People’s Assembly: A Voice for Civil Society - United Nations Associations
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People's Assembly
People’s Assembly: A Voice for Civil Society
People's Assembly
I. Mission of UNA is to support the principles & programs of the UN
A. Build support amongst the people. Critical 2 success of UN
B. Not where people's voice heard, so there is need for PA
C. Some say UN representatives represent the people, but since they are appointed by governments, there are political interests in the way
D. How, then, is the voice of the people heard? How does the United Nations achieve its vision of a more peaceful world for the people when the people themselves do not get a say in what they believe would be best for them? ….
E. Clearly, the United Nations, then, is in need of some kind of body where talk would be geared away from political interests and considerations, and more towards the best interest of civilians.
II. Would be a committee affiliated with UN, but not with govt's (NGO)
A. CAMDUN (Campaign 4 A Democratic UN) suggestions for how the organization would be laid out. (http://www.camdun-online.gn.apc.org/options.html#ngo)
B. Other efforts
1. Millenium Forum - 2000 - held by UN to collect thoughts of people and NGO's about such an org.
2. ACGC (Action Coalition 4 Global Change) - 1995 - held United People's Assembly to show how such a body would work
3. MPAN (Millennium People's Assembly Network) - 1998 - to coordinate the movement
a. formed Global People's Assembly
i. vision statement - "To provide means through which the world's people can actively participate in making decisions about issues affecting our lives and the well being of our planet."
III. UNA & whatever official "PA" comes about must join to coordinate efforts to make an impact
A. While PA would be a forum, UNA would be essential 2 create support
Conclusion: Whether as a side agency or a main body like Gen. Assembly, it is needed.
GPA Preamble to the Charter - "We each claim the freedom, right, and responsibility, as citizens of the world, both to speak in our own voices and to encourage and enable everyone everywhere to speak decisively on issues that concern us all."
People’s Assembly: A Voice for Civil Society
by Mona Parsa January 26, 2003
UNA-OC
Responsibility of creating a world in which people live together in peace and agreement is upon those who wish to live in such a place. It is essential for human beings to take action in realizing their hopes in achieving a better world to live. Many attempts have been made in order for the nations of the world to harmonize their efforts; some of these attempts have failed, such as the League of Nations, while others, like the United Nations, are determined to achieve their goal of peace and security throughout the globe. But the problem is exactly that: ‘attempts have been made in order for the nations of the world to harmonize their efforts,’ not the people. True, the member states of the United Nations represent the people, but the representatives are political individuals who cannot help but be motivated by political interests; they are not regular citizens who are essentially motivated by their well-being. How, then, is the voice of the people heard? How does the United Nations achieve its vision of a more peaceful world for the people when the people themselves do not get a say in what they believe would be best for them? Clearly, the United Nations, then, is in need of some kind of body where talk would be geared away from political interests and considerations, and more towards the best interest of civilians.
The Vision
An assembly of nation representatives whom are more or less associated with the governments of the nations, the United Nations was established in 1945 with 51 nations signing to the charter. Over 50 years later, there are 191 member states, all united and devoted to maintaining peace, security, freedom, and cooperation and committed to keeping the United Nations a hub for synchronizing the nations’ measures in attaining these goals. The preamble to the UN Charter begins with the words “We the Peoples…,” implying that the sole purpose of becoming members to the United Nations is to serve its citizenry. Clearly, creating a peaceful world would benefit all mankind, but with political interests in the way, how can the UN clearly see what the people, who the nations are serving, are concerned about?
It follows that a committee composed of individuals from organizations not affiliated with the government would be valuable. Many have sensed the need for such a forum or institution, even back when the UN was established: “In 1945, when the United Nations was founded, Ernest Bevin said in the British House of Commons that ‘there should be a study of a house directly elected by the people of the world to whom the nations are accountable’” (Brief History). More recently, others who have expressed interest on the topic include the UN Secretary-General himself, Kofi Annan. At the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly in September of 2002, a main issue in Kofi Annan’s agenda included ideas to strengthen the United Nations by better coordinating things between the UN and civil society. In Section IV of his report, titled Working Better Together, Annan recognized that “in every country in which the United Nations operates, its overarching purpose is to serve its people.” Annan went on to address Non-governmental Organizations:
Thousands of non-governmental organizations now have formal consultative status. Their contribution has enriched the debates and influenced the outcome of many intergovernmental deliberations…I will establish a panel of eminent persons to review the relationship between the United Nations and civil society and offer practical recommendations for improved modalities of interaction.
