Civil
Society Milestones
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During
the 21st session of the Governing Council (GC) in February 2001 in
Nairobi, the decision CG21/19 was adopted, calling on UNEP to submit
"a draft strategy for the active engagement of the civil society,
private sector and other major groups in the work of UNEP". The
discussion about the strategy was initiated through a global consultation
with Civil Society Organizations in Nairobi in May 2001. |
In October and November 2001, regional consultations were held in the
six UNEP regions (Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America
and the Caribbean, North America and West Asia). After active discussions
of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR), a draft strategy
was finalized and presented to the Global Civil Society Forum held during
the 7th Special Session of the GC/GMEF in February 2002 in Cartagena,
Colombia. The civil society recommendations on the strategy were read
to the governments, which took their views into consideration when formulating
decision GC/SSVII.5. This new decision calls on UNEP to "further
develop, and revise as necessary the strategy on engaging civil society
in the programme of activities if UNEP".In response to the decision,
the Secretariat prepared an implementation plan and set up an interdivisional
task group to co-ordinate the implementation of GCSSVII/5. The first activities
undertaken were:
- The review,
in conjunction with the CPR, of the accreditation rule (Rule 69)
for CSOs to be observers at the Governing Council.
- An inventory
of the current status of civil society engagement, including that
of the private sector, in UNEP's Divisions and Regions.
- An inventory
of the current status of civil society engagement in various UN
Bodies.
Furthermore,
a new "Strategy on Engaging Civil Society in the Programme of Activities
in UNEP" was developed and presented in July to the CPR for general
comments. In August 2002, the NGO Environmental Liaison Center International
(ELCI) facilitated a world wide web CSO consultation on the strategy.
The Strategy paper, Enhancing
Civil Society Engagement in the Work of UNEP (PDF, 314 KB), was completed
and presented to governments at the 22nd session of the Governing Council/Global
Ministerial Environment Forum in February 2003.The Strategy paper establishes
two principal 'pillars' for engagement with civil society. One is at the
level of governance and policy formulation; the other is at the level
of programme implementation. In order to ensure fair, transparent and
accountable information is shared at policy and programmatic levels, both
pillars demand an institutional environment with good information and
communication mechanisms. This institutional framework forms the third
pillar of UNEP's new strategy. Developing the institutional framework
is a particular priority for the Majkor Groups and Stakeholders Branch,
which, in 2002, developed this website (http://www.unep.org/civil_society/),including
a database of civil society organisations, and works closely with the
various divisions and regional and outposted offices of UNEP.
- 2003: Commission
on Human Rights resolution 2003/71: Human rights and the environment
as part of sustainable development
This resolution was adopted in April 2003. It recognizes that protection
of the environment and sustainable development can also contribute to
human well-being and potentially to the enjoyment of human rights.
- 2003: Decision
GC 22/18
The UNEP Governing Council Decision 22/18 was adopted in Nairobi, Kenya
in February, 2003. It decided that the Committee of Permanent Representatives
should continue its work as mandated by Decision SS.VII/5 in considering
the amendment of rules for civil society participation to the Governing
Council and its special sessions.
- 2002:
Johannesburg Summit
UNEP played an active role in ensuring that the voices of environmental
civil society were heard during the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
As well as sponsoring the participation of individuals from civil society
in developing countries, UNEP also facilitated the preparation and delivery
of civil society positions and priorities. Preparatory consultations
held in the regions in 2001 were brought together and consolidated at
UNEP's Third Global Civil Society Forum, held in conjunction with the
Global Ministerial Environmental Forum, seventh special session (Cartagena,
Colombia, February 2002). 60 representatives of civil society organizations
developed a clear position on International Environmental Governance
(IEG) and priorities for WSSD, and presented their recommendations to
Ministers.
In recognition of the 30 year existence of UNEP, an event was organized
during the PrepCom IV in Bali, May 2002, "UNEP and Civil Society:
Shared Environmental Purpose and Values. 30 Years of Partnership: 1972
- 2002." Extremely well received the discussion underlined
the long-standing relationship UNEP has developed with civil society
since its creation in 1972. Participants stressed the key role of civil
society as "UNEP's natural allies " and urged for a stronger
engagement of NGOs and CSOs within UNEP. UNEP took the opportunity of
this commemorative event to produce a folder "UNEP and Civil
Society: shared environmental purpose and value", which summarised
the historical relationships between UNEP and civil society.
