Nongovernmental organizations collaborate with stakeholders to call attention to particular issues affecting the public.
NGO Working Groups
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) collaborate with the United Nations, governments, academic institutions, and other stakeholders to call attention to particular issues affecting the public. NGOs like UNANIMA International play an important role in influencing global decision-making outcomes through direct advocacy campaigns, published research, public events and dialogues, submission of oral/written interventions, and through participation in major international conferences.
The NGO Committee on Social Development (NGO CSocD) is a coalition of organizations dedicated to working towards people-centered social change and development through the United Nations.
The NGO Committee on Social Development drafts position papers, visits permanent missions, and engages with UN agencies, to highlight the importance of people-centered development. The committee also engages with the following UN bodies and processes: Commission for Social Development, The High Level Political Forum, the 2030 Agenda, and the Third Committee.
The NGO Committee for Social Development works in subcommittees which meet during the monthly meetings and independently throughout the year to work on position papers, side events, and other advocacy projects. Current subcommittees focus on:
- Advocacy
- Technology
- Grassroots
- Executive
Executive Director Jean Quinn is a member of the Executive Committee, holding the position of At Large Member. UNANIMA International is actively involved in the Grassroots subcommittee and the Advocacy subcommittee.
The NGO Committee on Migration is a coalition of organizations dedicated to the promotion and protection of Migrants and their human rights in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
The Committees advocate, educate, and collaborate to encourage the promotion and protection of migrants and their human rights in accordance with the United Nations Charter. As a member of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CoNGO), the NGO Committee on Migration is in a consultative relationship with the United Nations.
The NGO Committee on Migration works in subcommittees that meet during the monthly meetings and independently throughout the year to work on position papers, side events, and other advocacy projects. Current subcommittees focus on:
- migrant & refugee children
- follow up & review of the Global Compact for Migration
- xenophobia and social inclusion
- climate-induced displacement
UNANIMA International is actively involved in the subcommittee on xenophobia and social inclusion and the climate-induced displacement subcommittee.
Alongside strategic partners and individuals who experience, or have experienced homelessness, the WGEH advocate and foster awareness with member states of the United Nations, UN Agencies and the UN Secretariat through Interventions, Mission Visits, and Advocacy.
The core goal of this advocacy is to build political will to make preventing, assessing, measuring and systemically ending homelessness a global priority.
The group’s priorities for advocacy include:
- Introducing common language around homelessness;
- Proposing a definition of “homelessness” for global adoption;
- Assessing and measuring the dimensions of homelessness globally;
- Prioritizing and broadening emphasis on homelessness in UN AGENDA 2030;
- Focusing on a human rights approach.
UNANIMA International is actively involved in the working group, and contributes directly to the mission through our Family Homelessness/Displacement and Trauma research, specific to Women and Children/Girls. Executive Director Jean Quinn, DW was also a founding member of the group and currently holds the position of Co-Chair.
Religious at the UN (RUN) is an informal gathering of representatives of religious congregations at the United Nations. We relate to each other for support and sharing of information and resources.
Our meeting is not task-oriented nor a working group, but rather an opportunity to reflect upon our common NGO mission in view of our differing charisms and missions.
In order to coordinate our meetings, the members of RUN annually affirm a volunteer coordinating team. This team, in connection with the monthly chair, ensures the planning, facilitation, venue, minutes, etc., of the monthly meetings.
Meetings are open to religious and representatives of religious congregations/institutes. With prior approval of the group, guest speakers who are not religious may be invited for the substantive portion of a meeting.
NGO CSW/NY represents more than 100 member organizations and individuals concerned about the status of women and girls. The Committee monitors and participates in events on a daily basis.
Globally NGO CSW has regional organizational groups including: Africa, Arab/ Mena, Asia/ Pacific, Geneva, Latin America/ Caribbean, and Vienna.
The NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY (NGO CSW/NY), supports the work of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and UN Women. NGO CSW/NY as a collective advocate to Member States for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls across the globe. The NGO CSW/NY supports the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, UN Security Resolution 1325, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
UNANIMA International is an active member of NGO CSW/NY. We are especially active during the Commission on the Status of Women every March.
We are proud member of the Justice Coalition of Religious (JCoR), a group of 18 Roman Catholic Religious organizations that are accredited by the United Nations (UN) in New York.
For centuries, congregations of Religious have served those who have been rendered poor, vulnerable, oppressed, and marginalized by existing global systems. Through our membership in JCoR, we have united with our sister and brother organizations to enhance collaboration among our members, at UN Headquarters and around the world, in our common mission: to improve quality of life for people living in poverty.
The primary aim of our collaboration is to strengthen the capacity of our members to address the root causes of unsustainable development. We work toward this goal by coordinating national, regional, and global efforts of Religious to call on local and national leaders for a just, equitable, and rights-based implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN’s Agenda for 2015-2030.
You can find JCoR Resources through UNANIMA International’s website too!
The NGO Mining Working Group (MWG) is an NGO coalition that, in partnership with our members and affected local communities, advocates at and through the United Nations for human and environmental rights as related to extractive industries.
The MWG addresses unjust and unsustainable extractive practices and policies through the lens of the rights of local communities, indigenous peoples, and the Earth’s carrying capacity.
The Working Group on Girls is an NGO committee working for Girls, with Girls, at the United Nations.
The group helps elevate the voices and needs of girls globally, supports girls’ full and equitable participation in international meetings and events, and allows girls to advocate on their own behalf in local and global arenas.
This advances the mission of the Working Group on Girls to promote the human rights of the girl child in all areas and stages of her life; advance the inclusion and status of girls; and assist them to develop their full potential as women.