(24-25)
Clearly, the need for some form of institution for the “people” is existent and rising.
What Has Been Done
CAMDUN (Campaign for a Democratic United Nations) is amongst the many organizations working toward a body that would represent civil society. Established in 1989 as a project of the International Network for a UN Second Assembly (INFUSA), it has arranged several options as to how an assembly for the people directly tied to the United Nations would be laid out. The following is a summary of its detailed list on their website (www.camdun-online.gn.apc.org):
TABLE 1
CAMDUN’s Main Options for a UN People’s Assembly
1. UN Second Assembly
• Seats allocated proportionately to population size
• Would represent the peoples of the United Nations as global inhabitants and members of civil society, while the delegates in the General Assembly would continue to represent us as national citizens
2. UN Citizens’ Assembly
• Direct election of delegates by community councils
3. UN Parliamentary Assembly
• Direct election of delegates
• People would be represented in this assembly as supporters of democratic political parties
4. UN Civil Society Assembly
• Each participating country would have up to 6 delegates
ANY OF THE FOUR OPTIONS ABOVE COULD QUALIFY AS A SUBSIDIARY ORGAN OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
5. UN NGO Assembly
• Open to delegates representing UN-accredited NGOs
6. UN Civil Society Forum
• Consists of representatives of organizations accredited to the General Assembly as Civil Society Organizations
7. NGO Worldwide Net
• Would create a worldwide network of NGOs which are associated with the UN DPI (Department of Public Information)
• Objective is to enhance UN/NGO cooperation
Other efforts have been made towards establishing an institution for the voice of civil society in the United Nations. At the fifty-second session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Annan stated: “If the United Nations is to continue to play a vital role in the century ahead, it is imperative that it benefit from the imagination and engage the support of the world's people. [The Secretary-General] has therefore proposed that non-governmental organizations and other civil society actors organize a Millennium Forum in connection with the Millennium Assembly, perhaps immediately preceding it” (United Nations Reform). Held in May 2000, the forum was a form of preparation for the UN Millennium Assembly later in the year. It collected thoughts and proposals of NGOs and civil society about their future and about a creation of an “organizational structure whereby the peoples of the world can participate effectively in global decision-making” (GPA Presence).
Others who have taken steps in making “the people’s” voice heard include the Action Coalition for Global Change, which held a United People’s Assembly in 1995 at the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. The ACGC hoped “to show how such a body could fulfill the ‘We the Peoples’ mandate of the U.N. Charter” (Brief History).
Certainly, the event must have had some influence, for a network to coordinate the expanding movement was established at the UN NGO meeting in 1998: The Millennium People’s Assembly Network. MPAN is a coalition of organizations and people focused on forming an institution which would be affiliated with the United Nations and would address the “basic human needs which cross all political boundaries” (About MPAN). As mentioned in the “Brief History of the People’s Assembly Movement,” the Hague Appeal for Peace took place in 1999, with participants from people’s assemblies across the globe coming together to form a permanent institution. Just one year later, about 150 people from around the world attended the first “Global People’s Assembly” in Samoa, creating the vision statement: To provide means through which the world’s people can actively participate in making decisions about issues affecting our lives and the well being of our planet. The founding meeting in Samoa also resulted in an unfixed charter and the awarding of India to host the next GPA meeting in 2002.
With the establishment of a Global People’s Assembly, the movement of civil society representation in the United Nations has gained momentum. As mentioned in an email from Rob Wheeler, a GPA supporter, those who advocate the Global People’s Assembly believe that UN representatives, whom are appointed by the government, do not well represent the people, as the people are not asked about issues that are discussed at the UN and the representatives are appointed by the government. Wheeler also referred to the fact that some people believe the People’s Assembly “should be a second house at the United Nations – directly elected by the people of the world. Others believe it should be independent of the UN. Some think it would be much more democratic than the UN and that the UN should thus be answerable to this elected peoples assembly or world parliament.” The GPA may very well be the “official” institution that people have hoped for in providing a place for their voices to be heard.
