SPSSI & The United Nations
SPSSI has been represented as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) at the United Nations since 1987 and has held consultative status with the UN's Economic and Social Council since 1991. The Society's mission is extended to the global arena by a team of representatives who cover developments at UN headquarters in New York and Geneva. SPSSI UN representatives work in collaborations within the UN framework to identify urgent international findings that may help to promote the development and implementation of effective public policies and programs. Equally important, the SPSSI UN and International Issues Committee bridges the work of social scientists and representatives of the UN system by developing opportunities at professional meetings, international conferences and at the UN for dialogues that contain the potential for illuminating and benefiting both perspectives.
Quadrennial Reports to the United Nations
In its U.N. work, SPSSI has emphasized the professional knowledge and values of its membership that it brings to bear on such key areas as children, poverty, racism, ageism, sexism, classism and environmental injustice. A requirement of non-governmental organizations, in status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is that a report be filed with the NGO Committee of ECOSOC every fourth year, a Quadrennial Report, describing the activities of the organization to member states. These reports outline the activities of SPSSI’s UN Representatives in a summary format. Four Quadrennial Reports are presented here, covering a period from 1991 to 2006.
Guide to the Web Site
The headings and content of this site are designed to introduce the reader to the activities, publications and achievements of SPSSI at the United Nations, and in many cases links to related UN websites are offered. While there are many domains of influence at the UN, three in which SPSSI team members participate are the Non-Governmental Organization Community, particularly the Council of Non-governmental Organizations (CONGO) and its subcommittees; UN Organs, for example the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the UN Development Program (UNDP), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); and the Permanent Missions to the United Nations, generally in conjunction with preparing programs on current social issues, e.g. ageing, children’s rights, health, or social development. Statements and programs sponsored or endorsed by the Society require the approval of its governing body.
Civil Society Statements, endorsed by SPSSI and others
> Statement from the NGO Committee on the Rights of the Child
> Statement of the NGO Committee on UNICEF: World Fit for Children (+5)
> The fifty-third session of the Commission on the Status of Women, 2 - 13 March 2009: The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS
> Statement submitted by the Working Group on Girls
> Statement of the Human Rights Council: Urgent Call to Protect Older Women and their Human Rights
Linking Science and Policy -- SPSSI UN Documents
> SPSSI and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals: Highlighting the Journal of Social Issues
> Report of the NGO Committee on Ageing – United Nation, Geneva – August, 2006
> UN Section from Forward, Fall 2010
> Photos from the UN Conference on Ageing – October 5, 2006
Committees of the Council of Non-Governmental Organization (CONGO) in which SPSSI participates
SPSSI UN Representatives work collaboratively with other UN NGO Representatives with the Committee structure of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGO) at UN facilities in New York and Geneva. They include:
The NGO Committee on UNICEF
The year 2007 marked the mid decade point for the Plan of Action of “A World Fit for Children.”
The UN/NGO Committee on UNICEF: Working Group on Girls, NY
The Working Group on Girls (WGG) of the NGO Committee on UNICEF and its International Network for Girls are dedicated to promoting the rights of girls in all areas and stages of their lives, advancing the rights and status of girls and assisting them to develop their full potential as women. Additional information, including the most recent newsletter is available at www.girlsrights.org. Members of the Working Group on Girls (WGG) were actively involved at the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The official text of the statement is available at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/52sess.htm.
Key United Nations documents from the Working Group on Girls:
> Discussion Paper -- The NGO Committee on UNICEF: Working Group on Girls, 11 September 2008
The NGO Committee on Children’s Rights
The NGO Committee on Children's Rights is composed of representatives of international and national non-governmental organizations whose mission is to actively promote awareness, understanding and implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), complemented by other human rights standards, as the most comprehensive international instrument for the protection and development of children. Through dialogue, education, advocacy, and research, the Committee works within the United Nations system and beyond to promote child rights-based approaches to the development and monitoring of policies and programs at international, national and local levels. In January 2010 it adopted Guidelines for Children without Parental Care in Non-emergency and Emergency Situations.
The NGO Committee for Social Development
The NGO Committee for Social Development is dedicated to raising awareness and holding discussions on social development issues taken up by the United Nations (UN) System and in particular by the UN Commission for Social Development.
The NGO Committee on Human Settlements
Monitors the implementation of commitments set forth in the Habitat Agenda of the Conference on Human Settlements and elements from plans of action of other United Nations conferences that promote the provision of adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development worldwide. Facilitates the exchange of knowledge and dissemination of information in the field of human settlements through local and worldwide outreach and access. Follows the work of UN HABITAT.
The NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns NY and GE
Co-funded in 2001 by a SPSSI representative following the 11th of September event as a Spiritual Caucus and developed in 2003 as CSVGC and in 2004 as CSVGC New York: Numerous panels and documents were created with the help of SPSSI representative and are posted at http://www.csvgc-ny.org/ . A project of the Committee is The Campus Peace Centers, gathering places for students to share information, inspiration, ideas, and projects for creating a culture of peace.
SPSSI NGO Expert Affiliates:
UN Links
The United Nations has an extensive website. Here just are few of the useful links:
> Issues on the UN Agenda, where you can link to Agencies working on the issues.
> The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Achieving these is a primary focus of UN work.
> Non-governmental Liaison Service (NGLS), a resource for NGO’s.
> Department of Public Information (DPI), offers a weekly brief to non-governmental representatives.
Other Relevant UN Links
Millennium Development Goals
This link tracks how and where the world is succeeding or failing in meeting the MDG goals, particularly those on ending poverty. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that the site would, for the first time, present all the information on the goals in one place, allowing closer monitoring and helping identify places in need of greater attention. The site gathers statistics from around the world to give a snapshot of how each country is doing in meeting the eight goals, from cutting infant mortality to reducing hunger.
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
World Fit for Children
The year 2007 marked the mid decade point for the Plan of Action of “A World Fit for Children.” Additional information on this event, including a variety of documents is available at:
http://www.unicef.org/worldfitforchildren/
The Commission on Social Development (CSocD)
The 46th Session Commission for Social Development, 6-15 February, 2008. Theme: Promoting Full Employment and Decent Work. Documents (e.g., Agenda, Secretary General’s Report, NGO statements, etc.) are available at http://www.un-ngls.org/site/IMG/doc/CsocD_report_2008_final.doc.
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
Dedicated to gender equality and advancement of women, CSW met in New York from February 25 through March 7. Every year, representatives of Member States gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women.
The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD),
The Commission is supported by the UN Division of Sustainable Development. The Division provides leadership and is an authoritative source of expertise within the United Nations system on sustainable development. The context for the Division's work is the implementation of Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the Barbados Programme of Action for Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.
Recent Articles by SPSSI'S UN Representatives:
Protecting Health from Climate Change: A Panel Discussion at the UN
By Rachel Ravich, SPSSI/UN NGO Representative
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