UN Orientation Resources
Are you new to the United Nations (UN) community, perhaps feeling a little lost in terms of how to navigate the UN and its systems? Or are you an experienced NGO representative to the UN seeking a refresher on the basics? This page is for you! Check out the resources below to advance your understanding of the UN and access links designed to help you learn about opportunities to engage in UN events and processes.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
JCoR Orientations for Representatives of Religious NGOs to the United Nations
JCoR offers orientation training sessions for representatives of Religious NGOs to the United Nations. Click on the following links to view recordings of our past orientation sessions.
2022 Programme
– Functional Commissions of the UN Economic and Social Council
– Commission on Social Development
– Commission on the Status of Women
– Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
– NGO Committees and Working Groups
2021 Programme
– Origins and Purpose of the UN System and its Sustainable Development Goals
– Role of Religious NGOs at the UN
– Experiential Wisdom: Homelessness Advocacy at the UN
– Earth Advocacy at the UN
2020 Programme
– Origins and Purpose of the UN System and its Sustainable Development Goals
– UN Functional Commissions and Expert Bodies
– Role of Religious NGOs in the UN System
– Modes of Networking, Communication, and Collaboration
– Spiritual History of the UN
– Passion to Product: Experiential Knowledge Sharing on How to Be an Effective UN Representative
Essential Websites
UN website – Access the official UN website, available in the six official languages of the UN (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish).
UN Journal – The UN journal is an online calendar of events including daily and official meetings, informal consultations, and other upcoming events. Check here to learn about upcoming meetings that pertain to your advocacy areas of interest.
UN WebTV – This is the source of 24-hour live and pre-recorded UN programs and meetings. If you are unable to attend a meeting in person, there is a good chance you will be able to live-stream the event and follow its proceedings on WebTV. Click here to view the WebTV live schedule.
UN News – Produces daily news content in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
United Nations System
Click here to view a short introductory video about the United Nations.
Click on the image below to view a chart of the United Nations system.
Click on the following link to watch a virtual tour of the United Nations Headquarters in New York
The United Nations is comprised of the following six main organs:
1. UN General Assembly (UNGA) – The main policy-making body of the UN, consisting of six main committees:
First Committee (Disarmament and International Security)
Second Committee (Economic and Financial)
Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural)
Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization)
Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary)
Sixth Committee (Legal)
Human Rights Council (HRC) – The HRC is a subsidiary organ of the UNGA. It is an inter-governmental body within the UN system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. Click on the following links to watch a video introduction to the Human Rights Council and what is a human right.
Learning Modules pertaining to the Human Rights Council:
UN Human Rights Council – Understand the structure, purpose and mandate of the Human Rights Council and the opportunities for effective engagement
Accessing the UN – Learn how to access UN human rights mechanisms – when you need accreditation, when you don’t
Special Procedures – Explore the purpose and mandates of the Special Procedures and how you can work with them to strengthen your advocacy
Treaty Bodies – Discover how the UN Treaty Bodies work and how you can use them to increase the impact of your advocacy
Universal Periodic Reviews – Coming soon
Overview of the International Human Rights System: Explore how the UN can work for you
Navigating the UN – A short video introduction to the UN human rights system and why it is important for human rights defenders
Advocacy Roadmap – An overview of the UN and regional human rights tools you can use to address a particular human rights challenge or situation
Compare the Tools – Understand the connections, strengths and weaknesses of each UN human rights mechanism
2. UN Security Council (UNSC) – This UN body is charged with ensuring international peace and security. Its powers include the oversight of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action.
3. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – This UN organ is responsible for coordinating the work to advance the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social, and environment.
4. UN Secretariat – The secretariat carries out the day-to-day work of the UN and is headed by the UN Secretary General.
5. International Court of Justice (ICJ) – The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the UN. It functions to settle legal disputes between states and provides advisory options on legal questions from other UN bodies and agencies.
6. Trusteeship Council – This organ was established to provide international supervision of trust territories. Its operations were suspended via a UN resolution in 1994.
