The CONGO e-update is produced by staff in New York, Geneva and Vienna, with contributions from members and affiliated partners.

In this issue:
CSDF 2008 & ECOSOC
UNCTAD
Human Rights
CONGO Committees
Campaign and Initiatives
NGO Resources
and much more.


Civil Society Development Forum 2008, 27-29 June, New York

The draft program <http://www.ngocongo.org/files/csdf_ny_schedule_240620081doc.doc>  of the Civil Society Development Forum 2008 <http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=resources&id=10489>  - "A Platform for Development: Countdown to 2015 - Implementing the internationally agreed development goals and commitments in regard to sustainable development" is now available. The CSDF 2008 will be held back-to-back with the ECOSOC Substantive Session. More information is available on the CONGO website   <<image003.gif>> <http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=news&id=10489>

REGISTER- Please register your participation by e-mailing both Joseph.kim@ngocongo.org <mailto:Joseph.kim@ngocongo.org?subject=Participation%20in%20CSDF%202008%20-%2027-29%20June%202008,%20New%20York>   and Martin.andersen@ngocongo.org <mailto:Martin.andersen@ngocongo.org?subject=Participation%20in%20CSDF%202008%20-%2027-29%20June%202008,%20New%20York> , indicating your name and NGO affiliation. 


Substantive Session of ECOSOC, 30 June - 24 July, New York

The Substantive Session of ECOSOC 2008 <http://www.un.org/ecosoc/>  will start with the ECOSOC High Level Segment between 30 June and 3 July.

                    30 June - 3 July: ECOSOC High-level Segment <http://www.un.org/ecosoc/>

                    30 June-3 July: Innovation Fair <http://esango.un.org/irene/Index?page=listEvents&nr=1>

                    30 June-1 July: Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) <http://www.un.org/ecosoc/newfunct/2008dcf.shtml>

                    2-3 July: Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) <http://www.un.org/ecosoc/newfunct/amrsession.shtml>

                    7 - 9 July: Coordination Segment <http://www.un.org/ecosoc/julyhls/cs2008.shtml>

                    10 - 14 July: Operational Activities Segment <http://www.un.org/ecosoc/julyhls/oa2008.shtml>

                    15 - 17 July: Humanitarian Affairs Segment <http://www.un.org/ecosoc/julyhls/has2008.shtml>

                    18 - 24 July: General Segment <http://www.un.org/ecosoc/julyhls/gs2008.shtml>

In the context of the High-level Segment of ECOSOC and in the follow up to the CSDF 2008, CONGO will organize a midday special event on Monday 30 July, to introduce the CSDF outcome to ECOSOC. More information will be circulated shortly.


Conference on ICT for Sustainable Economic, Business and Social Development, 10-11 July, New York

A Conference on ICT for Sustainable Economic, Business and Social Development will be held on 10-11 July 2008, at Conference Room 1 of the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The event is being organized by AIT Global <http://www.aitglobal.com/>  with the support of the Secretariat of the Global Alliance for ICT and Development <http://www.un-gaid.org/> . The draft schedule <http://www.aitglobal.com/newevents/ConferenceSchedule-Draft.pdf>  and the registration form <http://www.aitglobal.com/theform.html>  are available on line.


Civil Society Preparatory meeting to the 55th Session of the UNCTAD TDB, 26 June, Geneva

CONGO and NGLS are co-convening a civil society preparatory meeting in the perspective of the upcoming 55th session of the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board (15-26 September 2008) and its civil society hearing. This preparatory meeting will take place on 26 July, 10.30-11.30, at the CONGO Offices meeting room. More information is available on the CONGO website <http://www.ngocong <<image004.gif>> o.org/index.php?what=news&id=10491> .  <http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=news&id=10491>


6th Annual WFUNA Human Rights Seminar, 13-16 July, Geneva

The theme of the 6th Annual WFUNA Human Rights Seminar is "60 years towards the Universality of Human Rights: The Human Rights Council and the Universal Periodic Review". The 2008 Seminar will review the first two years of the Human Rights Council and consider the progress being made in implementing the Universal Periodic Review, with a particular focus on the participation of civil society at all levels. The programme <http://www.wfuna.org/atf/cf/%7b84F00800-D85E-4952-9E61-D991E657A458%7d/HRSeminar%20Program%20%20as%20of%2017June%20pw.pdf>  and registration form <http://www.wfuna.org/atf/cf/%7b84F00800-D85E-4952-9E61-D991E657A458%7d/HR%20seminar%20registration%20as%20of%2030%20May.doc>  are available on the WFUNA website <http://www.wfuna.org/site/c.rvIYIcN1JwE/b.3784197/> . Registration is open until 4 July 2008.



