Civil society statement on "inclusive global governance" calls for a UN Parliamentary Assembly

On the occasion of the International Day for Multilateralism on 24 April, a group of 100 civil society organisations has issued a joint statement calling on the UN and its member states to implement three proposals "to strengthen the inclusive and democratic character" of the world organization. One of the demands is the creation of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA).

The statement points out that this new assembly would allow "for the inclusion of elected representatives in the agenda-setting and decision-making of the UN." Further, according to the document, a UNPA is supposed to "act as a representative body and watchdog connecting the people with the UN and reflecting a broad diversity of global viewpoints."

The endorsement of this proposal in the joint civil society statement represents another major step forward in a campaign for a UNPA that has been ongoing since 2007. In January, a UN report on public consultations carried out in the course of 2020 identified a UNPA as one of the most frequently mentioned proposals in the field of renewing the UN.

Signatories of the new statement include organisations such as Avaaz, Greenpeace and Open Society Foundations as well as networks such as the Coalition for the UN We Need, Forus International, Together 2030 and Together First. It was initiated under the title of "We The Peoples" by CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Democracy International and Democracy Without Borders. The latter also serves as Secretariat of the UNPA campaign.

The other two proposals highlighted in the joint statement are the instrument of a UN World Citizens' Initiative as well as a high-level UN focal point for civil society. 

Top image: A view of the flag of the United Nations that flies in front of UN Headquarters in New York. UN Photo/Evan Schneider

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