NGO Guide to Consultative Status at the UN (ECOSOC)
“Working with ECOSOC” is an informational booklet that briefs Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on the benefits of establishing a consultative relationship with ECOSOC, as well as to provide instructions on how to obtain this status. The dual objective of this publication is to encourage relevant NGOs to apply for consultative status with the Council, as well as to help organizations already in consultative status to get the most of this relationship while increasing their contribution to the work of ECOSOC.
The booklet provides basic information about the way in which NGOs can interact with the United Nations in general and with ECOSOC in particular. It describes the different formal and informal mechanisms that civil society can utilize in order to work with the different ECOSOC Commissions (i.e. attendance to meetings, submission of statements, side-events, oral interventions, etc.) as well as the obligations that NGOs assume by entering in this consultative relationship.
Major Conferences, Commissions, and Events
Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
The Commission on the Status of Women is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It is instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Click here to access a recording of JCoR’s introduction to CSW.
Conference of the Parties (COP)
The COP summit brings together governments, civil society, and other stakeholders together to accelerate action toward the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Commission for Social Development (CSocD)
This Commission is the key UN body in charge of the follow-up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, a pledge to alleviate poverty, create full employment, and foster social integration.
Click here to access a recording of JCoR’s introduction to CSocD.
High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)
The HLPF is the main United Nations platform on sustainable development and it has a central role in the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global level.
Click on the following link to view a video introduction to the HLPF.
United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)
UNPFII is a forum mandated to address indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, health, and human rights.
Click here to access a recording of JCoR’s introduction to the UNPFII.
UN Framework Documents
United Nations Charter
The United Nations Charter is the founding document of the United Nations, establishing the organization’s structure, principles, and procedures
International Bill of Rights
Following the second world war, a series of declarations and covenants began to articulate universal human rights. In 1948, for the first time, countries agreed on a comprehensive list of inalienable human rights. In December of that year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a milestone that would profoundly influence the development of international human rights law. In December 1966, the UN General Assembly adopted two international treaties that would further shape international human rights: the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). These are often referred to as “the International Covenants.” Together, the UDHR and these two Covenants are known as the International Bill of Human Rights.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
The ICCPR is a key international human rights treaty, providing a range of protections for civil and political rights. The ICCPR obligates countries that have ratified the treaty to protect and preserve basic human rights, such as: the right to life and human dignity; equality before the law; freedom of speech, assembly, and association; religious freedom and privacy; freedom from torture, ill-treatment, and arbitrary detention; gender equality; the right to a fair trial; right family life and family unity; and minority rights. The Covenant compels governments to take administrative, judicial, and legislative measures in order to protect the rights enshrined in the treaty and to provide an effective remedy.
International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) is a treaty that guarantees fundamental economic social, and cultural rights to individuals, including the right to work, adequate standard of living, healthcare, education, and participation in cultural life. It aims to ensure everyone has access to basic necessities for a dignified life.
Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a legally binding international agreement that outlines the rights of children. It was adopted in 1989 and is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history.
UNSCR1325
In 2000, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) formally acknowledged through the creation of Resolution 1325 the changing nature of warfare, in which civilians are increasingly targeted, and women continue to be excluded from participation in peace processes. The resolution specifically addresses how women and girls are disproportionally impacted by violent conflict and war and recognizes the critical role that women can and already do play in peacebuilding efforts. UNSCR 1325 affirms that peace and security efforts are more sustainable when women are equal partners in the prevention of violent conflict, the delivery of relief and recovery efforts and in the forging of lasting peace.
Paris Climate Agreement
The Paris Agreement is an international treaty, adopted in 2015, to address climate change. It marks a significant achievement in the global discourse as the first legally-binding agreement to unite a multitude of countries in a collective commitment to engage in ambitious efforts to tackle climate change and its impacts. Under the Paris Agreement, individual countries determine how much they will reduce their carbon emissions each year, and these plans are called nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
Rio Conventions (3 COPs)
Three global treaties emerged from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit:
Convention on Biological Diversity – The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a legally binding framework that aims to conserve biodiversity, ensure the sustainable use of its components, and fairly share the benefits of genetic resources.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – The UNFCCC outlines the legal framework and principles for international climate change cooperation. Its overarching goal is to reduce atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and to desist from dangerous human interference with the global climate system.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification – The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was established to protect and restore land, and it is the only legally binding framework created to address desertification and drought.