2008 Social Forum of the Human Rights Council, 1-3 September, Geneva

The 2008 Social Forum <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/poverty/sforum.htm>  of the UN Human Rights Council will focus on questions related to the eradication of poverty in the context of human rights, and social dimension of the globalization process. The OHCHR circulated a call for input <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/poverty/docs/Finallettertostakeholders.doc>  from all stakeholders on issues to be discussed by the HRC Social Forum. Participation is also open to NGOs not in consultative status with ECOSOC.





CONGO Committees: International Decade for the World's Indigenous People - 26 June, New York

The New York Committee on the International Decade for the World's Indigenous People <http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=committees&id=13>  will hold it next meeting on Monday 26 June 2008, 1.00-3.00, at the UN Church Center (Grumin Room, 8th Fl.).




Campaigns and Initiatives


Campaign towards October 17th, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

www.oct17.org <http://www.oct17.org/> 



Decent Work Decent Life Campaign

www.decentwork.org <http://www.decentwork.org/> 



Global Campaign against Poverty

www.whiteband.org <http://www.whiteband.org/> 



Interactive global online conversation on the "Universality of Human Rights", by WFUNA 

http://www.realtimedelphi.net <http://www.realtimedelphi.net/> 



Campaign, global coalition, Call to action: 19 November- World Day for prevention of child abuse
http://www.woman.ch/children/1-introduction.php <http://www.woman.ch/children/1-introduction.php>


Campaign, global coalition, Call to action: 15 October - International Day of rural women

http://www.woman.ch/women/2-introduction.php <http://www.woman.ch/women/2-introduction.php> 





NGO Resources



UN-NGO-IRENE Best Practices Network

http://www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo/irene <http://www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo/irene>



NGLS 2007 Yearly Review of Civil Society

http://www.un-ngls.org/site/article.php3?id_article=462 <http://www.un-ngls.org/site/article.php3?id_article=462> 



Other events



30 June - 24 July 2008: Substantive Session of ECOSOC 2008

http://www.un.org/ecosoc <http://www.un.org/ecosoc> 



14 July 2008: Deadline for NGO written submissions to the 3rd session of Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRmain.aspx <http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRmain.aspx> 

More CONGO resources on the UPR <http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=pag&id=10459>



4-15 August: Inaugural session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/advisorycommittee.htm <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/advisorycommittee.htm> 



17-23 August 2008: World Water Week, Stockholm, Sweden

http://www.worldwaterweek.org <http://www.worldwaterweek.org/> 



3-5 September: 61st DPI/NGO Conference

Deadline for registration is 1 August 2008:          Registration for NGOs associated with DPI <http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/password.asp>  

Registration for NGOs NOT associated with DPI <http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/password.asphttp:/www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/ConferenceRegistrationForm2008.doc>



4-5 September 2008: UN Forum on Minority Issues, Geneva

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/minority/forum.htm <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/minority/forum.htm> 



25 September 2008: High-level Event on the Millennium Development Goals, New York

http://www.un-ngls.org/site/article.php3?id_article=520 <http://www.un-ngls.org/site/article.php3?id_article=520> 



08-17 October 2008: 4th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, Vienna

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CTOC/CTOC-COP-session4.html <http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CTOC/CTOC-COP-session4.html> 



8-15 November 2008: VIII International Human Rights Colloquium, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Application open until 30 June 2008

http://www.conectas.org/coloquio/ <http://www.conectas.org/coloquio/>  



29 November - 2 December 2008: International Conference to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, Doha, Qatar

http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/ <http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/>