United Nations -- MORE Reports on the United Nations and global governance
At the UN, civil society representatives gather for the Millennium Forum
Issuing a lengthy Declaration to world leaders at the Millennium Summit, participants find they have much to say about globalization - even if they don't always agree about its impact.
Governments uphold fundamental rights of women at Beijing Plus Five
UNITED NATIONS - Despite concern by some women's groups that governments might pull back from commitments made at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, delegates from more than 180 nations upheld the fundamental importance of full rights for women worldwide at a Special Session of the UN General Assembly here in June.
In Geneva, globalization debate dominates Copenhagen Plus Five
GENEVA - The topic of globalization dominated the discussion at the "Copenhagen Plus Five" UN General Assembly Special Session, held here in June to assess progress in fighting poverty and achieving social integration since the 1995 World Summit on Social Development.
In Seoul, a global conference of NGOs focuses on forging deeper partnerships
The 1999 Seoul International Conference of NGOs represents the first major NGO meeting dedicated primarily to the question of how NGOs themselves might become better organized and empowered on a global level to address the broad range of challenges confronting humanity. (October-December 1999 / OC 11.3)
The Millennium Forum refines its program and opens on-line registration
UNITED NATIONS - A tentative pro-gram and tighter criteria for registration were among the topics addressed at a meeting of the Millennium Forum Planning Consultative Council in December. (October-December 1999 / OC 11.3)
Perspective: The Need for an International Force
Recent world events suggest the time has come to reexamine the original vision of the UN's founders and discuss the ways and means by which a ready international force might be assembled and made a credible instrument of international conscience.
Annual UN DPI Conference becoming an important venue for NGO networking
UNITED NATIONS - Despite the disruptions globalization causes, it can potentially provide great benefits to all humanity - and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have a critical role in ensuring that such positive outcomes are reached. (October-December 1999 / OC 11.3)
US Bahá'í community urges strong support for the United Nations - including full US funding
UNITED NATIONS - Among the thousands of NGO representatives at this year's UN DPI/NGO conference were 16 Bahá'ís from local communities in the United States of America. Their presence at the event represents part of a strong effort within the Bahá'í community of the United States to support the United Nations and its mission of promoting international peace and security.
At the Hague, civil society mobilizes for peace, calling for a "new diplomacy"
The Hague Appeal for Peace can be seen as a step in the on-going process of cross-sectorial alignment and collaboration among the various and diverse groups of global civil society. (April-June 1999 / OC 11.1)
The Millennium Forum to be held in UN General Assembly hall
UNITED NATIONS - In an unusual arrangement, the Millennium Forum has been given the use of the UN General Assembly Hall for its opening and closing sessions, which have now been scheduled for 22 and 26 May 2000. (April-June 1999 / OC 11.1)
UN Commission on the Status of Women advances new machineries to protect women
UNITED NATIONS – As UN bodies go, the Commission on the Status of Women was for many years relegated to back-bench status. Not any longer. (January-March 1999 / OC 10.4)
Millennium Forum planning structure set
UNITED NATIONS - At a two-day meeting here in February, representatives from various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) gave concrete structure to the planning process for a proposed NGO-sponsored "Millennium Forum," agreeing to a set of organizational by-laws and confirming the membership of the Forum's main organizing committees. (January-March 1999 / OC 10.4)
Millennium Forum planning continues
UNITED NATIONS – Efforts to draw broad support from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide have been the main focus of the planning process for a proposed Millennium Forum, which backers hope to hold here in the summer of 2000 in connection with a scheduled UN Millennium Summit meeting. (October-December 1998 / OC 10.3)
After months of preliminaries, work begins on a "Millennium NGO Forum"
To be held in conjunction with the United Nations scheduled “Millennium Summit” in the year 2000, the proposed gathering would seek to lobby world leaders and highlight the importance of world civil society. (July-September 1998 / OC 10.2)
NGOs and governments form a new coalition to promote religious tolerance
Some 200 representatives from various governments, non-governmental organizations and religious communities call for greater efforts to promote freedom of religion and belief, urging specifically that the UN office charged with monitoring religious intolerance be strengthened. (July-September 1998 / OC 10.2)
