Committee on NGOs

2001 Session

6^th Meeting (PM)

NGO COMMITTEE APPROVES TWO ORGANIZATIONS FOR CONSULTATIVE STATUS

WITH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, DEFERS ACTION ON TWO OTHERS

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations this afternoon approved the applications of two organizations for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and deferred those of two others, as it continued its consideration of deferred applications.

Roster consultative status was recommended for World Animal Net, whose representative stated that not only did his organization denounce the use of violence by advocates to protect animals, as it was illegal and counterproductive to its work, it also required any affiliate organization to do the same.  As the World Wildlife Fund was primarily concerned with endangered species and the NGO was concerned with all animals, whose welfare was impacted by human action, interaction between the two groups was limited to the exchange of information. 

Asked in what way the NGO -- the world’s largest association of animal protection organizations -- hoped to contribute to the work of the Economic and Social Council, the representative replied that it could make valuable input to discussions on sustainable agriculture as well as to the preparations for the “Rio +10” process, among others.

Also, the Committee recommended special consultative status for the Tebtebba Foundation, Incorporated (Indigenous Peoples International Centre for Policy Research and Education), an international organization committed to the recognition, protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples all over the world. 

Pending further clarifications, the Committee deferred the applications of The Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation and the Family Research Council.  

Several questions were posed to the Family Research Council, a non-profit organization promoting the importance of the traditional family unit, regarding its philosophy, participation in the Beijing +5 process, finances and its position regarding the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.  After having referred to “Taiwan, Republic of China” twice in his statement, the NGO’s representative was asked by the Chinese delegation to clarify that reference.

The representative of the NGO said his references to “Taiwan, Republic of China” had been a “slip of the tongue”.  In its application, the NGO had used the reference “Taiwan, Province of China”.  While he could not give the names of some

150,000 individual donors, he believed that foundational donations comprised some 25 per cent of the NGO’s total income.  The organization had participated in “Beijing +5” last year, but had not engaged in harassing any delegates.  Although it supported the rights of women, the NGO did have some concerns about certain provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. 

Regarding the relationship between family and faith, family and freedom and family and the rule of law, he said that family, freedom and faith comprised the three important components of a “healthy society”.

The 19-member Committee, a standing body of the Economic and Social Council established in 1946, considers applications submitted by NGOs for consultative status and their requests for reclassification; considers quadrennial reports submitted by those organizations; implements the provisions of Council resolutions 1996/31 and the monitoring of consultative relationships; and considers other issues as requested by the Council. 

Non-governmental, non-profit voluntary organizations can be admitted into consultative status with the Council if they meet the requirements detailed in Council resolution 1996/31, regarding matters such as the organization’s activities, decision-making processes and resources.

The non-governmental organizations with consultative status are classified under the "general", "special" or "roster" categories.  Those with general status can propose items for the Council agenda, attend and speak at meetings and circulate statements.  Those with special status can attend meetings and circulate statements, while those on the roster can only attend meetings.  Organizations with general and special status must report every four years on their activities in support of the United Nations.

Also this afternoon, the representatives of Chile and the United States noted that the effectiveness of the Committee could be better.  There were 80 deferred applications and 50 new ones to be dealt with during the current session.  Efforts should be made not to postpone decisions on applications due to minor issues.  Rather, focus should be directed at the NGOs’ contributions to the Organization as a whole

Statements were also made this afternoon by the representatives of the Russian Federation, Turkey, China, Germany, Bolivia, Algeria, India, Cuba and Pakistan.

The representatives of The Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation and the Tebtebba Foundation, Incorporated (Indigenous Peoples International Centre for Policy Research and Education) also addressed the Committee. 

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 10 May, to begin its consideration of requests for reclassification deferred from previous sessions.

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