembly.

B. Noting the extraordinary increases in the numbers of NGOs throughout the world and their participation in UN conferences and meetings; Considering that necessary steps must be taken by the institutions concerned to make this participation possible;

Supports the increased participation and, as appropriate, the granting of consultative status to new NGOs from all levels of international civil society: national, regional and international; and

Supports the many processes being developed by NGOs, including dialogues, networks, caucuses and coalitions, that help NGOs in their participation in the meetings and work of the United Nations, without infringing on the rights of individual NGOs.

C. Recognizing the increasing importance of the roles of the NGO liaison offices and officers as well as the designation of NGO focal points throughout the United Nations system;

Requests the Member States and the entire United Nations system to strengthen the NGO liaison offices and focal points by increasing their human and budgetary resources.

D. Considering the need to maintain an independent international civil service (with a permanent career) as a guarantee to uphold Article 101 of the UN Charter;

Recalling that the International Labour Conference adopted at its 86th session in Geneva on 18 June 1998 a Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work;

Noting that the International Labour Organisation has showed the way for up-to-date labor relations, a recognition and procedure agreement having been concluded with effect from 1 April 2000 between the International Labour Office and the Staff Union;

Recalling that the Declaration calls for the upholding of freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;

Noting the importance of fostering the full recognition of the right to collective bargaining in the inter-governmental organizations, within and outside the United Nations system;

Urges the Executive Heads of the intergovernmental organizations to strengthen cooperation with the staff associations and unions; and requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Executive Heads of the United Nations system to continue protecting the permanent career of the international civil service in the spirit of Article 101 of the UN Charter and the principles expressed in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

E. Expresses its concern about the increasing number of humanitarian workers and human rights defenders, both from the United Nations system and among NGOs, who have been killed, injured, taken hostage and deliberately targeted in various parts of the world while they were assisting people in need; and

Encourages the members of CONGO to cooperate with entities within the UN system and with other NGOs which are working on finding ways to strengthen the safety and security of these personnel.

F. Noting the provisions relating to the eradication of poverty in the outcome document of the Special Session of the General Assembly on Social Development (Copenhagen +5) held in Geneva in June 2000;

Welcomes the work done by non-governmental organizations and the new issues and proposals raised by them at the parallel NGO meetings and the Committee of the Whole held during the Special Session; and

Calls for urgent steps to be taken to implement the Declaration and Program of Action from the World Summit for Social Development (1995) as well as the outcome document from Copenhagen+5 ("Further initiatives for social development").

G. Noting with alarm the vast expenditures being incurred on armaments world-wide by governments;

Calls for substantial reductions in military budgets and the transfer of resources to concrete measures for sustainable human development and the eradication of poverty.

H. Having held its General Assembly for the first time in Vienna on the occasion of its 21st such gathering;

Having experienced with much appreciation the generous hospitality provided by the NGO representatives resident in Vienna as well as that offered by the Mayor of the City of Vienna; and

Having benefitted from the fine working arrangements available at the Vienna International Centre;

Expresses its deepest gratitude to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, the Mayor of the City of Vienna and, especially, our colleagues resident in Vienna for the many ways they have enabled the Conference to have a pleasant and successful 21st General Assembly.

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