FAFICS_What_is_FAFICS

The Federation

FAFICS is a Federation of Associations of Former International Civil Servants. It was founded in 1975 by three associations of former international civil servants, located in Geneva, New York and Rome. Over the years many other associations of former UN system officials and staff have joined the Federation.

As of the Council’s 52nd session held in Vienna on 19-21 July 2022, the total membership has reached 63 associations with over 18,000 members located in all regions of the world.

Aims and Objectives

The Federation aims to bring together member associations of former international civil servants. Its primordial role is to represent, defend and protect the interests of member associations of retirees around the world, particularly on matters of pensions, health insurance and related questions.

In so doing, the Federation specifically undertakes the following:

(a) support and promote the purposes, principles, programmes and achievements of the United Nations system;

(b) promote and defend the interests of the community of former international civil servants;

(c) maintain and develop solidarity and close contact between and among Member Associations;

(d) represent the community of former international civil servants on appropriate organs of the United Nations system and in particular retirees and beneficiaries of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund;

(e) promote exchanges and coordination with federations of staff members in service and cooperate with other associations and organizations as appropriate;

(f) support and coordinate the activities of member associations, particularly in matters of pensions, benefits and after-service health insurance and longterm care.

In addition to the above aims and objectives, FAFICS remains ready to intervene on any other issue affecting individual and/or groups of pensioners and beneficiaries, and to also assist non-member associations, particularly on matters of pensions and health insurance. Through the experiences of their respective members, FAFICS member associations serve as knowledgeable sources of information and advice, not only on pension-related matters but also on the laws and other aspects of life in countries around the world. FAFICS members continue to act as important partners to the Pension Fund secretariat and to the member organizations, through their support and assistance. More specifically, FAFICS and its member associations provide invaluable assistance to retirees and beneficiaries in resolving problems.

FAFICS is a Non-Governmental Organization accredited to and has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Human Rights Council and the Department of Public Information. As such it participates in meetings of the two Councils and their subsidiary bodies, civic forums and in other events in support of the purposes, principles programmes and achievements of the United Nations system, where the contributions, experience and views of former international civil servants may be useful. FAFICS also maintains Consultative Status with FICSA, the Federation of International Civil Servants.

Through its advocacy efforts, FAFICS supports the purposes, principles, programmes and achievements of the United Nations system.

FAFICS Member Associations

FAFICS member associations are listed by location with their detailed contact information on this website: https://www.fafics.org/FAFICS_Member_Associations_E.htm

Other associations of former international staff, including former local staff, may apply for membership and have their applications reviewed during Council deliberations. The minimum requirement is to have at least 25 members in the association.

With this in mind, FAFICS encourages all retirees of the UN system Organizations to join any member association of their choice. Many of the existing associations also organize preretirement seminars to orient staff nearing their retirement to consider joining an association of retirees.

The Council and its Officers

The Federation has its seat in Geneva.. FAFICS is governed by a Council on which all member associations are represented. The Council meets annually.

The bureau of the Federation is composed of a President, five Vice-Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer, elected for two years by the Council according to its new Rules of Procedures approved during the Council’s 51st session.

At the 52nd session of the Council, held on 19-21 July 2022, the following officers were elected for a term of two years (July 2022- July 2024):

President: Jerry Barton

Vice-Presidents:
Delia Barcelona, Juan Casas, Odette Foudral, Deborah Landey, Marashetty Seenapa

Secretary: Jay Sundaresan

Treasurer: Romesh Muttukumaru

Relations with the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF)

FAFICS is the official representative of pensioners and beneficiaries of the UNJSPF and, as such, it attends the annual meetings of the UN Joint Staff Pension Board (UNJSPB) with a delegation composed of four representatives and two alternate representatives.FAFICS representatives have all the rights of members, except the right to vote. It can also attend meetings of the Pension Board's Standing Committee, with a smaller delegation. FAFICS maintains close contact with the Chief Executive Officer of the Pension Fund and the Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Investments and their senior staff. These officials have a half-day working session with the FAFICS Council during its annual session, in the course of which problems and concerns of the world-wide UN retiree community are brought to their attention.

Furthermore, particular assistance is provided by FAFICS in respect of the Fund’s important Certificate of Entitlement process. FAFICS representatives participate actively and effectively in the sessions of the Pension Board and its Standing Committee, the Audit Committee and in all Working Groups established by the Pension Board.

After-Service Health Insurance

While the Federation has no representative role in the different organizational health insurances, which are available to retirees under the After-Service Health Insurance scheme, FAFICS provides for exchanges of information and develops the Federation's objectives in the FAFICS Council’s Standing Committee on After-Service Health Insurance and Long-Term Care (ASHIL). It also participates as an observer in inter-agency meetings of Human Resource Officers on Long-term Care benefits. The Federation's aim is to have these benefits incorporated in all organizational health insurance plans.

Pension benefits and the Pension Adjustment System

FAFICS is constantly engaged in activities to improve and protect the interests of pensioners and beneficiaries of the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund. Through its Standing Committee on Pension Issues, the FAFICS Council monitors the Pension Adjustment system and cost-ofliving adjustment mechanisms and seeks improvements where this may be found necessary. It has developed and submitted proposals for the improvement of pension benefits for divorced spouses. FAFICS continues to support the just claim for payment of their UNJSPF pensions by retired UN system staffs from the former Soviet Union, the Byelorussian SSR and the Ukrainian SSR, who have been deprived by those Governments, and so far, by their successor states.