So where, then, do the United Nations Associations of the world fit in this evolving movement? Established in 1946, many could say that the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) was the first NGO to devote their efforts to such a movement, and so with its knowledge and experience, would be the ideal institution that civil society needs to give a voice to their needs. With so many other movements throughout the world, it is necessary to coordinate efforts into one body in order to make an impact, just as the 51 member states in 1945 did. Therefore, it is essential for the WFUNA and the Global People’s Assembly to cooperate and join into one body, making it a stronger institution in furthering their mission. In addition, the world’s UNAs are essential in creating and sustaining public support for whatever institution becomes the official people’s assembly. They are a critical part of the movement, as their initial objective of building public support for the United Nations and their efforts is crucial, since many of the UN’s recent efforts have been geared towards collaboration with civil society.
Conclusion
It is imperative for people to take action to live in a secure and stable world instead of letting others deal with the situation for them. Only the people themselves know what is best for their well-being, and so they must rise to the occasion, involving themselves in the process of incubating a world where men would live together in harmony and accord. As stated in the Preamble to the Charter of the Global People’s Assembly, “We each claim the freedom, right, and responsibility, as citizens of the world, both to speak in our own voices and to encourage and enable everyone everywhere to speak decisively on issues that concern us all.” In addition, in the movement to give people a voice toward creating a positive future, the WFUNA states its objective in its Constitution:
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations, through their governments, have declared that they are determined to make a better world for its people to live in …We, the representatives of the United Nations Associations in our respective countries, believing that since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed…have resolved to combine our efforts to form an association of the peoples…” (Preamble)
The movement towards a permanent institution to give a voice for society’s call for well-being would have less of a political standpoint in world affairs than the current United Nations. Primarily concerned with serving world citizens, a “People’s Assembly” would be a useful appendage for the United Nations. Associated with the people in a non-political way, it can give a clear view on topics and provide useful advice for situations to the General Assembly since political interests are not an issue with NGOs. As a side council, it would be amongst the dozens of other UN divisions associated with human rights. Like the UNHCR, with a specialty of dealing with refugee situations, the People’s Assembly would specialize and be an advocate for the people and their natural rights and well-being. As ancient Greeks believed, the value of an individual is high, and emphasis on their participation in society is vital. Whatever shape, form, or name a permanent people’s assembly would take, it is certainly essential for people to take action in having a hand in shaping their future.
People's Assembly
People’s Assembly: A Voice for Civil Society
People's Assembly
I. Mission of UNA is to support the principles & programs of the UN
A. Build support amongst the people. Critical 2 success of UN
B. Not where people's voice heard, so there is need for PA
C. Some say UN representatives represent the people, but since they are appointed by governments, there are political interests in the way
D. How, then, is the voice of the people heard? How does the United Nations achieve its vision of a more peaceful world for the people when the people themselves do not get a say in what they believe would be best for them? ….
E. Clearly, the United Nations, then, is in need of some kind of body where talk would be geared away from political interests and considerations, and more towards the best interest of civilians.
II. Would be a committee affiliated with UN, but not with govt's (NGO)
A. CAMDUN (Campaign 4 A Democratic UN) suggestions for how the organization would be laid out. (http://www.camdun-online.gn.apc.org/options.html#ngo)
B. Other efforts
1. Millenium Forum - 2000 - held by UN to collect thoughts of people and NGO's about such an org.
2. ACGC (Action Coalition 4 Global Change) - 1995 - held United People's Assembly to show how such a body would work
3. MPAN (Millennium People's Assembly Network) - 1998 - to coordinate the movement
a. formed Global People's Assembly
i. vision statement - "To provide means through which the world's people can actively participate in making decisions about issues affecting our lives and the well being of our planet."
III. UNA & whatever official "PA" comes about must join to coordinate efforts to make an impact
A. While PA would be a forum, UNA would be essential 2 create support
Conclusion: Whether as a side agency or a main body like Gen. Assembly, it is needed.
GPA Preamble to the Charter - "We each claim the freedom, right, and responsibility, as citizens of the world, both to speak in our own voices and to encourage and enable everyone everywhere to speak decisively on issues that concern us all."