1951 Refugee Convention
The United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, also known as the 1951 Refugee Convention, is a treaty that defines the rights of refugees and the responsibilities of countries that grant asylum.
Global Compact on Refugees
Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
The Global Compact for Migration (GCM) is the first inter-governmentally negotiated agreement covering all dimensions of international migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner. It is a non-binding document that respects states’ sovereign right to determine who enters and stays in their territory and demonstrates commitment to international cooperation on migration. It presents a significant opportunity to improve the governance of migration, to address the challenges associated with today’s migration, and to strengthen the contribution of migrants and migration to sustainable development.
Pact for the Future
The Pact for the Future is an action-oriented document negotiated by UN Member States. It aims include reaffirming the UN Charter, strengthening cooperation between countries, advancing progress on existing commitments (such as the Sustainable Development Goals), agreeing on solutions to rising challenges, and restoring trust. The Pact contains the following two agreements:
The Global Digital Compact establishes a global framework to tackle digital, data, and technology divides. It outlines principles, objectives and actions for advancing an open, free, secure and human-centered digital future for all.
The Declaration for Future Generations affirms Member States’ commitment to ensure that the interests of future generations are considered in national and global decision-making, guaranteeing the rights of future generations to thrive
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration in 2007. It established a “universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being” of Indigenous Peoples, and it stands today as the most comprehensive global instrument detailing the rights of Indigenous Peoples in international law and policy, setting guidelines for the recognition, protection, and promotion of these rights.
Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development
In 1995, a World Social Summit was held in Copenhagen. At this gathering, world leaders adopted a Declaration and Programme of Action placing people at the center of development, and it positioned poverty alleviation, full employment, and social inclusion as the highest global priorities.
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
The Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) is a global policy framework that outlines a roadmap for gender equality and women’s empowerment. It was adopted at the 1995 United Nations (UN) World Conference on Women in Beijing, when 189 governments committed to working towards gender equality.
NGO Working Groups
Committee of Religious Organizations at the UN (CRNGO)
This committee is a coalition of representatives of national and international organizations, which define their work as religious, spiritual, or ethical in nature and are accredited to the UN. CRNGO serves as a forum to inform and educate constituencies about global challenges and the role that the UN can play in addressing these issues. It also provides a space for exchanging and promoting shared religious and ethical values in deliberations of the world organization.
Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the UN (CoNGO)
This is an independent, international membership association in general consultative status with the UN. CoNGO aims to ensure the presence of NGOs in exchanges that include UN entities, on issues of global concern (including assisting members in gaining access to and participating in consultative processes convened by the UN). It also facilitates ongoing substantive dialogue between entities of the UN system and NGOs, informs members of new activities and initiatives developed by the UN, promotes NGO partnerships, and trains NGOs to develop advocacy and capacity-building skills.
NGO Committee on Finance for Development (NGO FfD)
This committee advocates to end poverty and hunger and for inclusive economic growth that is environmentally and socially sustainable, ethical, and people-centered. Guided by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Monterrey Consensus, it urges policymakers to support development strategies that end global poverty and advance human rights. Click here to view an introduction to the NGO FfD.
NGO Committee on Migration (NGO CoM)
This committee is a coalition of NGOs, with UN accreditation, who seek to realize justice for migrants, refugees, stateless persons, internally displaced persons, and trafficked persons. Click here to view an introduction to the NGO CoM.
NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (NGO CRIP)
The mission of this committee is to promote respect for and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples around the world. Click here to view an introduction to NGO CRIP.
NGO Committee on Social Development (NGO CSoCD)
The NGO Committee on Social Development was founded to work toward the achievement of the World Summit for Social Development goals and to continue reviewing UN progress toward those goals, notably by actively following and preparing the UN Commission on Social Development. Committee members are currently active in the articulation and promotion of SDGs and Agenda 2030 helping align advocacy work on social development with the activities of the UN High-Level Political Forum. Click here to view an introduction to the NGO Committee on Social Development.
