Announcements for the Civil Society Representatives | Week of 22 February 2021

Civil Society Briefing “Sustainable Fashion for All: Examining the Industry through the Lens of Social Justice”

Virtual Fashion Show and Panel Discussion organized with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), Fashion Revolution, Fordham University, and United Nations Association of New York
Date: 24 February 2021
Time: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. EST
RSVP bit.ly/3a51q7x

From UN News

UN hails ‘day of hope’ as US officially rejoins Paris climate accord

The official return of the United States to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change represents good news for the country and the world, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Friday during a virtual event to mark the occasion. 
Read more…

Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the SDGs

We need to strengthen action to protect and restore nature and the nature-based solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in its three complementary dimensions: social, economic and environmental. The fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) starts today and it provides an opportunity for Member States and Stakeholders to take ambitious steps towards building back better and greener by ensuring that investments in economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic contribute to sustainable development.

UNEA-5 provides a platform for sharing and implementing successful approaches that contribute to the achievement of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.
Learn more about the UNEA-5

Photography 4 Humanity Virtual Exhibit

Photography 4 Humanity is an international initiative that calls on photographers from around the world to bring the power of human rights to life through their images. Highlighting the most compelling human rights imagery – illustrating courage, despair, hope, injustice and compassion in ways small and large – the images serve to inspire people to personally get involved and take a stand for human rights.

The exhibit is developed to highlight the top finalists of the Photography 4 Humanity Global Prize Competition and to inspire photographers to document the power of human rights around the world. It is created and organized by David Clark Cause (DCC) in collaboration with and in support of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
View the Exhibit

Year of Health and Care Workers 2021

2021 has been designated as the International Year of Health and Care Workers (YHCW) in appreciation and gratitude for their unwavering dedication in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. WHO is launching a year-long campaign, under the theme – Protect. Invest. Together.  It highlights the urgent need to invest in health workers for shared dividends in health, jobs, economic opportunity and equity. This year, we are calling on your support and action to ensure that our health and care workforces are always supported, protected, motivated and equipped to deliver safe health care. Learn more…

Youth, Peace and Security: A programming Handbook

The Handbook is a joint product of UNDP, UNFPA, PBSO and the Folke Bernadotte Academy.

The programming handbook builds on recent evidence and increasing momentum to prioritize youth-inclusive and youth-sensitive peace and security programming, as a core element of more sustainable and long-lasting peacebuilding efforts.

The handbook is intended to be used by country, regional and global teams in the United Nations system, but it can also provide insights and guidance to field practitioners beyond the United Nations, including other international or regional organizations, national counterparts, youth-led and youth-focused organizations, movements and networks, and peacebuilding organizations.
Learn more & read the Handbook

The UN Secretary-General has outlined his major priorities for 2021

Commission on the Status of Women | 15 – 26 March 2021

The sixty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place from 15 to 26 March 2021. In light of the evolving COVID-19 situation, and taking into account the latest guidance from the United Nations Secretary-General and the World Health Organization (WHO), CSW65 will take place in a hybrid format with mostly virtual meetings. 

Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are invited to attend the session.

Learn more…

UN Response to COVID-19 

Secretary-General’s Policy Briefs

UNCTAD Update (Week of 13-18 February)

This week UNCTAD bid farewell to the outgoing Secretary-General, Mukhisa Kituyi, and welcomed the former UNCTAD deputy Secretary-General, Isabelle Durant, into the role of acting Secretary-General. Read her new commentary on ongoing e-commerce negotiations at the World Trade Organization.
UNCTAD also released our business-to-Consumer E-commerce Index 2020, which ranks 152 countries on their readiness to engage in online commerce, this week. Switzerland replaced the Netherlands at the top of the index which also includes a special feature on Latin America and the Caribbean. Read the findings in English, French and Spanish.
UNCTAD and UNECA have also partnered to help African countries measure illicit financial flows. We are implementing a project that assesses illicit financial flows, which have robbed the continent of more than $1 trillion over the last 50 years.
Finally, UNCTAD’s new Trade and Environment Review, released this week, explores trade-climate readiness in developing countries. Get the review. 

