Members - (original) (raw)

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Join the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) and amplify your community’s impact on the global stage. As a member, you’ll connect with a network of like-minded communities, gain access to invaluable resources, and participate in international forums advocating for human rights and self-determination.

Established in 1991, the UNPO currently advocates for the rights fo over 40 unrepresented and marginalized peoples around the world, promoting self-determination, human rights, and non-violence. The UNPO is unique in its approach as it is the only international membership-based organisation directly representing the interests of minority and unrepresented peoples and nations.

A key aspect of UNPO’s work is to defend the right to self-determination. For the UNPO, self-determination is understood as the right to determine their own destiny, in particular, to choose their own political status and to determine their own form of economic, cultural and social development. For the UNPO, the importance of this right lies in the right of choice, with this choice potentially leading to different outcomes for each community.

The peoples represented within the UNPO membership stand united through one shared condition: they are denied equal representation in the institutions of regional, national, or international governance. Therefore, they are unable to fully realize their human rights and are subjected to discrimination and oppression.

What We Offer

• The joining of a unique international community, forged through solidarity.
  The UNPO is a global network propelled by the unity and mutual support between its members; a global network collectively striving for recognition, equality, and justice. In additino to unlocking access to this network, the UNPO holds bi-annual member meetings to fotster inter-member knowledge sharing, networking, and alliance-building opportunities.
• A platform from which marginalized and unrepresented voices can raise international awareness.
  Through joining a recognized global network, UNPO members have the capacity to raise international awareness and recognition of their community, bolstered by the support of its other members. The campaigns of members are platformed through the UNPO’s website, member profiles, periodic newsletters, and news articles.
• An environment in which communities can strengthen their ability to advocate.
  The UNPO provides a unique opportunity for communities to learn from, and advocate with, other nations, and peoples who are striving for the same goals and facing the same barriers. In addition, members have access to capacity building and training sessions, from one to three times a year dependent on the capacity of the secretariat, covering diverse topics.

Membership Criteria

Membership is open to communities who subscribe to the following principles as set out in the UNPO Covenant:

• The equal right of all peoples to self-determination;
• Adherence to internationally-accepted human rights standards;
• Adherence to the principles of democratic pluralism and rejection of intolerance;
• Promotion of non-violence and the rejection of terrorism and violence as instruments of policy;
• Promotion of gender equality;
• Protection of the natural environment.

If your community aligns with these principles, apply to UNPO and become part of a prominent movement for justice and equality. With and annual membership fee of €3’000, UNPO invites non-violente communities lacking adequate representation to join our passionate global network. Empower your voice and advocate for your rights on an international stage.

How to Apply

To apply please follow these steps:

1. Complete the UNPO Initial Inquiry Form with as much details as possible.*

2. Send it to [email protected] and CC [email protected] clearly specifying the contact of at least 2 representatives.

*Due to the amount of applications received, please note that we will not consider incomplete forms or emails not referring to the ifnormation requested.

3. The secretariat will inform you within a month of the reception of the form whether your application for membrship is under consideration.

What is Next?

4. If the response is positive, the secretariat will send an additional more detailed form and a list of documents to be provided. Additionally, a request for the payment of non-refundable 1’000 EUR will be requested. This fee will cover the cost of the secretariat to conduct in-depth research on the nation, representativity of the organization applying and the fulfillment of the criteria described in the organisation’s Covenant. A first interview between the applicants and the secretariat will also be conducted.

5. The information compiled will be gathered in a report that will be presented to the 11 members of the UNPO Presidency in a Presidency meeting. An interview between the Presidency members and the applicants will then be conducted. The full process is expected to take between 6 to 12 months depending on the amount of applications received.

6. The applicant will be notified within the next month of their acceptance or not in the organisation.

7. If the applicant is accepted, the formal acceptance will take place at the following General Assembly, with approval form the rest of the UNPO membership.

By joining the UNPO, your community will gain a powerful platform to amplify its voice, advocate for its rights, and connect with other unrepresented peoples striving for justice and recognition.