COMMITTEE ON NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CONCLUDES 1995 RESUMED SESSION AT HEADQUARTERS, 29 JANUARY - 2 FEBRUARY

5 February 1996

Press Release
NGO/271

COMMITTEE ON NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CONCLUDES 1995 RESUMED SESSION AT HEADQUARTERS, 29 JANUARY - 2 FEBRUARY

19960205 Recommends Withdrawal of Consultative Status of 12 Organizations, Grants Category II Status to Two Others, Asks 41 NGOs to Submit Reports in Six Months

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations recommended the withdrawal of consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of 12 organizations, as it concluded its resumed 1995 session on Friday afternoon, 2 February. It took that action by approving, without a vote, a draft decision, as amended.

By another draft decision, also approved without a vote, the Committee recommended that the Council grant Category II status to ISIS International (Chile) and ISIS International Women's Information and Communication Service (Philippines). The two were among the three whose consideration the Committee had carried over from its regular session last June. Action on the third, the International Energy Foundation, was deferred.

Under the provisions of another draft decision approved as amended, the Council would ask 41 organizations to submit their quadrennial reports for 1991-1995 within six months, failing which they might have their status changed, suspended or withdrawn. The Committee also decided to assign its expanded bureau to determine the next session's date.

In another action, the Committee decided to close the current debate on the report of Pax Christi International, at Ireland's urging.

During the five-day resumed session, the 19-member Committee reviewed reports of about 180 organizations with consultative status with the Council. It also recommended 12 organizations for participation in the working group of the Commission on Human Rights, which is elaborating a draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.

At the final meeting, the Committee also approved the provisional agenda for its 1996 session and adopted its report to the Council, which contains a list of 10 organizations whose quadrennial reports will be considered at the

1996 session, as they could not be reproduced on time for deliberations at the 1995 session.

Arrangements for consultations with non-governmental organizations by the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies are governed by guidelines the Council set in resolution 1296 (XLIV) of May 1968. Receiving consultative status allows a non-governmental organization to participate, to varying degrees, in the deliberations of the Council and its subsidiary bodies. Category I organizations can submit written statements, be granted hearings and propose agenda items for the Council's and its subsidiary bodies' consideration. Category II organizations can also submit written statements and be granted hearings while those on the Council's roster may only submit written statements.

Those in Category I and II consultative status are required to report every four years on the work they did in support of the United Nations. After looking at the reports, the Committee may recommend to the Council any appropriate reclassification in the status of the organizations concerned.

Organizations Recommended for Loss of Status

The Committee recommended that the consultative status of the following organizations be withdrawn: Africa Institute of Private International Law; Africa Union of Architects; Association de cooperation internationale au developpement - Organisation pour la recherche appliquee au developpement; Balkan-ji-Bari International; Geneva Informal Meeting of International Youth NGOs; International Federation of Landscape Architects; International New Towns Association; International Study Center for Children and Families; Latin American Association of Development Organizations; Latin American Council of Catholic Women; Pan-American Federation of Engineering Societies; and World Federation of Development Financing Institutions.

Organizations Whose Reports Will Be Considered in 1996 Session

The Committee decided to ask the following organizations to submit their reports for the period 1991-1995 within six months, failing which the Committee will take appropriate action, which include change in status, suspension or withdrawal. They are: African Women Jurists Federation; Agudas Israel World Organization; Anti-Apartheid Movement; Council of International Programs; Europe Migrants Association Council; European Federation of Conference Towns; European Insurance Committee; European League for Economic Cooperation; Inter-American Housing Union; International Association for Impact Assessment; International Association of Civil Servants; International Council for Building Research, Studies and Documentation; International Defence and Aid Fund for Southern Africa; International Driving Tests Committee; International Federation of Journalists; International Federation

Committee on NGOs - 3 - Press Release NGO/271 591st Meeting (PM) 5 February 1996

of Women Lawyers; International Federation of Women in Legal Careers; and the International Law Association.

Others are International Senior Citizens Association, Inc.; International Social Science Council; International Sports Organization for the Disabled; International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources; International Union of Lawyers (now International Association of Lawyers); International Union of Producers and Distributors of Electrical Energy; International Union of Public Transport; International Union of Students; International Union of Technical Associations and Organizations; Latin American Association of Finance Development Institutions; Latin American Association of Industrial Design; Latin American Associations of Relatives of Disappeared Detainees; National Association of Realtors; Organization for International Economic Relations; Union Iberoamericana de Calegios y Agrupaciones de Abogados; War Resisters International; Women's Missionary Society of African Methodist Episcopal Church; World Association for Element Building and Prefabrication; World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations; World Management Council; World Psychiatric Association; World Women's Christian Temperance Union; and World Young Women's Christian Association.

Organizations Whose Reports Were Postponed

As their reports could not be reproduced on time for consideration at the 1995 session, the Committee decided to consider in the 1996 session the reports of the following organizations: Church World; Fundacion de Ayuda contra la Drogadiccion; International Association of Judges; International Institute of Administrative Sciences; International League of Societies for Persons with Mental Handicap; Islamic African Relief Agency; Latin American Iron and Steel Institute; Society of Comparative Legislation; Union de Ciudades Capitales Iberoamericanas; and World Organization of the Scout Movement.

Committee Officers, Membership

The Chairman of the Committee is Ruth S. Limjuco (Philippines). Fidel Coloma (Chile), John D. Biggar (Ireland) and Moses Dlamini (Swaziland) are Vice-Chairmen, and Mr. Coloma also serves as Rapporteur.

The 19-members of the Committee are Bulgaria, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ethiopia, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Madagascar, Paraguay, Philippines, Russian Federation, Sudan, Swaziland, Tunisia, United Kingdom and the United States.

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