UN General Assembly 2023
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ of the UN, comprising all Member States, responsible for appointing the Secretary-General on the recommendation of the Security Council; electing the non-permanent members of the Security Council, and approving the UN budget. Every year, Heads of States convene at this General Assembly meeting taking place in New York. Many of the issues discussed at that meeting shape decisions impacting millions of people. Various UN UNGA Committees work on these discussions until December when final resolutions are adopted.
This year, Oxfam together with our partners, is joining these vital discussions - from climate change to inequality and gender. Oxfam International executive director, Oxfam America, Oxfam in Africa Director, and several Oxfam colleagues and partners, are organizing or presenting at several sessions. Please see below who is attending this year and what events Oxfam is engaging in.
Who is Attending?
What Are Our Oxfam Priorities at UNGA 78?
Oxfam leaders, experts, and partners will be in New York for the UN General Assembly discussing a range of issues focusing on a wide variety of issues, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), inequality, climate, access to healthcare, and humanitarian issues. As a global organization that fights inequality to end poverty and injustice, Oxfam will particularly focus on how inequality (the Sustainable Development Goal 10) has a deep impact across the 2030 SDGs agenda.
In our own Oxfam’s programmatic and advocacy work, we see clearly that humanity is very off-track to achieve the SDGs. From soaring global hunger to global warming reaching critical levels, more people around the world are suffering and demanding change. Oxfam will be pushing leaders to make bold commitments and more importantly, take urgent action to get us back on track to achieve the SDGs by 2030. We know what works to address these challenges, and we know there are plenty of resources to do so. But we must ensure that those resources are equally distributed, and in the hands of those on the frontlines tackling these complex issues.
Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar said, “At the General Assembly this year, the stakes couldn't be higher as we take stock of the SDGs at their midway point. After COVID-19 and other cascading crises set back our progress, we are facing a real risk of falling short. Oxfam's work touches nearly all the SDGs, largely through the lens of fighting inequality to end poverty. At UNGA this year, we will be calling on leaders to make real progress on tackling inequality, the climate crisis, humanitarian issues, gender justice, and more. We know the resources and knowledge to get back on track exist, but we must act collectively and urgently as time is running out.”
Key events for Oxfam
- Amitabh Behar will be having a fire side chat with the United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres
- Amitabh Behar will be speaking at the Global People’s Assembly
- Amitabh Behar will be speaking at the UN SDG Action Zone
- Amitabh Behar will be speaking at the Women Land Rights Paper Launch
- Fati Nzi-Hassane (OIA Director) speaking at The Global Alliance for Care
- Abby Maxman will be attending the CGI Private Roundtable Discussion