The World Federation has created an informational video about our organization, to view the video online click here

 
Statement on the occasion of International Human Rights Day
10 December 2007
A deep and abiding commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been at the heart of the mission of the World Federation of United Nations Associations, a peoples' movement to support the United Nations.

In 1948, the World Federation's Plenary Assembly urged the UN General Assembly meeting in Paris to "act expeditiously in adopting the Declaration on Human Rights".

"Today, Dignity and justice for us all is an inspiring theme for the UN's campaign for the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights", said Hans Blix, WFUNA President.  "We welcome the emphasis on the universality of human rights.  Our member UN Associations in over 100 countries shall be conducting educational programs and outreach activities to help ensure that everyone everywhere knows about human rights."

At the invitation of the Swiss UN Association, Dr Blix chaired a luncheon meeting of human rights experts at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.  Participants included diplomats, UNA leaders, OHCHR representatives, academics and NGOs.   Their dialogue focused on the international human rights instruments and the challenges of compliance. 

Moroccan Ambassador Loulichki, who chaired the Human Rights Council deliberations on the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism, highlighted the shift that had occurred from a time when ratification of a convention was an end in itself to the present day when governments recognize that they need to enact national legislation and ensure implementation.  

In the course of a lively exchange of views on strengthening national protection systems, it was suggested that UN Associations could collaborate with national human rights institutions to promote the integration of human rights perspectives, together with gender mainstreaming, into all aspects of government policy.

Prof. Jan Wouters, President of UNA-Flanders Belgium, who is a professor in international law, will convene a meeting early in 2008 to consider a draft outline of a paper that will be produced and circulated to UN Associations and others to serve as stimulation in their study of and support for human rights.

You may contact Hans Blix at president@wfuna.org

Take a look at our new disarmament website and join the discussion on the interactive forum: www.disarmamenthub.org

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE UN SYSTEM
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STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY

What is the World Federation doing on the MDGs? To see our plans for 2007-2008, click here>> (pdf)

July 7, 2007 marked the midpoint of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target period.  This is a vital opportunity for the global community to pause and asses our progress and future work towards meeting the Goals by 2015.

The MDGs were established through the Millennium Declaration in 2000 with the aim of cutting extreme poverty in half by 2015.  They rely on quantitative targets and allow for progress to be measured through a set of indicators. To view the MDGs, please click here >>

Since their inception, the MDGs have transformed the context of development policy discourse.  Poverty reduction has become a priority on the global agenda and the MDGs extend this responsibility to the entire international community.

To read more about the MDG midpoint click here>>

Over 43.7 million people in 127 countries have broken the Guinness World record by nearly doubling the number of people participating in STAND UP Against Poverty Day since last year.  UNAs participating in STAND UP included: Argentina, Belgium, Benin, Canada, Dominican Republic, Iran, Liberia, Malaysia, Norway, Sierra Leone, Turkey, and Uganda, amongst others. Notably, the UNA-Iran organized the first STAND UP event in the country, which saw the participation of 40 schools encompassing 16,854 students. (pictured)

  


Who We Are

Inspired by the opening words of the United Nations Charter "We the Peoples", the World Federation of United Nations Associations was established in 1946 as a peoples’ movement for the United Nations.

Today the World Federation is a global network of hundreds of thousands of people linked together through United Nations Associations (UNAs) in over 100 nation states.   They have many and diverse programs, such as Adopt-a-Minefield, the Millennium Development Goals, Model UN conferences, human rights education and as well they provide regular media and parliamentary briefings on UN matters.  As testimony to their valuable role, UNAs are the only national level organizations entitled to use the UN emblem. 

The Plenary Assembly, the supreme organ of the World Federation, is held every three years.  It is in effect a peoples’ assembly for the United Nations, where priority issues of concern to the international community are addressed and elections are held for the leadership positions.    

Today, the World Federation has an ever more important role to play in fulfillment of its primary objective of being a ‘peoples’ movement for the UN’.   We have inherited a great responsibility to help  make the United Nations an ever more effective instrument for world peace and security, development and human rights and to bring the United Nations ever more closer to the real concerns and interests of  “We the Peoples”.