World Federation of United Nations Associations

The World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) was founded in 1946, inspired by the opening words of the United Nations Charter "We the Peoples". Today it is a global network of people linked together through United Nations Associations (UNAs) in over 100 member states of the United Nations. These networks enable people to connect with each other on critical global issues, from peace and human rights to the spread of democracy, equitable development, and international justice. WFUNA programmatic areas focus on raising support and awareness for the three pillars of the UN: peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights.

WFUNA is an independent, non-governmental organization with Category One Consultative Status at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and consultative or liaison links with many other UN organizations and agencies.

Areas of Influence

WFUNA works with Member States, UN agencies, governments, civil society organizations, and global citizens to help create a stronger United Nations and a better world for all.

History

WFUNA was founded in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on 2 August 1946 by 22 UNAs.^[1] The Constitution they adopted proclaimed that:

"We the representatives of the United Nations Associations in our respective countries, Believing that since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed, and Believing that the peace must be founded, if it is not to fail, upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of all peoples, Have resolved to combine our efforts to form an association of the peoples...to be known as the World Federation of United Nations Associations."

This was one year after the UN Charter was proclaimed with the opening words "We the peoples of the United Nations". Since that declaration, WFUNA has been the only global organization with the primary mission of supporting the principles and purposes of the UN through their network of member organizations.

Over the years, UNAs have been established all over the world, as new nation states were formed and joined the UN. UNAs are national entities that enhance the relationship between the people of a member state and the United Nations by disseminating information about UN programs and activities, mobilizing public support for and popular participation in those programs, and lobbying their national government, political parties and interest groups in support of the UN.

Past Achievements

The UN General Assembly has adopted resolutions expressing appreciation for the Federations’ efforts to promote wider public support of the UN. In 1986 resolution 41/68 concerning questions relating to information dedicated an entire section to commending the efforts of WFUNA and UNAs around the world for their "mobilization of popular support for the programs and work of the United Nations".

Eleanor Roosevelt was an active participant in WFUNA. Since the adoption in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which she chaired, WFUNA considered human rights advocacy as a central part of its programs. A number of international seminars in different regions of the world have been organized by WFUNA on the teaching of human rights. The proposal for creating the position of a High Commissioner for Human Rights was on WFUNA’s agenda for many years.

In practical terms, WFUNA played a crucial role by helping people in those countries where human rights were violated, such as Franco’s Spain, some of the former communist countries in Eastern Europe and in the Middle East. WFUNA brought together people of divided countries – such as East and West Germany and Cyprus, and the opponents in conflicts, for example between Israel and Egypt in the late 1960s.

WFUNA helped promote "Security and Co-operation in Europe" (CSCE) by holding in 1967 the first conference on this topic. Other NGOs followed WFUNA’s campaign which continued until 1975 when the Final Act was signed at Helsinki by 35 governments, including United States and Canada, establishing the CSCE process. Further campaigning led in 1994 to the CSCE process that consisted of a Biennial Review Conference being raised to a Permanent Organization (OSCE).

WFUNA, including its African UNA members, made significant contributions to the NGO campaign for the abolition of Apartheid. The 32nd General Assembly of the UN, in 1977, received a resolution from the 117th WFUNA Executive Committee meeting, which requested:

"The Security Council of the UN to give urgent consideration to the taking of immediate steps to ensure that no State, multinational or other body or person be allowed to provide South Africa or Rhodesia with any equipment, technology or production of nuclear weapons of any kind".

WFUNA facilitated high-level informal consultations on disarmament issues between key experts of the USA and USSR during the Cold War. It organized a number of NGO Seminars on disarmament in cooperation with the UN, UNESCO and other NGOs.

During its history, WFUNA has served as a forum for global dialogues on development. Several suggestions, like the establishment of an Economic Commission for Africa, were first adopted at the WFUNA Plenary Assemblies and then endorsed by governments.

WFUNA has actively supported reform of the UN and its capacity to meet new tasks and challenges. WFUNA has continually received recognition from the highest ranks of the UN. The sentiments in this statement by UN Secretary-General, Dag Hammerskjöld, to WFUNA's 12th Plenary Assembly were shared by his successors: "I wish... to express my appreciation of your most essential service. At the same time, I wish to urge you to fresh endeavors. Over the years you have accomplished much and have acted with an ever increasing sense of your great responsibilities."

For many years WFUNA conducted a fund raising program based on the sale of first day covers of UN stamps and lithographs produced by artists and celebrities, such as Picasso, Lou Zheng Jang, Miró, Salvador Dalí, Ruben Leyva, Al Hirschfeld and Andy Warhol to promote the ideals of the UN. This highly successful program ran for several decades during the 20th century.

Now in the 21st century, WFUNA sees a need for the UN to rise to the challenges of globalization. True to the vision of its founding members, WFUNA is searching for ways of giving voice to the peoples of the world. Many member UNAs and WFUNA itself have been actively engaged in the various processes for reforming the UN with the aim of, in UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's words, "Making the UN a more effective instrument in the hands of the world's people."

Membership

There are currently over 100 UNAs represented in all of the world's regions - connecting hundreds of thousands of people to the United Nations. UNAs have a unique role to play at the national level in:

• Disseminating information and educational materials about the UN
• Lobbying the government, political parties and interest groups in support of the UN
• Conducting Model UN conferences
• Stimulating the media to provide frequent and accurate coverage of the UN and its programs
• Collaborating with other voluntary organizations on projects related to the work of the UN

See also

• Otto Hahn Peace Medal

References

External links

• World Federation of United Nations Associations - Official site