NGO Committee on the Status of Women (NGO CSW/NY)
This committee facilitates a platform for the voices and leadership of feminists and women’s rights organizations globally who lobby for their inclusion int he UN deliberations in pursuit of gender equality. It envisions a world without sexism, sexual violence, or discrimination against women and girls, where economic, political, and social policies encourage their empowerment and wellbeing. Click here to view an introduction to NGO CSW/NY.
NGO Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons (CSTIP)
This NGO committee represents a collective voice against human trafficking. Its activities include initiating actions to address the issue of trafficking, organizing (at the local, national, and international level), supporting efforts to provide services to those affected by trafficking, and advocating for stronger mechanisms to monitor compliance with commitments to prevent, protect, and prosecute. Click here to view an introduction to CSTIP.
NGO Mining Working Group (MWG)
This group is a coalition of NGOs that, in partnership with members and local affected communities, advocates at and through the UN 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 and indigenous peoples and Earth’s carrying capacity. Click here to view an introduction to the MWG.
NGO Working Group to End Homelessness (WGEH)
This working group is committed to advocating for the alleviation and eventual elimination of homelessness, at the United Nations, in collaboration with like-minded organizations, and academic centers. Its mission is to advocate at the UN for persons who are vulnerable, pursuing the human right to adequate housing for all and to end homelessness, so that all people can realize their full human rights and potential, and flourish. Its vision is a future in which every person experiences the dignity of having a safe, habitable, affordable, secure home achieved through social protection / advocacy at the UN, safeguarding human rights, and supportive, sensitive policies and programs to end homelessness. Click here to view an introduction to the NGO WGEH.
NGO Working Group on the Security Council
This working group provides a unique platform for NGOs to access the Security Council by bringing together NGO representatives for an annual series of meetings with UN Security Council ambassadors and high-level UN officials. It does not undertake specific advocacy positions, but rather provides a forum for NGOs and members of the UNSC to come together to exchange information and build relationships to promote bilateral advocacy.
Working Group on Girls (WGG)
This NGO committee work for girls, with girls, at the UN. WGG’s mission is to promote the human rights of the girl child in all areas and stages of life, advance the inclusion and status of girls, and assist girls to develop their full potential as women. Click here to view an introduction to the WGG.
Major Groups
Achieving sustainable development will require the active participation of all sectors of society and all people. At the 1992 Earth Summit, the first United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, this was recognized through the adoption of Agenda 21, which formalized nine sectors of society as the main channels to facilitate broad participation in UN activities and conferences related to sustainable development. These nine sectors are officially called the “Major Groups“: Women, Children and Youth, Indigenous Peoples, Non-Governmental Organizations, Local Authorities, Workers and Trade Unions, Business and Industry, Scientific and Technological Community, and Farmers. Since their inception in 1992, Major Groups continue to demonstrate a high level of engagement with intergovernmental processes at the UN, and the coordination of their input to intergovernmental processes on sustainable development is led by UNDESA/Division for Sustainable Development (DSD).
Additional Resources
Basic Facts about the United Nations – This book explains the structure of the United Nations, how the Organization works, the main issues it addresses and its importance for people everywhere. In addition to setting out the various roles played by principle UN organs and related organizations, Basic Facts about the United Nations documents the Organization’s contributions to international peace and security, economic and social development, human rights, humanitarian action, international law and decolonization.
UN Blue Book – A virtual resource detailing the contact and representation information about all governments’ Permanent Missions to the United Nations
UN Jargon Guide – A brief explainer of common UNs acronyms and jargon
UN Civil Society Unit – Use this link to subscribe to the UN Civil Society Unit weekly announcement emails.
Security Council Report – This publication provides timely updates (summaries and analyses) on the activities of the UNSC.
International Peace Institute (IPI) – The International Peace Institute is an independent think tank dedicated to the promotion of peace, security, and sustainable development. It engages in policy research, strategic analysis, and publications, and regularly convenes UN representatives, government officials, and experts to engage in discourses relevant to current UN proceedings. ESS