This proposal is offered for discussion and debate as a way to begin thinking about new ways to strengthen the role of civil society in global affairs.

Why? The new millennium provides a special opportunity to increase our solidarity.

How? The text outlines the concept and suggests a few ways to make it operational.

Who? The  regional and global diagrams portray existing and potential, interactive characteristics of civil society organizations at all levels -- a foundation on which to build a better world.

Recognising the Need
This concept is based on the premises that:

a truly bold vision for this century is needed; there are infinite combinations of people, ideas and resources; most humanitarian agendas overlap at some point; technology is blurring many boundaries and enhancing collaboration; globalization can be a positive rather than a negative force; the full breadth, expertise and outreach of civil society organizations need far greater visibility.

Defining Civil Society
For the purposes of this document, "civil society" is viewed as an all-inclusive term used to describe the public at large; and "civil society organizations" (CSOs) are particularly representatives of the people working on humanitarian causes and serving as the voice of the people.

Unleashing the Political Power of CSOs
CSOs, all together, constitute an immense power base for action and advocacy which is not recognized by other power bases such as governments and the private sector. This overall, composite community has no formal structure, so the totality of this giant sector is essentially invisible even to the public at large. Can a symbolic framework be devised that will convey the full scope of civil society organizations working on the human rights agenda -- at all levels, in all places? If such an informal system existed could it be used to encourage more collaboration and increase the rightful influence of this multifaceted sector of society on critical social policy issues?

Dedication and expertise are hallmarks of humanitarian CSO. Frequently, they also share competing realities: their unity, their divisions and their limitations. They are united by common concerns for dignity, equity and justice. They are divided by geography and circumstance and further fragmented by the range of issues that claim their allegiance and affect millions of lives. Often they are underfunded and under-staffed and sometimes so restricted by the lack of freedom to act that they are unable to have the impact they could, and should, have.

Responding to Changing Global Environments
As global realities change CSOs are seeking innovative ways to maximize their potential and minimize their use of material resources. At the same time it is important to develop an imaginative CSO "system" to parallel the United Nations in order to achieve common goals.

This concept, with text and graphics, is offered to help stimulate multi-level discussions and debates about ways this competent constituent power base can be strengthened and given greater collective visibility.

The Need for a Unifying Structure for CSOs
A new level of unity among CSOs would be in keeping with world trends:

the United Nations, its predecessor entities and regional expressions, were inevitable institutional responses given changing economic and political events; the spread of democracy has enhanced and empowered the growing solidarity among northern and southern CSOs; the various Summit meetings of the decade of the nineties issued a common challenge -- the call for all "stakeholders" to work together for justice; more and more there are forums where people plan together on a global scale and across traditional barriers; and information technology is speeding this movement.

Nevertheless, much more needs to be done to level the playing field between public interest organizations, governments and business interest groups so that all stakeholder representatives can work together with greater mutual respect and effectiveness in addressing complex and urgent human needs and rights.

There is another reality. Across civil society, working in separate compartments of interest, most staff persons have a primary focus -- their organization's agenda -- but as individuals they have additional interests and involvements. This is especially true at the local level but is true at every level from local to global. Since CSO staff and organizations may have more than one portfolio, based on concerns, experience and expertise, they often find themselves together in various settings and meetings around different action agendas. This random situational linking of activists provides opportunities to initiate a process to reconsider the ways groups work together. This process can be orchestrated and used more intentionally so that more gatherings or forums become openings to caucus and strategize about a spectrum of related issues and ideas.

Figure 1: Possible Structures - Global

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