Recognition from the United Nations

The UN has formally recognized and granted the World Rural Forum the Special Consultative Status. The WRF may propose discussions and offer its views on rural development and agriculture to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Special Consultative Status. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations recently recognized the World Rural Forum (WRF) with this range, a designation that will enable it to express to that international organization the need to promote Family Farming as a guarantee to provide food for the human population.

ECOSOC made this decision at a meeting held last month (July), in a resolution that will allow the WRF to have a greater presence in this body and other surrounding organizations of the United Nations. The Special Consultative Status, among other benefits, allows representatives of the WRF to participate in various conferences and activities, as well as to access to public meetings of ECOSOC and the UN decision-making bodies.

Furthermore, the WRF may send written statements on subjects pertaining to its field of work and raise new issues for discussion within ECOSOC. Not forgetting that the WRF may be required to make oral presentations to the Council or to conduct studies on matters in which it has a special competence.

This latest recognition joins the Liaison Status, awarded by FAO to World Rural Forum in early 2011, an appointment that allows him to act as a link between civil society and this important international institution. Both designations represent an endorsement of the work that the FRM has been developing for over 12 years in favour of rural areas and sustainable agriculture.