Several civil society side events at WSSD were financed and co-organized
by UNEP, including and event on climate change with Climate Network
Africa (CNA), and an East African meeting on Biodiversity with Environmental
Liasion Center International (ELCI).
The "Implementation Conference: Stakeholder Action for Our
Common Future," held 24-26 August 2002, was organized by Stakeholder
Forum for Our Common Future and co-financed by UNEP through the UN Foundation.
The conference aimed to inspire stakeholders to create collectively
clear, measurable and on-going action to deliver Sustainable Development
Agreements. Over four hundred stakeholders from over 50 countries participated
in the conference. The first outcomes, 25 concrete, agreed and owned
collaborative action plans were developed. These action plans focus
on specific aspects of existing and emerging policy agreements within
the issues of freshwater, sustainable energy, food security and health.
In the aftermath of WSSD, UNEP hosted the 4th International Conference
of the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the
Tropical Forests, which provided an opportunity for a major debate to
take into account the cultural dimensions of sustainable development
in UNEP's work programme.
- 2002:
Special Session Decision SSVII.5
The UNEP Governing
Council Special Session Decision VII.5 was adopted in Cartagena, Colombia
in February, 2002. It requested UNEP to further develop, reveiw, and
revise as necessary the strategy for engaging civil society, including
the private sector, in UNEP's programme of activities. The decision
also requested that a yearly Global Civil Society Forum be convened
in conjunction with the Governing Council sessions.
The UNEP Governing
Council Decision 21/19 was adopted in Nairobi, Kenya in February, 2001.
It requested the Executive Director to develop the ways and means to
enhance the active engagement and participation of civil society in
UNEP's work, including the submission of a draft strategy paper to the
Seventh Governing Council Special Session by the end of 2001.
Governments from
around the world made the Malmö Declaration during the UNEP Governing
Council Special Session held in Malmö, Sweden in May, 2000. The
declaration defines the major environmental challenges of the twenty-first
century and emphasizes the importance of civil society and private sector
participation at all levels in order to acheive these goals.
- 1999: Establishment
of the Civil Society & NGOs Unit
In 1999, UNEP revitalized
its NGOs programme by creating the Civil Society & NGOs Unit (CS
& NGOs) within the Division of Policy Development and Law (DPDL)
at the Nairobi headquarters. Initially, a successful UNEP-African NGOs
partnership meeting was organized in September 1999, in preparation
for the International Conference of NGOs held October 1999 in Seoul,
Republic of South Korea. As the next step, an NGO Forum was held prior
to the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF) in May 2000 in Malmö,
Sweden. An NGO statement from this forum was presented during the ministerial
session. The Malmö Ministerial Declaration stresses the importance
of civil society in addressing environmental issues and bringing these
issues to the attention of policy makers. Thus, it emphasizes the need
to strengthen them through broad participation in environmental decision
making, as well as with access to justice on environmental issues.
The UNEP Governing
Council Decision 20/9 was adopted in Nairobi, Kenya in February, 1999.
It requested the Executive Director to continue efforts to fulfil the
ten commitments made by the UNEP at the Fourth World Conference on Women
and to strengthen efforts to assist Governments to empower women to
participate in the decision making process on environmental matters.
This UNEP policy
paper recognizes the key role played by NGOs and other major groups
on most environmental issues and relevant solutions. It reviews UNEP's
collaboration with NGOs in programme planning and looks at new trends
for engaging civil society after the 1992 UNCED.
This resolution
and the arrangements established by the Economic and Social Council
[ECOSOC] form the basis for NGO consultation with governments at the
UN and establish guidelines for the UN Secretariat when dealing with
NGOs.
The UNEP Governing
Council Decision 18/4 was adopted in Nairobi, Kenya in May, 1995. It
requested the Executive Director to give high priority to the development
of a policy framework and appropriate mechanisms within the secretariat
for working with appropriate non-governmental organizations involved
in this field, including the assigning of the function of coordinator
to an existing senior position.
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