• Learn more about UNCTAD’s news, upcoming events, reports
• Subscribe to UNCTAD New York Office Newsletter

Invitations | Opportunities for Civil Society Participation

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SDG Global Festival of Action

UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development: Call for Nominations 2021

Three prizes of US$ 50,000 to be won | Deadline: 30 April 2021

UNESCO is launching the call for nomination for the 2021 UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

Generously funded by the Government of Japan, since 2015 the Prize rewards exceptional projects and programmes in the field of Education for Sustainable Development.

In 2021, three winners will be rewarded with USD 50,000 each and will be invited to establish a long-term collaboration with UNESCO by joining the ESD for 2030 Global Network (ESD-Net).

Learn more in this UNESCO update

Black History Virtual Tour @UN

Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition | 28 – 30 September 2021

Convened by the Government of Italy, the event will take place from September 28th to 30th and provide young delegates an unprecedented opportunity to put forward ideas and concrete proposals on some of the most pressing issues on the climate agenda.
Almost 400 young people aged between 18 and 29 from the 197 member-countries of the UNFCCC (maximum limit 2 for country) will meet in 2021 in Milan, from 28 to 30 September 2021, to elaborate concrete proposals on topics that affect the negotiation process of Pre-COP26 in Milan (30 September – 2 October 2021) and COP26 in Glasgow (1 – 12 November 2021).
The selection of the young participants will be carried out by the Office of the UN Secretary General’s Youth Envoy in collaboration with YOUNGO (the Youth Constituency at the UNFCCC), and an ad hoc Advisory Committee that is being set up. Italy will support the travel and accommodation expenses of the selected participants.

Learn more about the event

Apply to participate by 28 February 2021

ECOSOC Youth Forum 2021

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum will be held on 7 and 8 April 2021. The modalities of participation will depend on the evolving spread of COVID-19 and its impact on travel restrictions as well as considerations on the safety, health and wellbeing of participants. More details…

• Draft Concept Note
• Draft Programme
• Guidelines for Side Events
• Register here

OHCHR Intersessional Seminar on Youth

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has the honour to inform all interested stakeholders that pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 41/13 entitled “Youth and human rights” as well as Human Rights Council decision 45/113 “Postponement of the implementation of certain activities mandated by the Human Rights Council”, a full-day Intersessional Seminar on Youth will take place online on 12 April 2021.

In conformity with Human Rights Council resolution 41/13, the Intersessional Seminar will focus on the challenges and opportunities of young people in the field of human rights. OHCHR invites all relevant stakeholders to participate in the seminar. Additional information and relevant documents will be made available in due course on OHCHR’s website.

Global Youth Biodiversity Network Survey

he Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) has launched a survey that will bring together #youth voices for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework!

As the youth constituency to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), GYBN has been leading a Youth Engagement Roadmap for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Next year, GYBN will come together with the parties and other constituencies of the CBD to negotiate and agree upon this new Global Biodiversity Framework that will provide political commitments and guidelines to galvanize action for biodiversity for the next decade.

We must ensure the voices of the youth are heard in this new global framework for biodiversity!
➡️ Follow the link to take the survey in English, Spanish, or French: bit.ly/gybnsurvey

Call to musicians to inspire action

Musicians around the world are joining ILO‘s Music Against Child Labour Initiative to join the fight for a better future by dedicating concerts and songs to raise awareness and drive change.

• Learn more at https://www.musicagainstchildlabour.com/
• Enter the competition

UNEP opens 2021 nominations for prestigious Champions of the Earth Award

UNEP calls for nominees for the Champions of the Earth award – the UN’s highest honour for individuals and organizations that are safeguarding our environment and transforming societies.
Learn more…

Comic and cartoon competition

UN Women—together with the European Commission, Belgium, France, Mexico, as well as in partnership with Cartooning for Peace—is organizing a global comic and cartoon competition to mark the 25th anniversary of the groundbreaking Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which set out how to remove the systemic barriers that hold women back from equal participation in all areas of life. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is a visionary agenda for the empowerment of women and girls, everywhere.

