United Nations Representatives

CE International at the United Nations

 

UN Affiliation & Status

In collaboration with the United Nations, Childhood Education International (CE International) maintains a longstanding and active presence within the UN system. We:

  • Hold consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

  • Are an NGO in official partnership with UNESCO

  • Are associated with the UN Department of Global Communications

  • Serve as a member of the NGO Committee for UNICEF

  • Maintain accredited UN representatives in New York, USA, and Geneva, Switzerland

A Legacy of Engagement

CE International’s engagement with the United Nations spans more than seven decades. Our relationship began in the 1940s through our early support of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and has evolved alongside the global education and child rights agenda.

In 1977, CE International was granted ECOSOC consultative status, formalizing our role as a trusted civil society partner. Since the 1990s, we have maintained a permanent representative presence at UN Headquarters in New York, expanding to Geneva in 2011. In 2019, CE International deepened its multilateral engagement by becoming an NGO in official partnership with UNESCO.

Our Role at the United Nations

With more than 40 years of consultative status, CE International actively contributes to UN processes and global dialogue on education, early childhood development, and child well-being. Our engagement includes:

  • Participating in official UN meetings, debates, and global forums

  • Submitting written statements and delivering oral interventions

  • Convening and contributing to panels, side events, and multi-stakeholder dialogues

  • Engaging with government delegations, UN missions, and partner organizations

  • Supporting research, surveys, and knowledge-sharing initiatives

We attend the UN General Assembly annually to stay attuned to global priorities, emerging challenges, and promising solutions shaping education and child development worldwide. Our UN representatives also provide timely intelligence on global initiatives and urgent issues related to children’s rights, learning, health, and holistic development—ensuring CE International’s work remains globally informed and strategically aligned.

Our UN Representatives

CE International’s accredited UN Representatives are Elisabeth Shuman, based in New York, and Justine Heckmann, based in Geneva, the two primary hubs of the UN system, enabling continuous engagement across UN agencies, missions, and multilateral processes.