United Nations Civil Society Participation – Activities

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Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation

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Areas of expertise & Fields of activity:	Economic and Social: Business and Industry Climate Change Culture Development Education Environment Family Human Rights Humanitarian Affairs Indigenous Peoples Justice Labour Media Migration Minority Rights Peace and Security Population Refugees Religion Safety Science and Technology Social Development Sustainable Development Women Women/gender Equality Youth Gender Issues and Advancement of Women: Human rights of women Population: Population distribution and internal migration Reproduction, family formation and the status of women Social Development: Cooperative Disabled persons Employment Indigenous issues Information and Communications Technologies Poverty Social policy Youth Sustainable Development: Climate change Education Energy Health Indicators Protecting and managing the natural resources Sustainable development in a globalizing world
Geographic scope:	National
Country of activity:	Russian Federation
Millennium Development Goals:	Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Achieve universal primary education Promote gender equality and empower women Reduce child mortality Improve maternal health Ensure environmental sustainability Develop global partnership for development
Mission statement:	The Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation (CCRF) was established to secure effective channels for dialogue and interaction between Russian citizens and federal, regional and local authorities so that the interests and demands of the civil society are taken into account while elaborating national policies in different fields. The Civic Chamber sets among others the following priorities: 1) Engaging citizens and NGOs in the implementation of governmental policies; 2) Putting forward and supporting civil society initiatives of national importance for Russia to promote human rights, basic freedoms and legitimate interests of Russian citizens; 3) Conducting public expertise of federal and regional bills of the Russian Federation, as well as draft regulations of Russian governing bodies and local authorities; 4) Exerting public control over the activities of the Russian government, federal, regional and local authorities; 5) Drawing up recommendations for Russian authorities in the shaping of the national policies to develop non-commercial sector and to promote mature civil society in Russia; 6) Providing informational, methodological and other forms of support to the regional civic chambers of the Russian Federation; 7) Engaging citizens, NGOs and mass media in discussions on freedom of speech and press, right to spread information by all legal means and human rights protection in Russia; 8) Developing international cooperation and participating in the activities of international organizations, multilateral conferences, meetings and other events of civil society dimension. Plenary sessions During the annual December sessions the Annual Report of the Civic Chamber on the State of Civil Society in the Russian Federation is discussed and approved. The report is then presented to the Head of State and may be further disseminated. Public hearings The CCRF has held dozens of public hearings involving broad segments of society on various pressing issues of national development and international relations. Conferences, Roundtables and Seminars on topical social issues The Chamber has organized hundreds of conferences, roundtables and seminars in Russia and abroad on different aspects of civil society participation in the solving of the social and economic problems and in the modernization of Russia. Public expertise of bills and other legislation According to the current legislation, the Civic Chamber may carry out expertise of bills underway in the State Duma, lower house of the Russian parliament. Public control and support to civil society initiatives The Civic Chamber exerts public control over socially important projects (fight against illegal gambling businesses, combat against speculative attacks on vital food items, mobilization of broader civil society groups and fund-raising for the victims of Russian wildfires in 2010 among others). The CCRF also supports important civil society initiatives and actions. Cooperation with NPOs/NGOs The Civic Chamber has promoted the development of non-commercial sector in Russia. Support to the establishment of regional civic chambers and civic observer councils under federal ministries and agencies Creation of civic chambers in constituent entities of the Russian Federation and establishment of civic observer councils under federal ministries and agencies is one of the most important trends of the current Russian civil society’s development. The CCRF renders technical, legal and expert assistance to these emerging institutes of civil society. As a result of this work, 64 of 83 Russian regions have today their own civic chambers. The CCRF both supports the creation of civic observer councils under federal ministries and takes part in their activities.
Year established:	2005
Year of registration:	2005
Organizational structure:	Each convocation of the CCRF establishes Commissions, main working bodies to deal with pressing issues of social and economic development. Each member of the CCRF may enter at least one Commission with a casting vote and may join any other Commission with a right of deliberative vote. There are total 15 Commissions, 6 Inter-Commission Working Groups and 4 Research Institutes in the actual structure of the Chamber. In addition the members of the Civic Chamber may set up Ad Hoc Working Groups to conduct expertise of socially important bills underway in the Russian Parliament inviting representatives of the civil society organizations, government officials to join the Working Groups as experts. Board of the Civic Chamber is the main governing body that guidelines, regulates and coordinates all the activities of the CCRF. It is composed of the President of the Civic Chamber, Vice-Presidents, Chairmen of the Commissions and Inter-Commission Working Groups and Heads of the Research Institutes.
Number and type of members:	The Civic Chamber consists of 126 members working on a voluntary basis, with their term of office of 3 years (prior to 2011 – 2 years). The CCRF is formed in three stages. First, following consultations with national NGOs and other civil society organizations the President of the Russian Federation appoints 42 members of the Chamber, selected among eminent public figures. Second, the 42 members already approved by the President elect via preferential voting another 42 members among candidates nominated by all-Russian civil society associations and NGOs. Third, 84 members of the CCRF choose 42 representatives from regional and inter-regional organizations from each of the 8 federal districts of Russia.
Funding structure other:	The Public Treasury Institution "Executive Office of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation"

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