NAIROBI: The Union Association for Human Rights (UAHR) is participating in the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, which kicked off today at the UN headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Conference offers civil society organisations an opportunity to put a global perspective on a specific issue and brings together senior UN System officials, prominent international civil society organisations, youth change-makers, academia, public opinion makers, and international media to discuss issues of global concern.
Mariam Al-Ahmadi, UAHR Vice President, is leading the Association’s delegation and team of human rights experts, representing civil society in the UAE.
The international conference is attended by more than 3,700 participants, representing various international bodies and mechanisms, and more than 400 international non-governmental organisations working in various humanitarian and development fields. In addition to representatives from a number of companies, institutions, and initiatives concerned w
ith promoting human development programmes in the world, harnessing modern technologies to serve humanity and address current and future challenges.
The UN Civil Society Conference is the premier event on the civil society calendar at the United Nations, ahead of the Summit of the Future, set for this coming September.
Organised by the UN Department of Global Communications, the Civil Society Conference will run for two days over May 9 and 10 here.
Opening the event, Maher Nasser, Director of the UN communication department’s Outreach Division, said that more than 3,600 civil society representatives from 2,750 entities had registered for the Conference, along with around 400 representatives of 64 governments, seven inter-governmental organisations (IGOs), 37 UN entities and over 100 media reporters.
In addition, 70 percent of those registered were from Africa and 40 percent of all registrations were youth, in the age group 18 to 34. Climate was the top issue for youth registrants.
Dennis Francis, Preside
nt of the UN General Assembly, speaking via video message, said: ‘For the Summit to serve as a catalyst for impactful global action, we need robust collaboration and buy-in from those directly affected to drive its action-oriented outcomes.’
Referring to the documents that are expected to emerge from the Summit – the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations – the Assembly President said, ‘we need you, civil society, to play a critical role in this process.’
Source: Emirates News Agency