Civil Society
Civil society. Refers to the associations of citizens (outside their families, friends and businesses)
entered into voluntarily to advance their interests, ideas and ideologies. The term does not include profitmaking activity (the private sector) or governing (the public sector). Of particular relevance to the United
Nations are mass organizations (such as organizations of peasants, women or retired people), trade
unions, professional associations, social movements, indigenous people’s organizations, religious and
spiritual organizations, academe and public benefit non-governmental organizations.
A/58/817 (11 June 2004): We the peoples: civil society, the United Nations and global governance;
Report of the Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations–Civil Society Relations (Glossary, page 13)
UN Entities
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United Nations – Resources for Civil Society:
http://www.un.org/en/sections/resources/civil-society/index.html
UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS): http://www.un-ngls.org/
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UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
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Division for Social Policy and Development Issues – Civil Society:
https://www.un.org/development/desa/civil-society/
NGO Branch: http://csonet.org/?menu=80
Integrated Civil Society Organizations System: http://esango.un.org/civilsociety/login.do
UN Department for Public Information (DPI)
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UN-Civil Society Engagement - Brief History:
http://www.un-ngls.org/index.php/engage-with-the-un/brief-history
Current Opportunities to Engage in United Nations Processes:
http://www.un-ngls.org/index.php/engage-with-the-un/current-opportunities
UN Civil Society Contact Points:
http://www.un-ngls.org/index.php/engage-with-the-un/un-civil-society-contact-points
NGO relations: http://outreach.un.org/ngorelations/
DPI/NGO Directory: https://outreach.un.org/ngorelations/content/dpingo-directory
UN Academic Impact: https://academicimpact.un.org/
UN Democracy Fund: http://www.un.org/democracyfund/
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – Civil Society:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/CivilSociety.aspx
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) – Civil Society:
http://www.fao.org/partnerships/civil-society/en/
International Labour Organization (ILO) - Non-State Actors and Civil Society:
http://www.ilo.org/pardev/partnerships/civil-society/lang--en/index.htm
International Monetary Fund - Civil Society and the IMF:
http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/cs/Index.aspx
UN Women – UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women – Civil Society:
http://www.unwomen.org/en/partnerships/civil-society
UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – Civil society partnership:
http://www.unicef.org/about/partnerships/
UN Conference on Trade and Development – UNCTAD and Civil Society:
https://un4.me/29fs63k
UN Development Programme - UNDP Engagement with Civil Society: https://un4.me/29lvriR
UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Non-governmental
Organizations: http://en.unesco.org/partnerships/non-governmental-organizations
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UN Environment Programme (UNEP) – Major Groups & Stakeholders:
http://www.unep.org/civil-society/
UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) – Our Partners:
http://unhabitat.org/about-us/our-partners/
UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) - UNODC Engagement with Civil Society on Drug and
Crime Prevention: http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/ngos/DCN0-NGOs-and-civil-society.html
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) - Governance, Civil
Society & Participation: https://un4.me/29mFt3W
World Bank and Civil Society: http://www.worldbank.org/civilsociety
World Health Organization (WHO) - Civil Society:
http://www.who.int/social_determinants/themes/civilsociety/en/
Selected UN documents
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A/HRC/RES/32/31: Civil society space: Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on
1 July 2016: http://undocs.org/A/HRC/RES/32/31
A/HRC/32/20 (11 April 2016): Practical recommendations for the creation and maintenance
of a safe and enabling environment for civil society, based on good practices and lessons
learned: Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
http://undocs.org/A/HRC/32/20
A/61/817 (18 April 2007): Declaration and Plan of Action of the International Civil Society
Forum for Democracy on the Occasion of the Sixth International Conference of New or
Restored Democracies: http://undocs.org/A/61/817
A/59/354 (13 September 2004): Report of the Secretary-General in response to the report of
the Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations-Civil Society Relations:
http://undocs.org/A/59/354
A/58/817 (11 June 2004): We the peoples: civil society, the United Nations and global
governance: report of the Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations-Civil Society Relation
(Cardoso Report) : http://undocs.org/A/58/817 and http://undocs.org/A/58/817/Corr.1
A/57/118 (27 June 2002) : Report of the Joint Inspection Unit on the involvement of civil
society organizations other than non-governmental organizations and the private sector in
technical cooperation activities : experiences and prospects of the United Nations system :
http://undocs.org/A/57/118 and http://undocs.org/A/57/118/Add.1
UN documents on the subject “Civil Society” – click here
Selected Documents & Publications available online
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Working with ECOSOC - an NGOs Guide to Consultative Status (2011):
http://csonet.org/content/documents/Brochure.pdf
The Premise and Promise of UN Women’s Partnerships with Civil Society (2013):
https://un4.me/29vCgzp
OHCHR Publications: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ABOUTUS/Pages/CivilSociety.aspx
UNDP Publications: https://un4.me/29mKpWv
World Bank Publications on Civil Society Engagement:
http://go.worldbank.org/WW19KG3KS0
May 2017
not an official document - for information only
https://un4.me/2nMtamK