NGO Working Groups and Committees
NGO working group and committees are coalitions of civil society working together to achieve mutual goals at the UN and UN bodies. In order to impact treaties and resolutions, NGOs working with other members of civil society can make the biggest impact- united voices carry farther. The following are some of the working groups and committees at the forefront of NGO-UN advocacy.
NGO MAJOR GROUP
“The NGO Major Group is tasked with facilitating the participation and enhancing the engagement of non-governmental organizations in the processes directly and indirectly related to the High Level Political Forum. When possible, we work to organize positions on behalf of the members to be delivered in various United Nations spaces. Because of the diversity of voices and perspectives within this group, we are organized around thematic clusters which act as hubs of expertise on numerous issues and/or Sustainable Development Goals.” from the site
ngo working group on the security council
“The NGO Working Group on the Security Council brings together about thirty-five major NGOs for an annual series of meetings with Security Council ambassadors and high-level UN officials. Since 1997, the NGO Working Group has provided this unique platform for NGOs to access the UN Security Council. As the Security Council's decisions affect nearly all NGO constituencies - including human rights, humanitarian relief, disarmament, governance, and the concerns of women and children - the Working Group works to maintain a diverse membership. Due in part to the diversity of its membership, the NGO Working Group as a whole does not undertake specific advocacy positions, but rather provides a forum for NGOs and members of the Security Council to come together to exchange information and build relationships for bilateral advocacy.” from the site
NGO working group on women, peace and security
“The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, a project of Tides Center, is a coalition of 18 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda at the United Nations and around the world.
We believe that sustainable peace can only be achieved if women’s human rights are promoted and respected and that women have meaningful participation across all conflict prevention and resolution efforts, as well as in post-conflict rebuilding activities.” from the site.
NGO committee on social development
“The NGO Committee on Social Development is dedicated to raising awareness of and contributing to discussions on social development issues taken up by the United Nations (UN) System and in particular by the UN Commission for Social Development. The Committee also advocates on social development issues in other forums such as the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and at the General Assembly.” from the site.