The General Assembly hold Informal Interactive Hearings with non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector from 23-24 June at UN Headquarters. The General Assembly President has set up a Task Force made up of 8 NGO Networks and one representative from the private sector to put forth recommendations on the format, criteria and modalities for these Hearings.

Please note that due to limited space, nominees were not guaranteed participation in the GA Hearings. Participants will be selected based on a set of criteria detailed in the information note.

The Informal Interactive Hearings of the General Assembly with non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector was held on 23 and 24 June 2005, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 59/291 (see document A/RES/59/291).

The Task Force of the President of the General Assembly for the Hearings has prepared this "Information Note" for the use of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CS) and the private sector (PS). It contains information on the format, criteria and modalities for the Hearings and procedures for nominating participants.

The President of the General Assembly invited about 200 active participants from NGO/CS/PS, including 25 to 30 speakers, to make a substantial contribution to the Hearings.

In the interest of openness and inclusiveness, representatives of NGO/CS/PS were able to participate in the Hearings as observing attendees. (See paragraphs 24 to 25 for details).

Timeline:

Wednesday 18 May: Notification sent out to NGO/CS/PS groups and networks inviting nominations for an invitation to be included in the 200 active participants in the Hearings or to register as observing attendees.

Tuesday 24 May: Deadline for receipt of nominations to be active participants.

Friday 27 May: Accepted participants were informed of their status by this date. (Some funding was available for participants from developing countries. Applications for funding assistance were processed by NGLS. Please see nomination form.)

Friday 10 June: Deadline for registration to observe the Hearings

Programme of the Informal Interactive Hearings
of the General Assembly with non-governmental organizations,
civil society organizations and the private sector
held at United Nations Headquarters,
23 -24 June 2005, New York

Thursday 23 June

10.00 - 10:20 Opening of the Hearings: plenary meeting of the General Assembly (General Assembly Hall)
10.30 - 1.00 First session: Freedom to live in dignity*
3.00 - 6.00 Second session: Freedom from Want*

Friday 24 June

10.00 -1.00 Third session: Freedom from Fear*
3.00 - 5.30 Fourth session: The imperative for collective action:
strengthening the United Nations*
5.30 - 6.00 Closing of the Hearings*

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* Venue of the four sessions to be confirmed.

The GA President's Civil Society and Private Sector Task Force includes:

General Assembly President and his staff
Ms. Gemma Adaba (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions)
Ms. Wahu Kaara (Global Call to Action Against Poverty)
Ms. Ruth Kahurananga (The Global Movement for Children)
Mr. Vandy Kanyako (Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict)
Ms. Alejandra Scampini (Global Call to Action Against Poverty)
Mr. Ed Schenkenberg (International Council of Voluntary Agencies)
Mr. Bill Stibravy (International Chamber of Commerce)
Ms. Pera Wells (Millennium+5 NGO Network / World Federation of United Nations Associations)
Ms. Joanna Weschler (NGO Human Rights Committee)
Ms. June Zeitlin (Women’s Environment & Development Organization)

UN Offices represented as Ex Officio Members:
DPI NGO Section, DESA NGO Section, UNDP CSO Division, Office of the Deputy Secretary-General, DGACM General Assembly and ECOSOC Affairs Division, and Non-governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) providing faciltation services to the group.

Download : Advanced/Unedited Summary of the Hearings -
21 July 2005

Download : This Survey should be downloaded by the GA Hearings Participants (23-24 June 2005).
We invite them to complete it and to send it to us

NGOs comment on the Report of the UN Secretary General "In Larger Freedom: towards freedom, security and human rights for all" (A/59/2005) - more

Programme Page