UNESCO plays a proactive role in identifying and partnering with eligible NGOs around the world to implement a range of activities. It has “a valuable network of cooperative relations with a number of organizations in its fields of competence, thereby enabling it to work with civil society in achieving its objectives and to disseminate its democratic and ethical ideals.” Besides having formal partnerships with different international NGOs and foundations, UNESCO also carries out ” a range of activities hand in hand with NGOs, not only at international and regional levels, but also at national level.”
NGOs covering the same areas of interest as UNESCO can apply for partnership with UNESCO. There are two categories of partnership in this regard: consultative partnership and associate partnership.
“Consultative partnership is designed to enable UNESCO to establish and maintain flexible and dynamic partnerships with any organization of civil society that is active in UNESCO’s fields of competence at whatever level, and to benefit from its expertise, the representativeness of its networks for the dissemination of information and, if appropriate, its operational capacities in the field. Moreover, this category of partnership should make it possible to facilitate the emergence of organizations which are representative of civil society, and their interaction at the international level, in those parts of the world where they are weak or isolated.
Associate partnership involves close and sustained cooperation in defining and implementing the Organization’s programmes. This partnership is established for a renewable period of eight years and is open to those international organizations having maintained a continuous and effective partnership (consultative status) with UNESCO for at least two years.”
There are different conditions required to be fulfilled for each type of these partnerships.
Since UNESCO is not a financing agency, NGOs cannot expect any direct and relevant funding support but such kind of intellectual and moral partnership can enhance the capacities of partnering organizations and also help improve their credibility. To know more, visit this link.
