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What is NGLS?
The United
Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) is a small
inter-agency programme with offices in Geneva and New York and
a combined staff of ten. It was established in Geneva and New
York in 1975 and 1976 respectively, with the aim of
strengthening UN-NGO dialogue and cooperation in the fields of
development education, information and policy advocacy on
global sustainable development issues. Its current mission
statement, adopted in 1998, emphasizes the broader UN
development agenda:
"The
Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) promotes dynamic
partnerships between the United Nations and non-governmental
organizations. By providing information, advice, expertise and
support services, NGLS is part of the UN's effort to
strengthen dialogue and win public support for economic and
social development."
Reflecting
its UN inter-agency, system-wide character, NGLS is currently
supported by 17 UN system organisations, and reports annually
to its Programme and Coordination Meeting (PCM), held every
spring and attended by representatives of those organisations.
The meeting is chaired by a high-level representative of
NGLS's Lead Agency. As of 2002, the Coordinator of NGLS now
reports to the UN Communications Group (UNCG), its governing
body, and through the UNCG to the UN Chief Executives Board
(CEB), the highest administrative committee of the UN system,
chaired by the Secretary-General.
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NGLS is
concerned with the entire UN development agenda. It works with
Secretariat Departments, UN agencies, programmes, funds,
Convention Secretariats and other bodies and organizations of
the UN system working in the areas of economic and social
development, sustainable development, humanitarian
emergencies, human rights, including women’s rights and
related issues such as disarmament and democratization. NGLS
also cooperates actively with relevant and competent
non-governmental organizations from developed and developing
countries, from countries with economies in transition and
with international non-governmental organizations that work on
the global issues on the UN agenda. As an interlocutor on the
UN system interface with non-governmental organizations, NGLS
organizes its work around three basic programme
areas:
- information outreach and communications;
- strengthening the capacity of the UN system to engage
constructively with NGOs and other organizations of global
civil society;
- strengthening the capacity of NGOs and global civil
society to participate constructively in the work of the UN
system.
NGLS works
primarily with development NGOs in industrialized countries,
with international NGOs and NGO networks, and with Southern
NGOs wishing to participate in, and contribute to, UN system
events, processes and activities.
NGLS
collaborates with the entire UN development system,
particularly the organizations and programmes which sponsor
its activities. In 2003 these were: UNDP (lead agency), UNCTAD
(administering agency), FAO, IFAD, ILO, UNAIDS, UNCHS
(Habitat), UNDCP, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF,
UNIDO, UN/DESA, UN/DPI, WFP, WHO, and the World Bank.
Currently, the Service also receives support from a number of
governments, including those of Canada, Sweden, Norway and the
United Kingdom, and from the United Nations Foundation.
Among
other things, NGLS:
- brings
important development-related issues and activities of the
UN system to the attention of NGOs, supports NGOs and NGO
networks active on issues and themes under discussion in the
UN system, and facilitates NGO participation in, and
activities around, UN conferences, events and
processes;
- supports the UN system in the development of its
policies, activities and cooperation with NGOs through
improved mutual understanding, enhanced participation and
dialogue, and strengthened partnerships;
- jointly
organizes meetings or other special events with NGOs and/or
UN system agencies and puts NGOs in touch with organizations
sharing similar interests and with appropriate UN system
offices;
- maintains databases on the NGO community and the UN
system and regularly publishes directories, publicizes
important and interesting UN and NGO development activities
and publishes a wide range of information and other
materials;
- advises
NGOs and others, on request, on the design and
implementation of programmes of development education,
research, information and public awareness and advocacy
campaigns;
- monitors and reports upon the changing roles of
Northern, Southern and international development NGOs, and
other civil society organizations, their relations with
governments and multilateral organizations, etc.
NGLS does
not fund projects, provide scholarships, make available
official UN sales publications, or distribute publicity items.
It is not a membership organization, but works with the NGO
community on an informal basis. It has no procedures for the
official registration or recognition of NGOs with the UN
system.
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