The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) office in Geneva serves as a liaison between the UN (United Nations in Geneva), other Geneva-based international organisations, FES country offices, and partners in developing countries to strengthen the voice of the Global South.The current focus of our work lies in four main areas of international Geneva, namely trade and development (World Trade Organization, UNCTAD), employment and social policy (International Labour Organization, UNRISD), human rights and development (UN Human Rights Council, OHCHR) as well as migration (UN Network on Migration, OHCHR, Treaty Body System). In addition, sustainable development (2030 Agenda) and climate change are two cross-cutting issues on our list of priorities.Together with our local and international partners, we contribute to debates in all of those areas by organising and hosting conferences, seminars, workshops and panel discussions. These activities involve non-state actors (NGO-activists, trade unionists, journalists, academics and parliamentarians), representatives of governments (members of diplomatic missions) as well as staff from Geneva-based international organisations. In addition, we provide regular information and capacity-building programmes, e.g. for journalists on trade and development or for junior staff of national human rights institutions from the Global South, and facilitate the participation of human rights defenders in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of their countries. Activities are complemented by studies, reports and briefing papers. The FES Geneva office is part of the Berlin-based FES department for Global and European Policy and has close ties to our UN-liaison office in New York. We are located in close proximity to the Palais des Nations, the WTO building and the ILO. The office has seven permanent staff members and provides internships for students specializing in international affairs, economic and human rights policy.
Trade is a powerful engine. But who is driving the engine? And what else needs to be done to let all parts of society benefit from trade policy? We try to empower those who are not yet the main beneficiaries of the current trade policy regime.
Decent work for all is not a slogan for us. It is our mission. We work together with a vast variety of stakeholders to achieve decent work for all; for the informal and formal sector, for women and men, for more and less advantaged.
The list of challenges to human rights in the 21st century is long. Climate change threatens fundamental human rights, such as the right to food, water or adequate housing.
Migration is a fundamental part of human behaviour. Climate change, environmental pollution, violent conflicts, economic insecurity are some of the reasons why people migrate.
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United Nations and Global Dialogue | Geneva Office