Eighth International Convention a showcase for diversity
An electoral process that stands as a "functioning model of global governance." (April-June 1998 / OC 10.1)
At the UN, young girls voice concerns about grown-up issues
Fifteen young women came from all over the world for the 42nd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The girls were sponsored by the NGO Committee on UNICEF's Working Group on Girls (NGO-WGGs) and their stories illustrated the human side of the reports and statistics which abounded at the meetings and workshops held here 2-13 March 1998. (January-March 1998 / OC 9.4)
UN reform tied to NGO access
Among the key points to emerge from a 30 April meeting on increasing UN access for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) was a conviction that effective reform of the United Nations system hinges on its willingness to accommodate greater participation by civil society. (April-June 1997 / OC 9.1)
The Rise of Civil Society
It is perhaps the most significant social phenomenon of our time: the sudden efflorescence of countless movements and organizations of social change at local, regional, and international levels. And it is changing the way international issues are understood and dealt with. (January-March 1997 / OC 8.4)
World Food Summit aims to halve the number of hungry
Meeting in Rome, nations seek to build on the new international framework set by other recent UN conferences. the decision-making process, however, left some in the cold. (October-December 1996 / OC 8.3)
Latin American Conference on World Citizenship issues declaration
Some 250 people from 13 countries issued a 10-point statement declared that "the establishment and promotion of world citizenship" is "the greatest means for achieving peace, security and prosperity" in the world. It also called for all states to join into "some sort of world federation," saying it was "the best form of sociopolitical organization for the present-day world." (July-September 1996 / OC82)
In Turkey, Habitat II forges a new partnership
NGOs, along with business groups, local authorities, academics, youth
and others, enjoy the highest level of participation yet at a UN conference;
some say a new era for civil society has been entered. (April-June
1996 / OC81)
Focusing on the principle of service, more than 150 Bahá'ís gather at Habitat II
ISTANBUL, Turkey - Believing that the success of Habitat II would hinge
largely on its stated goal of building new partnerships among all sectors
of society worldwide, some 150 Bahá'ís from more than 25
countries came to Istanbul for the United Nations. (April-June 1996
/ OC81)
NGOs gear up for Habitat II
NEW YORK -- Non-governmental organizations around the world are gearing up for the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, the last scheduled major UN conference of the decade, hoping it will further establish civil society as a key player in the creation of a peaceful and sustainable world civilization. (January-March 1996 / OC74)
New York seminar focuses on the role of an international force
At a special one-day seminar on restructuring the United Nations, representatives form select government missions, NGOs and UN agencies generally agreed that the upgrading of UN peacekeeping operations into a genuine international force will be required if the UN is to become more effective at containing war. (October-December 1995 / OC 7.3)
In San Francisco, the Association for Bahá'í Studies considers the prospects for "Uniting the Nations"
More than 800 people attended the 19th Annual Conference of the Association for Bahá'í Studies, held here in October in commemoration of the signing of the United Nations Charter in this Pacific coast city some 50 years ago. (October-December 1995 / OC 7.3)
In Berlin, NGOs consider the possiblities for global governance
Representatives from European non-governmental organizations (NGOs) called for a variety of mearsures to reform and restructure the United Nations and the international order at a special one-day forum on global governance, held here on 20 September 1995. (October-December 1995 / OC 7.3)
A Call to Reconsider the New World Order
On the 50th anniversary of the UN, the Bahá'í International community urges world leaders to hold a summit on global governance. (July-September 1995 / OC 7.2)
Beiing Conference approves "An Agenda for Women's Empowerment"
Acknowledging that equality between women and men is an essential prerequisite for the creation of a "peaceful, just, humane and equitable world," representatives of 189 nations at the Fourth World Conference on Women adopted a sweeping Declaration and Platform for Action aimed at launching a global campaign to bring women into full and equal participation in all spheres of public and private life worldwide. (July-September 1995 / OC 7.2)
Thousands heading to Beijing for Fourth World Conference on Women
The Draft Platform for Action is a focus of concern as thousands head to an NGO Forum that promises to showcase women's accomplishments. (April-June 1995 / OC 7.1)