Engaging civil society in global governance: lessons for member states and advice for civil society

UNU Monitor is a quarterly review of the United Nations University's (UNU) current research activities, publications and forthcoming projects in the area of environment and sustainable development. This issue features an article by Jessica F. Green, United Nations University, Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) based on recent research focused on disenfranchisement. The study examines the obstacles that civil society actors and developing countries encounter in their engagement with multilateral regimes for sustainable development, and proposes remedies. This paper provides a summary of key findings from a workshop (Laxenburg, Austria-June 2004) co-hosted by UNU-IAS and International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). The article first offers some encouraging news for member states to promote the engagement of civil society actors; it then provides some recommendations to the civil society on how to enhance its participation. For further information, please contact Ms. Green (jgreen@ias.unu.edu).