People’s Assembly: A Voice for Civil Society
by Mona Parsa January 26, 2003
UNA-OC
Responsibility of creating a world in which people live together in peace and agreement is upon those who wish to live in such a place. It is essential for human beings to take action in realizing their hopes in achieving a better world to live. Many attempts have been made in order for the nations of the world to harmonize their efforts; some of these attempts have failed, such as the League of Nations, while others, like the United Nations, are determined to achieve their goal of peace and security throughout the globe. But the problem is exactly that: ‘attempts have been made in order for the nations of the world to harmonize their efforts,’ not the people. True, the member states of the United Nations represent the people, but the representatives are political individuals who cannot help but be motivated by political interests; they are not regular citizens who are essentially motivated by their well-being. How, then, is the voice of the people heard? How does the United Nations achieve its vision of a more peaceful world for the people when the people themselves do not get a say in what they believe would be best for them? Clearly, the United Nations, then, is in need of some kind of body where talk would be geared away from political interests and considerations, and more towards the best interest of civilians.
The Vision
An assembly of nation representatives whom are more or less associated with the governments of the nations, the United Nations was established in 1945 with 51 nations signing to the charter. Over 50 years later, there are 191 member states, all united and devoted to maintaining peace, security, freedom, and cooperation and committed to keeping the United Nations a hub for synchronizing the nations’ measures in attaining these goals. The preamble to the UN Charter begins with the words “We the Peoples…,” implying that the sole purpose of becoming members to the United Nations is to serve its citizenry. Clearly, creating a peaceful world would benefit all mankind, but with political interests in the way, how can the UN clearly see what the people, who the nations are serving, are concerned about?
It follows that a committee composed of individuals from organizations not affiliated with the government would be valuable. Many have sensed the need for such a forum or institution, even back when the UN was established: “In 1945, when the United Nations was founded, Ernest Bevin said in the British House of Commons that ‘there should be a study of a house directly elected by the people of the world to whom the nations are accountable’” (Brief History). More recently, others who have expressed interest on the topic include the UN Secretary-General himself, Kofi Annan. At the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly in September of 2002, a main issue in Kofi Annan’s agenda included ideas to strengthen the United Nations by better coordinating things between the UN and civil society. In Section IV of his report, titled Working Better Together, Annan recognized that “in every country in which the United Nations operates, its overarching purpose is to serve its people.” Annan went on to address Non-governmental Organizations:
Thousands of non-governmental organizations now have formal consultative status. Their contribution has enriched the debates and influenced the outcome of many intergovernmental deliberations…I will establish a panel of eminent persons to review the relationship between the United Nations and civil society and offer practical recommendations for improved modalities of interaction.
(24-25)
Clearly, the need for some form of institution for the “people” is existent and rising.
What Has Been Done
CAMDUN (Campaign for a Democratic United Nations) is amongst the many organizations working toward a body that would represent civil society. Established in 1989 as a project of the International Network for a UN Second Assembly (INFUSA), it has arranged several options as to how an assembly for the people directly tied to the United Nations would be laid out. The following is a summary of its detailed list on their website (www.camdun-online.gn.apc.org):
TABLE 1
CAMDUN’s Main Options for a UN People’s Assembly
1. UN Second Assembly
• Seats allocated proportionately to population size
• Would represent the peoples of the United Nations as global inhabitants and members of civil society, while the delegates in the General Assembly would continue to represent us as national citizens
2. UN Citizens’ Assembly
• Direct election of delegates by community councils
3. UN Parliamentary Assembly
• Direct election of delegates
• People would be represented in this assembly as supporters of democratic political parties
4. UN Civil Society Assembly
• Each participating country would have up to 6 delegates
ANY OF THE FOUR OPTIONS ABOVE COULD QUALIFY AS A SUBSIDIARY ORGAN OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
5. UN NGO Assembly
• Open to delegates representing UN-accredited NGOs
6. UN Civil Society Forum
• Consists of representatives of organizations accredited to the General Assembly as Civil Society Organizations
7. NGO Worldwide Net
• Would create a worldwide network of NGOs which are associated with the UN DPI (Department of Public Information)
• Objective is to enhance UN/NGO cooperation
Other efforts have been made towards establishing an institution for the voice of civil society in the United Nations. At the fifty-second session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Annan stated: “If the United Nations is to continue to play a vital role in the century ahead, it is imperative that it benefit from the imagination and engage the support of the world's people. [The Secretary-General] has therefore proposed that non-governmental organizations and other civil society actors organize a Millennium Forum in connection with the Millennium Assembly, perhaps immediately preceding it” (United Nations Reform). Held in May 2000, the forum was a form of preparation for the UN Millennium Assembly later in the year. It collected thoughts and proposals of NGOs and civil society about their future and about a creation of an “organizational structure whereby the peoples of the world can participate effectively in global decision-making” (GPA Presence).
