Civil society continues to face restrictions on access and participation at the United Nations (UN).

  At the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2025 in New York City, the CIVICUS New York Hub, represented by Mandeep Tiwana and Jesselina Rana, played a central role in engaging with member states, UN officials, and civil society representatives from across the world.

CIVICUS and partner human rights organisations have raised concerns over Norway’s decision to triennialise the Human Rights Defenders resolution at the UN Third Committee, urging continued support for defenders worldwide.

The United Nations’ latest annual review of progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) saw numerous states that restrict civil society and repress human rights participate in a public relations exercise to talk up their achievements.

The 2025 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) will take place from 14–23 July under the theme: “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for leaving no one behind.

The Fourth Financing for Development (FFD4) Conference will be held in Sevilla, Spain, from 30 June to 3 July 2025.

By Jesselina Rana, the UN Advisor at CIVICUS’s New York office and Mandeep S.

CIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening civil society and citizen action around the world.

The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, set to take place from 30th June to 3 July in Spain, presents a crucial opportunity to reform global financing systems, including much-needed changes to the international financial architecture; with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) off track and progress on poverty and hunger stalling, or even reversing.

12 NGOs that closely follow and engage with the General Assembly Third Committee have published a joint statement on outcomes of this 79th session.

The 79th United Nations General Assembly, held in New York City in late September, was a pivotal event highlighted by the adoption of the Pact for the Future.

On the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79), CIVICUS and other international organisations called on Member States to place greater emphasis on human rights in Bahrain, with a specific focus on the ongoing arbitrary detention of human rights defenders.

The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, starting on 10th of September 2024, represents a pivotal moment to advance global governance and multilateralism.

At the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2024 in New York City, the CIVICUS New York Hub, represented by Mandeep Tiwana and Jesselina Rana, played a pivotal role in engaging with member states, UN officials, and civil society representatives from around the globe.

Without civil society, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would not be possible.

The upcoming Summit for the Future, set for September 22-23, 2024, in New York City, marks a significant United Nations effort to tackle global challenges.

The UN Civil Society Conference took place in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 9th and 10th, 2024.

The upcoming Summit for the Future, set for September 22-23, 2024, in New York City, marks a significant United Nations effort to tackle global challenges.

Over 350 civil society organisations part of the #UNmute initiative have come together to issue a united call for inclusivity and participation in the preparatory process of the forthcoming Summit of the Future.

CIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world.

This submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights was made to inform the mandate's priorities for the three-year term from late 2023 to 2026, concerning new and continuing thematic issues and geographic focus.

The undersigned civil society organisations mark the conclusion of the UN General Assembly's (GA) 78th Third Committee session with the following observations on both thematic and country-specific outcomes.

The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 78) saw CIVICUS, a global alliance for civil society, at the forefront of discussions and interventions aimed at bolstering civic space, human rights, and sustainable development.

The General Assembly is the main policymaking organ of the United Nations.

Without civil society, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would not be possible.

The 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 77) will start on the 13th of September 2022.

The High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism launched a wide range of public consultations on ideas for more effective multilateralism with experts, leaders, practitioners, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders.

We, civil society groups from the five continents of the world working together for a just, peaceful, sustainable and prosperous world, jointly call for a negotiated solution to end the war in Ukraine as promptly and swiftly as possible.

On 17 Novemner, Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly shared his priorities and perspectives for the 76th Session and civil society engagement during the Civil Society Townhall Meeting (see event more information).

17 NGOs that closely follow and engage with the Third Committee have joined together to publish a joint statement on outcomes of this 76th session.

The 76th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 76) started on the 14th of September 2021.

Unmute Civil Society recommendations are supported by 52 states and over 300 civil society organisations from around the world.

CIVICUS' Chief Programmes Officer, Mandeep Tiwana, participated in the 65th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 65) intersessional dialogue on building alliances for women's full and effective participation in public life.

Summary of insights & recommendations from mult-sectoral discussion on how take forward the UN75 Declaration and its commitments to "Leave no one behind" and "Be prepared"  On February 18, 2021, a consortium of civil society stakeholder organizations initiated the first in a six-part “Fulfilling the UN75 Declaration Expert Series,” where thought leaders from global civil society engaged UN Missions and Secretariat officials in a candid dialogue on progress, challenges, and further measures needed to meet two of the twelve commitments presented in the UN75 Declaration.

Women civil society leaders, activists, protesters and human right lawyers are central to shaping public life - through campaigns, protests and policy interventions.

Over 130 Organisations write an open letter to the UN Security Council and individual UN Member States to urgently institute a coordinated global arms embargo on Myanmar in response to the military coup.

On 26 June 1945, at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, the Charter of the United Nations was signed in San Francisco.

As the United Nations turns 75, concrete changes are needed.

Joint letter to United Nations Member States: Ensure meaningful civil society participation in the 2020 virtual High Level Political Forum Civil society participation in the United Nations cannot be lost as the world fights COVID-19.

Without civil society, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals would not be possible.

The #UN turns 75 years old in 2020 -- Anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on its strengths & weaknesses.

  Together with our members, CIVICUS is participating in the Commission on the Status of Women (11-22 March, UN Headquarters, New York).

More than half of NGOs had their applications for NGO status deferred, even though no specific objections were made to their applications Organisations working on human rights, gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, and migration are repeatedly obstructed India, Nigeria and Sudan routinely block applications from NGOs working in their respective countries The longest waiting organisation, the International Dalit Solidarity Network, has had its application delayed since 2007.

  Freedom of peaceful assembly and association and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development When: 13:15-14:30, Wednesday 17 October 2018 Where: UNHQ, Conference Room E, New York Co-sponsors: Civic Space Initiative, CESR, ISHR, Oxfam, Solidarity Center Keynote: Andrew Gilmour, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, delivering opening remarks   Panellists: Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Kate Donald, Director, Human Rights in Sustainable Development Program, Center for Economic and Social Rights Shayana Kadidal, Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights Moderator: Lyndal Rowlands, CIVICUS Panellists will discuss the connections between sustainable development and the the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association drawing on examples from movements related to different aspects of sustainable development from the environment to worker’s rights.

French | Spanish As part of its consultations with civil society during its Presidency of the Security Council for the month of August, the United Kingdom’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations responded to questions submitted by CIVICUS members on the security situations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea/Ethiopia, Gaza and Myanmar.

Today I asked President of the UN Security Council Olof Skoog on behalf of @CIVICUSalliance member @Awwad_Nouhad what the council is doing to protect civilians in Gaza.

The 2018 High Level Political Forum will be held at UN headquarters in New York from Monday 9 to Wednesday 18 July.

On Friday 22nd June 2018, the UN NGO Committee convened consultations with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in consultative status with the United Nations.

We write to you regarding the upcoming elections to the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs for the 2019-2022 term, which will take place on April 16.

Durant les consultations du mois d’août de la présidence du Conseil de sécurité avec la société civile, la Mission permanente du Royaume-Uni auprès de l’Organisation des Nations Unies a répondu aux questions soumises par les membres de CIVICUS concernant les situations sécuritaires en République Démocratique du Congo, Érythrée-Éthiopie, Gaza et Myanmar.