Mission Statement
CONGO's Mission Statement is a "living document". It is periodically revised to reflect the changing realities of CONGO's operational environment, and the growing global importance and influence of civil society on international decision-making processes.
CONGO's Mission
CONGO assists its members with a view to facilitating and enhancing their participation in UN decision-making fora. These members are non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all continents (i) dealing with matters that equally fall within the competence of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and/or (ii) having an affiliation with United Nations system agencies.
Who receives CONGO's assistance?
As per CONGO's rules, it is mandated to:
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ensure that NGOs having consultative status with ECOSOC enjoy the fullest opportunities and all appropriate facilities for performing their consultative functions; this implies that CONGO is to:
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assist its members in obtaining access to and the right to participate at UN decision-making processes; and
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safeguard the rights of NGOs to speak in UN fora, to have their voices heard in the UN system;
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foster cooperation and dialogue among all NGOs (whether they have consultative or associate status or are non-members) and particularly with groupings of those NGOs affiliated with the UN system; CONGO is thus to:
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disseminate information on CONGO members' substantive activities; and
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help create NGO partnerships and networks in and between regions, pursuant to their areas of interest and specialization;
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provide a forum for exchanges of views (i) on matters relating to the consultative process, and (ii) on strengthening the relationship between NGOs and the UN, including the contributions that NGOs can make to promoting the principles, purposes and effectiveness of the UN, its agencies and programmes; this implies that CONGO is to:
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facilitate dialogue between NGOs and the UN;
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inform CONGO members of UN initiatives and activities of interest to the NGO community;
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enhance NGO activities through the substantive support of CONGO's specialized NGO committees;
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mobilize public opinion in support of the aims and principles of the UN, and promote education about the UN with special emphasis on the contribution which NGOs make to its work; and
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convene meetings of NGOs for the exchange of views on matters of common interest.
