MORE REQUESTS FOR ECOSOC STANDING CONSIDERED BY COMMITTEE ON NGOS

Committee on NGOs

776^th Meeting (AM)

MORE REQUESTS FOR ECOSOC STANDING CONSIDERED BY COMMITTEE ON NGOS

Continuing consideration of new applications for consultative status, the Committee on Non-governmental Organizations this morning recommended the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) special consultative status to two non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  It deferred action on two further applications.

The 19-member Committee on Non-governmental Organizations makes recommendations on applications from NGOs for standing with ECOSOC, and on requests for reclassification of that standing.  Non-governmental organizations may be granted either general, special or roster consultative status, according to their work, with different privileges and obligations, according to the different categories.

General consultative status is intended for NGOs concerned with most of the activities of ECOSOC that are broadly representative of society in different regions of the world.  Once accorded general status, NGOs can propose items for ECOSOC’s agenda, attend and speak at its meetings and circulate statements.  Organizations concerned with only a few of the fields of ECOSOC’s activity may be considered for special consultative status, which would allow them to attend meetings and circulate statements.  Roster status is accorded to those NGOs which can make occasional and useful contributions to ECOSOC or to other United Nations bodies.  Roster status NGOs can attend meetings and are available for consultation at the ECOSOC’s request.

Members of the Committee are:  Algeria, Bolivia, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Lebanon, Pakistan, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey and the United States.  Levent Bilman (Turkey) is the Committee's Chairman.  The Vice-Chairmen are:  Mercedes de Armas Garcia (Cuba), Mihaela Blajan (Romania), Ilham Ibrahim Mohamed Ahmed (Sudan), and Munawar Saeed Bhatti (Pakistan) who is also the Committee’s Rapporteur.

The first application the Committee took up this morning was a request for roster status from the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights.  To questions asked by the representatives of China, India, France, Algeria, and the Russian Federation, the organization’s representative said his group received grants from a European Union fund and an NGO in the Netherlands.  There were also contributions from other institutions.  It submitted proposals for specific projects when seeking grants.  He could provide a detailed list of funders.  The organization provided legal assistance to the poor.  Other activities included providing assistance to refugees in Kyrgyzstan and taking part in a committee on torture. 

In response to a question about how the organization lent assistance to those suffering human rights violations, he said it did not pursue any political ends.  While it worked in partnership with Helsinki International in Vienna, its headquarters was in Kyrgyzstan, he explained.

The representatives of France, Germany and the United States supported the request for consultative status.  The representative of India said the organization’s application mentioned many activities that had political connotations.  Also, clearance from the national Government had not been received, and that Government should be reminded of the request.  Bolivia’s representative also spoke.  As a list of contributors to the financing of the organization’s activities had been requested, the Committee deferred action pending receipt of the list and clearance of the Government of Kyrgyzstan.

After a short procedural debate, in which the representatives of India, Algeria, Bolivia, Colombia, United States and Pakistan participated, the Committee decided to recommend special consultative status for the Mediterranean Women’s Forum.

Regarding the application for general consultative status from the Wales Assembly of Women, the representatives of Pakistan, Sudan, United States, and France asked about the organization’s finances as, among other things, 80 per cent of its expenditures went to the salary of a part-time development officer, and there did not seem to be any project.  The representative of Chile supported the request for status, but her colleague from France did not support the granting of any form of consultative status.  The representatives of Germany, United States,and Pakistan wondered whether roster status was not more appropriate for the organization.  Representatives of India, Algeria and China also made remarks.  The organization would be asked what its specific projects were and, pending its response, a decision was deferred.

Revisiting the application of the Institute of Security Studies, which had been considered yesterday afternoon, India’s representative said that the organization’s reply to questions was satisfactory, and he supported recommending consultative status.  He was joined by the representatives of Pakistan, Germany, China, Sudan and Colombia.  Although general consultative status had been sought, the Committee decided to recommend special consultative status.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. to continue consideration of new applications.

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