UN: Proposals for greater civil society participation
Civil society still remains something of an add-on to an international order organised around states, and it struggles to be recognised as an equal partner or to gain the same level of access as the private sector. Practical civil society ideas for improving participation put forward in 2020 included:
1. A high-level civil society champion or focal point
2. A UN parliament
3. A world citizen’s initiative
Those of us who have worked with the UN know that we need more transparency and engagement of the UN and member states with not just civil society and the usual suspects – those of us who are able to attend all these forums every year – but with people at the national and local levels.
John Romano