The Week Ahead at the UN: Follow meetings online – click here to see the schedule

Civil Society Corner

Dialogue: “Women Artists Making an Impact”

Organized by NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY

Date: 26 February 2021
Time: 1 – 3:15 p.m. EST
RSVP
Invitation
Programme

GNEC Announcement

The Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC) and the Innovation Academy at Rutgers Preparatory School are excited to announce an on-line platform focused on education and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to which NGOs can supply information on their own SDG initiatives. The NGO materials on this platform will provide visibility and access to others. It will reach children, youth and educators in a safe, no-cost, professional environment while providing education on SDGs. NGOs should request an application form for submitting materials to Dr. Kevin Merges at ia@rutgersprep.org or Dr. Rose Cardarelli at rcardarelli@email.wm.edu  

Survey on Migrant and Refugee Victims of Xenophobia and Intolerance in the Context of the Coronavirus Pandemic

Prepared by the NGO Committee on Migration (CoM)

In the context of the Coronavirus pandemic, the attached survey is being circulated by the NGO Committee on Migration, a member of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CoNGO) in consultative relationship with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Pleased be informed that the deadline for responding to the survey has been extended indefinitely to allow more organizations to contribute responses to the survey.

The survey, prepared by the NGO Committee on Migration’s Subcommittee on Xenophobia and Social Inclusion to assess the impact COVID-19 has had on the migrant population in relation to xenophobia and social exclusion, is available here in English, Spanish, and French. Please complete the survey, and forward it to your network(s). 

We would very much appreciate it if you could respond to it as soon as you can send and the survey out as widely and  as quickly as possible to your networks. We are seeking replies from NGOs, academia, civil society institutions and United Nations entities in order to obtain as comprehensive data as possible on this essential grassroots work. Please consult the attached survey for an account of how we plan to use the data. We will, of course, share all final reports and analyses with the responding organizations.  Such surveys have helped the UN move from a prime focus on policy to one that supports grassroots initiatives with a focus on leaving no one behind.

Thank you for your cooperation. We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
 
The NGO Committee on Migration,
Subcommittee on Xenophobia and Social Inclusion
ngomigrationsurvey@gmail.com​

Civil Society Forum 2021

Organized by the NGO Committee for Social Development During the 59th Session of the Commission for Social Development

Socially Just Transition Towards Sustainable Development: The

The NGO Committee for Social Development follows and echoes the work of the UN Commission for Social Development, amplifying the many voices that are left behind and highlighting local examples of resilience, solidarity and hope moving forward communities in spite of the systemic obstacles they face everyday. Click here to read and sign the Civil Society Declaration. 

For the first time ever, the NGO Committee will hold a 5-days Virtual Civil Society Forum (CSF 2021) with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and UN DESA. The CSF 2021 will include an all virtual Orientation and Networking event, three Thematic Sessions and a Closing Session. Please register separately for each event: Civil Society Forum 2021.
Sign the declaration

Youth Preparation Series Schedule

Join this growing network of young people working for gender equality, get to know one another, learn what is happening around the world and how to navigate the UN system.
Youth Activist Space | 25 February, Time TBD
BIPOC & Intersectionality Training | 4 March, Time TBD
Youth Activist Space: International Women’s Day | 11 March, Time TBD
More information

Engagement opportunities from NGO CSW

DGC Civil Society Unit

Civil Society Briefing “Sustainable Fashion for All: Examining the Industry through the Lens of Social Justice”

Virtual Fashion Show and Panel Discussion organized with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), Fashion Revolution, Fordham University, and United Nations Association of New York
Date: 24 February 2021
Time: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. EST
RSVP bit.ly/3a51q7x

In case you missed it:

Watch the One-On-One with the President of the UN General Assembly

Upcoming UN High-Level Opportunities for Civil Society Participation