Special Session on COVID-19: Letter to President of the UN General Assembly

The following letter, signed by 60 organizations, has been sent to the President of the UN General Assembly, concerning participation of CSOs and other Stakeholders:

H.E. Volkan Bozkir
The President of the General Assembly
United Nations
New York, NY 10017 

16 November 2020

Your Excellency

As civil society organizations and other stakeholders, we strongly welcome the convening of the UN General Assembly Special Session on the COVID-19 pandemic on 3-4 December 2020. 

The pandemic presents a threat to global health, safety and well-being, with unprecedented and multifaceted effects. These include the severe disruptions to health care provision, societies, education, economies, global trade and travel. It also is having a devastating impact on the lives and livelihoods of millions of people ranging from so-called “essential workers” to older people, persons with disabilities, those living in slums and remote rural areas, and in the most vulnerable situations and with underlying health conditions. 

Throughout the pandemic, civil society and other stakeholders have been working at all levels – global, regional, national and community level. They have, for example, led the science on understanding the virus, the development of vaccines and therapeutics, provided the necessary healthcare, acted as carers, delivered food, and arranged shelter and transportation for those in isolation, and provided information, equipment and psychological support, while also addressing the impacts of the pandemic on the lives people worldwide. They will also be at the forefront of the prevention of future pandemics and ensuring that recovery finance ‘builds back better’ or rather ‘builds forward’ with no one left behind.

Participation in Special Session

We fully appreciate that representatives of non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council are invited to participate in the special session in accordance with the rules of procedure and established practice of the General Assembly (para 3(d)). 

We note the procedure for the drawing up of a list by yourself, for the inclusion of other stakeholders, as set out in para 3(e) and in Footnote 2, that is subject to approval on the ‘non-objection basis’. This procedure allows one or more Member States of the United Nations or specialized agencies to object to a stakeholder. While reasons for objection will be made known to your Office and the requestor, the list as presented to Member States for approval will include proposed and final names, but not reasons for objection. Such a process is not transparent and could deny stakeholders that have worked throughout the pandemic the possibility of participating. We therefore request  that this procedure be reconsidered as a matter of urgency, especially considering political sensitivities.

We recognize that there is a full agenda for the special session but we would like to express our serious concern that the general debate and interactive dialogue will only include statements from “other stakeholders” if time permits. Their voices must, however, be heard at the special session with its timings adjusted to ensure that they are fully included, taking into account geographical and gender balance.  

Inclusion in “compilation of statements”

We are concerned, furthermore, that there will be no outcome document to guide the way forward at this urgent juncture for the management of the virus and its various impacts. On the other hand we support the availability of verbatim records of the special session and a “compilation of the statements delivered by Heads of State and Government, or other dignitaries  by means of pre-recorded statements…” In this regard we would request that the statements of other stakeholders also be included.

Publicizing the Special Session 

In line with paragraph 5 of the enabling resolution (A/75/L.8), we are committed to join in publicizing the Special Session through our media, social media, and other channels.

Please accept, Excellency, our assurances of the highest consideration.

Signed on behalf of the 60 Organizations, Groups, and Stakeholders listed below

Marianne Haslegrave 
Director, Commonwealth Medical Trust

Women’s Major Group

NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC

International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)

Soroptimist International

African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)

Associação Brasileira Interdisciplinar de AIDS

Association pour les victimes du monde

Centro de Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos (PROMSEX)

Commonwealth Medical Trust

Equidad de Género: Ciudadania, Trabajo y Familia

Équilibres et populations (Equipop)

Federatie van Nederlandse Verenigingen tot Integratie van Homoseksualiteit – COC Nederlands

Fundación para Estudio e Investigación de la Mujer

Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)

International Longevity Center Global Alliance 

Marie Stopes International

Projonma Academy

Red Dot Foundation

Rutgers

Servicios Ecuménicos para Reconciliación y Reconstrucción (SERR)

University College Dublin

Other NGOs, CSOs and Stakeholders

NCD Alliance

Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance

International Campaign for Women’s Rights to Safe Abortion

Americas TB Coalition

Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Afrihealth Optonet Association

Association de Femmes de l'Europe Méridionale (AFEM)

Older Women’s Network, Europe

Triple Defense Onlus

Women in Migration Network (WIMN)

International Y Alliance 

Fundación Arcoiris por el respeto a la diversidad sexual. México

Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar, A. C. MEXFAM

SEDRA Sevicio Extersion , Desarrollo Rural y Agricultura, Chile 

African Women’s Network for Community management of Forests (REFACOF)

Association Femmes Leadership et Développement Durable (AFLED)

CHESTRAD

Global Health South

Let there be Light International

Life for African Mothers

Smile Action International

Southern Africa Climate Change Coalition

Fondation pour un Centre pour le Développement Socio-ECO-Nomique (CSEND)

Burundi Rugby League-Rugby A XIII Cooperative 

Access Education International, Kenya 

Association of Single Mothers, Kenya

Emonyo Yefwe International, Kenya

Queensway Institute of Technology / The Safe Center, Kenya

West Nile Development Association, Uganda

Aid Organization, Bangladesh 

AIHMS-Global & VIKASH-SAMUKHYA, India 

Empower Sankar, India

Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation

Radha Paudel Foundation

Rajendra Bahadur Adhikari

NEHAP Global

Lanka Fundamental Rights, Sri Lanka

Global Campaign for Education, Palestine

Saudi Green Building Forum (SGBF)

Suitable Agriculture and Environment (Ahmad Mahdavi, Professor emeritus at University of Tehran)

These organizations, networks and stakeholders also support the letter:

Frontline AIDS

Federación Planificación Familiar Estatal

P&D Factor – Associação para a Cooperação sobre População e Desenevolvimento, Portugal

Asociación Ciudadana por los Derechos Humanos/ Argentina

Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights (UAF)

Africa Young Positives Network (AY+)

Ukana West 2 Community Based Health Initiative (CBHI), Nigeria