What is FICSA?

FICSA came into being on 1st of May 1952, as the Staff Associations/Unions of the European Office of the United Nations (now known as United Nations Office at Geneva), United Nations, International Labour Organization (ILO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and World Health Organization (WHO) established FICSA as a federation and accepted its statutes.

Today, FICSA is a federation of 30 Staff Associations/Unions of organizations belonging to the United Nations Common System, 18 Staff Associations/Unions from international organizations outside the UN Common System have associate status, while 18 Staff Associations/Unions are consultative members. 24 Federation of United Nations Staff Associations (FUNSA)s of various countries sit as observers in FICSA.

The diversity of membership ensures that all staff in the field and at headquarters duty stations have an opportunity to exchange views and information about the conditions of service, seek the Federation's assistance and support when difficulties arise, and organize collective action.

PLEASE NOTE: FICSA has no right to intervene in individual cases and can only intervene when it is a matter concerning the freedom of association and staff representation issues, for example, if a staff representative is being retaliated against due to his/her staff representation activities.  Even then, FICSA can only intervene, if and when, requested to do so by the FICSA-member staff association/union.

Actions

Council and offices

The Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations

Aims

Accomplished goals

How does FICSA help international civil servants protect their rights?

FICSA informs staff about their rights and works with its members to ensure that the organizations respect those rights. When rights are violated, FICSA organizes demonstrations and meets with the representatives of Member States to ask for their assistance. FICSA has a legal defense fund to launch cases at Administrative Tribunals to defend staff rights.

Who are international civil servants

What are their rights

Helping individuals with common issues

Workshops and Training

The Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations

FICSA has the power to change things!

FICSA is mandated to participate in interagency bodies that make decisions about conditions of service and is able to influence those decisions. FICSA participates in discussions and presents technical papers to support staff positions.

Some recent successes:

  • Coordinated the preparation of legal briefs which resulted in staff winning their appeals at the ILOAT, such as the recent judgments on the pay cut (ILOAT)
  • Successfully challenged proposed cuts in pensions and secure a more equitable adjustment for pension beneficiaries
  • Obtained increases in allowances and benefits, e.g., children's allowance, installation grant, hazard pay
  • Obtained a dependent spouse allowance for the first dependent child in the case of single parents
  • Obtained the creation of an ICSC Contact Group to review the consultative process and working arrangements of the ICSC
  • Obtained a total review of the current post adjustment methodology and its operational rules

Become a member

FICSA represents the interests and defends the rights of international civil servants in interagency bodies and legislative organs of the common system.

  • 86

    30 Full Members, 18 Members with Associate Status, 38 Members with Consultative or Observer Status

  • 38251

    International civil servants
    represented worldwide

  • 70

    Years of
    defending staff rights

The Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations

How can you support
FICSA work?

The Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations

Support FICSA activities
by donating to our cause

The Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations