The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is mandated to promote international cooperation on economic, social, and cultural issues. ECOSOC promotes higher standards of living, international solutions, and universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. ECOSOC granted special consultative status to YOURS – Youth for Road Safety!
New Privileges and Responsibilities
The special consultative status enables YOURS to actively engage with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies which include the United Nations Secretariat.
In accordance to ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31, non-government organizations granted consultative status will support the work of the UN by promoting knowledge of its principals and activities which are aligned with its own aims, purposes, nature, and scope of its competencies. This enables the Council and its bodies to receive expert information or advice based on special competencies of the organization in its subject matter.
In the case of YOURS, topics and subjects would revolve around youth and the road safety movement and safe, sustainable mobility issues.
Because of its status, YOURS is entitled to designate official representatives to the UN Headquarters in New York and the UN Offices in Geneva and Vienna. These representatives will be given the opportunity to register and participate in events, conferences, and activities of the UN. YOURS is also able to submit written statements and oral presentations relevant to youth and road safety.
Pushing the Road Safety Agenda Forward
Part of the ECOSOC mandates includes the conduction of follow-ups and reviews of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which includes SDG Target 3.6, halving the number of road-related deaths and injuries by the year 2030 and all related crosscutting fields of action.
As a special consultant, YOURS is able to push the road safety movement forward. Referencing the New Decade of Action, YOURS will be able to engage further with how the UN members and organizations can best address road crashes on a global scale by engaging and connecting with young people. It also enables us to engage formally in the ECOSOC Youth Forum.
“The UN Consultative Status will enable us to actively engage with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, as well as with the United Nations Secretariat, programmes, funds and agencies in a number of ways. This will open an important door for our advocacy work and raise our profile on an international level. We can’t wait to officially participate in high-level events and promote our message”. – Floor Lieshout, Execuctive Director of YOURS
YOURS is obligated to submit reports on its activities that support the work of ECOSOC and the UN as a way to review the progress of special consultants.
The special consultative status of YOURS under ECOSOC was adopted on 24 June 2020 and communicated in September 2020.