ABSTRACT
The United Nations has been the central piece of international governance since the end of World War II. It is the only international organization global in scope and nearly universal in membership. The UN is a complex system with many different units, programs, autonomous specialized agencies, and affiliated organizations. It functions as the central site for multilateral diplomacy, the convener of global con ferences, and the energizer of states and other international organizations to address the critical issues of the twenty-first century. Thus, the UN is both a mirror of the world and a catalytic agent for change
One of the major features of the post-Second World War world is the increasing presence of NGOs which seek to expand their participation in the international policy process. Instead of being solely the providers of information, they push for greater involvement in international decision-making by raising awareness, framing the debate, consulting directly with governments and monitoring their activities, and by implementing the international agenda. For many NGOs, the opportunity to be where the states are is critical; after all, NGOs want to affect states’ policy. The UN is an attractive place in this respect. Not only is it possible to introduce initiatives and expose wrong doings, but it also holds the possibility for more informal interactions between NGOs and state representatives, NGOs and the UN secretariat, and among NGOs themselves. This relationship between the UN and NGOs has evolved over time. Generally, NGO access has improved over time, being marginal in the beginning to where UN bodies now talk about partnerships with NGOs – although this accessibility has become greater with those UN bodies and agencies concerned with social and humanitarian issues rather than those in the security or financial areas. These developments, while not uniform, are the result of the growing pressures exerted by NGOs on the UN system.1
