A UN Civil Society Envoy
Ensuring stronger public and civil society engagement
#CivilSocietyEnvoy
A voice for civil society
Global challenges – like fighting climate change, defending human rights, and reducing inequality- require more than just government action. Civil society organizations, major groups, grassroots movements, and activists are vital in addressing these issues and supporting public services. Yet, their voices often receive little attention in global deliberation and decision-making.
Â
A UN Civil Society Envoy should champion their inclusion in UN discussions. By bridging global institutions and the people they serve, the envoy would help build a more open, responsive, and inclusive UN that truly reflects the concerns of humanity.
A position in the UN Secretariat
A UN Civil Society Envoy could be established swiftly and without major institutional hurdles. The UN Secretary-General could appoint the envoy as a dedicated high-level UN officer tasked with improving civil society access to UN processes. Alternatively, UN member states could collectively create the role through a General Assembly resolution.
Â
The envoy would coordinate across UN bodies, helping to break down barriers that limit the participation of civil society and major groups. With a mandate to listen, advocate, and facilitate direct input from diverse voices, this position would be a simple yet powerful step toward making global governance more responsive and inclusive.
Support
At the UN, engagement with civil society remains inconsistent and often superficial. Achieving an official NGO accreditation at the UN is difficult and does not guarantee effective consultation. A high-level Civil Society Envoy established in the UN Secretariat would take care that the UN’s engagement is meaningful.Â
Â
The proposal is part of the “We The Peoples” platform and separately also supported by the UNMute Civil Society initiative which has been endorsed by numerous civil society groups and UN Member States.
To learn more about a UN Civil Society Envoy, read this detailed report:
Our other proposals:
A UN Parliamentary
Assembly
Giving elected representatives a voice in global decision-making.
- Civil society groups ensure people's voices are heard at the UN. An envoy within the UN Secretariat could enhance access, especially by improving coordination among existing civil society focal points and processes.
- Jesselina Rana
- CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
Together, we call for a more inclusive and accountable UN — add your voice.
News & Notes
Ahead of the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024, over 150 organisations in a joint open letter call on UN Member States to consider four priority measures for making global governance more inclusive and accountable.
September 12, 2024
A public opinion survey across 22 countries revealed a robust demand for citizen participation in global governance and validated the proposals put forward by the We The Peoples campaign
June 24, 2024
At the UN's conference on Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, a civil society declaration was presented by the Transparency, Accountability and Participation (TAP) network. In the section on strengthening and expanding civic space and fundamental freedoms, the document calls for "institutional changes that aim at improving representation, participation and deliberation at the global level" including through the initiatives proposed by the We The Peoples campaign.
May 12, 2025