Others who have taken steps in making “the people’s” voice heard include the Action Coalition for Global Change, which held a United People’s Assembly in 1995 at the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. The ACGC hoped “to show how such a body could fulfill the ‘We the Peoples’ mandate of the U.N. Charter” (Brief History).
Certainly, the event must have had some influence, for a network to coordinate the expanding movement was established at the UN NGO meeting in 1998: The Millennium People’s Assembly Network. MPAN is a coalition of organizations and people focused on forming an institution which would be affiliated with the United Nations and would address the “basic human needs which cross all political boundaries” (About MPAN). As mentioned in the “Brief History of the People’s Assembly Movement,” the Hague Appeal for Peace took place in 1999, with participants from people’s assemblies across the globe coming together to form a permanent institution. Just one year later, about 150 people from around the world attended the first “Global People’s Assembly” in Samoa, creating the vision statement: To provide means through which the world’s people can actively participate in making decisions about issues affecting our lives and the well being of our planet. The founding meeting in Samoa also resulted in an unfixed charter and the awarding of India to host the next GPA meeting in 2002.
With the establishment of a Global People’s Assembly, the movement of civil society representation in the United Nations has gained momentum. As mentioned in an email from Rob Wheeler, a GPA supporter, those who advocate the Global People’s Assembly believe that UN representatives, whom are appointed by the government, do not well represent the people, as the people are not asked about issues that are discussed at the UN and the representatives are appointed by the government. Wheeler also referred to the fact that some people believe the People’s Assembly “should be a second house at the United Nations – directly elected by the people of the world. Others believe it should be independent of the UN. Some think it would be much more democratic than the UN and that the UN should thus be answerable to this elected peoples assembly or world parliament.” The GPA may very well be the “official” institution that people have hoped for in providing a place for their voices to be heard.
So where, then, do the United Nations Associations of the world fit in this evolving movement? Established in 1946, many could say that the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) was the first NGO to devote their efforts to such a movement, and so with its knowledge and experience, would be the ideal institution that civil society needs to give a voice to their needs. With so many other movements throughout the world, it is necessary to coordinate efforts into one body in order to make an impact, just as the 51 member states in 1945 did. Therefore, it is essential for the WFUNA and the Global People’s Assembly to cooperate and join into one body, making it a stronger institution in furthering their mission. In addition, the world’s UNAs are essential in creating and sustaining public support for whatever institution becomes the official people’s assembly. They are a critical part of the movement, as their initial objective of building public support for the United Nations and their efforts is crucial, since many of the UN’s recent efforts have been geared towards collaboration with civil society.
Conclusion
It is imperative for people to take action to live in a secure and stable world instead of letting others deal with the situation for them. Only the people themselves know what is best for their well-being, and so they must rise to the occasion, involving themselves in the process of incubating a world where men would live together in harmony and accord. As stated in the Preamble to the Charter of the Global People’s Assembly, “We each claim the freedom, right, and responsibility, as citizens of the world, both to speak in our own voices and to encourage and enable everyone everywhere to speak decisively on issues that concern us all.” In addition, in the movement to give people a voice toward creating a positive future, the WFUNA states its objective in its Constitution:
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations, through their governments, have declared that they are determined to make a better world for its people to live in …We, the representatives of the United Nations Associations in our respective countries, believing that since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed…have resolved to combine our efforts to form an association of the peoples…” (Preamble)
The movement towards a permanent institution to give a voice for society’s call for well-being would have less of a political standpoint in world affairs than the current United Nations. Primarily concerned with serving world citizens, a “People’s Assembly” would be a useful appendage for the United Nations. Associated with the people in a non-political way, it can give a clear view on topics and provide useful advice for situations to the General Assembly since political interests are not an issue with NGOs. As a side council, it would be amongst the dozens of other UN divisions associated with human rights. Like the UNHCR, with a specialty of dealing with refugee situations, the People’s Assembly would specialize and be an advocate for the people and their natural rights and well-being. As ancient Greeks believed, the value of an individual is high, and emphasis on their participation in society is vital. Whatever shape, form, or name a permanent people’s assembly would take, it is certainly essential for people to take action in having a hand in shaping their future.
posted by Ingrid Jones at 12/30/2004
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