Recognizing that the global governance system has grown in an undemocratic, unaccountable and incoherent manner,
Aware that the Security Council is made up of five permanent members, each of whom has a veto, with the remaining members being elected on a regional basis, rotating every two years,
Concerned that the current split between the United Nations (UN) system (committed to realizing the ideals of the Charter) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB) and World Trade Organization (WTO) systems (which govern monetary, investment and trade matters and are committed to the Washington Consensus of a free market theory of development) has led to increasing economic disparities in the world, an acceleration of environmental deterioration and does not meet the needs of the peoples of the world,
Being aware that the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has made advances in democratization which other institutions might emulate by facilitating a voice for civil society in most of their undertakings,
Recognizing that in addition to efforts to make each of these systems more democratic, additional efforts are required to bring coherence and accountability to the entire global governance system,
THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN Calls on its permanent representatives to The United Nations to support the work of the United Nations to adopt as policy support for greater democratization, accountability and coherence in systems of global governance; and
Urges National Councils to bring to the attention of their governments and competent authorities the need for their respective governments to support greater democratization, accountability and coherence in the systems of global governance by promoting:
1. democratization of the Security Council through a more representative membership and elimination or limitation of the veto; and of the General Assembly through providing a voice for civil society such as is now available through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); and representation of civil society and a greater voice for the less wealthy states in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB) and World Trade Organization (WTO),
2. accountability through the creation of a regulatory agency under the UN umbrella that would hold the monetary, investment and trade institutions of the IMF, WB and WTO accountable to the UN and its Charter,
3. coherence through the integration in all global activities of the UN Charter principles with those of ecologically sound and people-centred sustainable development.
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Source: International Council of Women (ICW-CIF) — 30th General Assembly, Perth, Western Australia, August 31 – September 5, 2003. Resolution No. 7.
