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(San Francisco, December 10, 2003) -
Inspired by the vision of a strong and effective United Nations
system guided by human rights and environmental principles,
a group of dedicated activists incorporated UN Observer.org
in San Francisco today.
“At a time when conflict is on the rise everywhere, a strong and credible United Nations system is an essential component of world peace and stability” said Bruno Schneider, newly-appointed Executive Director of UN Observer.org. “We are very excited to be launching this new initiative in San Francisco, the birthplace of the UN over half a century ago.”
As an organization driven by the belief that leadership is best
achieved by example, UN Observer.org's mission will be to encourage
and assist the United Nations family of organizations to hold
itself to the same human rights and environmental principles
that it promotes.
UN Observer.org will be organized into seven activity groups that include:
- socially and environmentally responsible investment practices promoting the adoption and use of socially and environmentally responsible investment practices by the $22 billion UN pension fund (UNJSPF);
- socially and environmentally responsible procurement practices promoting the adoption and use of socially and environmentally responsible supply chain practices by the UN with its vendors/suppliers;
- equitable human resources practices promoting equitable employment practices within the UN, including gender mainstreaming and other anti-discriminatory practices as well as promoting the improvement of existing individual redress mechanisms;
- open and transparent elections practices promoting a transparent and open nomination and election process at major UN tribunals and committees;
- green office practices - promoting the existence and application of a consistent set of environmental guidelines at UN headquarters and in field offices;
- accountable humanitarian/peacekeeping practices promoting accountability and respect for international human rights standards during peacekeeping and humanitarian missions;
- freedom-of-information practices promoting the adoption and application of a clear and consistent freedom-of-information regime regulating and promoting the dissemination of information to people within and outside the UN system.
“UN Observer.org will be publishing a newsletter as well as issue-specific reports aimed at informing the public and the media on those issues,” added Schneider. “We will also provide an on-line electronic forum open to the public where relevant issues can be freely discussed”.
Other activities will include: organizing advocacy campaigns; providing a resource and documentation center available to the public; and maintaining a direct dialogue with relevant actors within the UN system.
“Our aim is be to build coalitions of like-minded stakeholder to promote the issues we believe in. We welcome this opportunity to join forces with other NGOs that have developed an expertise in dealing with issues of interest to UN Observer,” concluded Schneider.
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