Finn Church Aid’s Executive Director Antti Pentikäinen was elected as the Chair for the Civil Society Advisory Committee for United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the meeting held in New York from 24.­–25. May.

The advisory committee, created as a formal mechanism for dialogue between civil society representatives and UNDP’s senior management, is composed of about fifteen civil society leaders representing indigenous people, religious groups and labor unions. Myrna Cunningham-Kain was elected as a second Chair of the Committee.

”UNDP has to renew itself so that the people living in the most difficult areas and conditions are supported in building societies. The events in South Sudan and Central African Republic are examples on how fast the situation can change to worse in different countries. It has got dramatically more difficult for the civil societies to get involved in local politics. Therefore, we want UN to take stronger stand for democratic processes”, Pentikäinen said.

UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with governments and local communities to help them find solutions to global and national development challenges.