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WILPF's 100th Birthday

WILPF UNO

WILPF's United Nations Office in New York office is one of two international offices; the other is our Secretariat, or headquarters, based in Geneva. Together, the UN Office and Secretariat:
  • monitor happenings at the UN and report on them to members;
  • conduct research, advocacy, education and outreach programs;
  • work with other NGOs and UN Mission Staff to communicate WILPF's perspectives on issues within our programme of work (challenging militarism, investing in peace, supporting the UN and multi-lateralism);
  • write and deliver public statements on matters of relevance and concern to WILPF.
While the Geneva Secretariat coordinates membership and administrative matters for the many WILPF entities (country sections, policy committees, and thematic working groups), the NYC UN Office houses WILPF's two main research-based advocacy projects: Reaching Critical Will and PeaceWomen.

Dr. AnnJanette Rosga is the United Nations Office Director. She is responsible for providing guidance and direction for the projects and administrative dealings of the office.

 

WILPF and the United Nations:

 

In 1919 WILPF welcomed the establishment of the League of Nations and actively followed its work.  In 1948, WILPF was in the first group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to receive consultative status with the United Nations through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), under Article 71 of the UN Charter, the entry point for NGOs. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) was established as the UN's principal organ to discuss international economic and social issues, and to formulate policy recommendations towards Member States and the United Nations system. It has 53 Member States and meets once a year for four weeks in July.

 

In addition to WILPF’s consultative status with ECOSOC, WILPF has Special Consultative Relations with the Food and Agricultural Organization in Rome, the International Labour Organization in Geneva and the United Nations Children's Fund in New York. 

 

WILPF is represented at UN headquarters in New York,  Geneva, Paris and Rome. WILPF uses its consultative  status with the UN to monitor and seek to influence the work of the United Nations and its system of specialized agencies. WILPF has been and continues to be present and supportive of the United Nations, our world's peace organization, but has also often been critical when governments, who drive and comprise the UN, fail to uphold the spirit and letter of the UN Charter. 

 

WILPF focuses on four main areas of work in the UN:  disarmament and overall security debates, development,  human rights and environment.  WILPF aims to bring the gender perspective to discussions/deliberations on these issues, with particular reference to how women’s lives are affected by any proposed decision.

 

The purpose of WILPF’s work vis-a-vis the UN is to:

 

—  Keep well-informed about the UN system and related inter-governmental activities and trends in order to strengthen WILPF’s international work and WILPF members’ awareness of UN developments.

—  Provide WILPF’s views to the UN and its specialized agencies in the areas of WILPF’s concerns.

Subpages (1): Interview with UNO Director Rosga