We are thrilled to announce that Research-Aid Networks has been granted Special Consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Since our founding in 2019, Research-Aid Networks has focused on bridging the gap between the science community and both community-based organizations and the general public. Whilst our focus is typically on community initiatives, we also work directly with governments and policy makers to provide unique insight and expertise into community-based public health and encourage accessible science communication that enables direct action.
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have worked closely with many different communities and have seen first-hand how public health messaging and scientific communication has failed to reach and benefit some communities. Whilst much of our efforts have been focused on supporting community initiatives directly, we have also met with government officials and committees around the world, providing both scientific guidance and the perspective of our partner community-based organizations in order to help shape community-centric policies.
UN ECOSOC consultative status gives us further opportunities to engage directly with policy makers from around the world, as well as other ECOSOC accredited NGOs that work on similar global issues. This will help us in our work towards sustainable and equitable community development through science-community collaboration.
Through ECOSOC accreditation we have new ways to affect positive change. It enables us to participate in a number of events, including, but not limited to regular sessions of ECOSOC, its functional commissions and its other subsidiary bodies. It gives us the opportunity to contribute to and influence policy and actions by submitting written and oral statements, participating in debates and discussions and organizing events during ECOSOC sessions. Through these actions we can impact UN policies and decision making, while engaging in diverse UN projects, with the goal of directly affecting communities around the world.
Read more about ECOSOC: https://www.un.org/ecosoc/en/home
