Baku, Azerbaijan, April 28. The platform for
NGOs of the Global South has become more relevant than ever,
according to UN (United Nations) representatives, said Wook-Jin
Chang, Chief of the NGO Branch at the United Nations Department of
Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Trend reports.
Speaking at the founding conference of the Global South
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Platform in Baku, on
“Solidarity in Action: Strengthening Global South NGOs for a New
and Fair World,” Chang noted his thoughts on the forum.
“First and foremost, I would like to congratulate the government
of Azerbaijan, its NGOs, and its people for organizing this
significant forum, which unites NGOs from the Global South for
collective action and addressing the global issues we face. At this
moment, the Global South NGO platform is more relevant than ever,
providing an opportunity for all NGOs from the region to unite and
work towards achieving this shared goal,” said Chang.
He underscored the critical necessity of eradicating systemic
inequities and disparities between the Global South and Global
North, especially within the operational frameworks of
non-governmental organizations.
“The United Nations has an accreditation process for engaging
with NGOs. Currently, there are 6,500 NGOs accredited within the UN
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), but less than 40 percent of
them come from the Global South, even though Global South countries
make up nearly 60-70 percent of the total UN membership. However,
many critical issues, including the Sustainable Development Goals,
require more active involvement from the Global South. Therefore,
it is crucial for the voices of the Global South to be amplified
and for concrete actions to be taken. In this context, this
platform provides a valuable opportunity to discuss and address
these challenges,” he added.
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