Panel of Eminent Persons on UN-Civil Society Relations

About this grant

The United Nations (UN) has always tried to ensure that the nonprofit sector participates in its conferences and meetings. However, there are a number of reasons why this has recently become difficult, including the rapid increase in the number of nonprofit organizations seeking representation and participation; the increasing complexity of accreditation processes; and the fact that the nonprofit sector does not represent all civil society sectors. In an effort to address these issues, the UN Secretary General has decided to assemble a group of people representing a variety of experiences and perspectives.Funding will support the work of the Panel of Eminent Persons on UN-Civil Society Relations. Objectives include reviewing existing guidelines, decisions and practices regarding civil society organizations’ access to and participation in UN deliberations and processes; identifying best practices of interacting with non-governmental organizations and other civil society organizations; examining ways to include civil society sectors from developing countries; and determining how to facilitate, manage, share experiences and evaluate the UN relationships with civil society.The UN is an intergovernmental, international organization established in 1945 as the successor to the League of Nations. Its primary objectives are to maintain peace and security and to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems.