COMMITTEE ON NGOS TAKES NOTE OF REPORTS BY 41 ORGANIZATIONS, DEFERS 21 REPORTS PENDING CLARIFICATION

Committee on NGOs

2001 Session

13^th Meeting (AM)

COMMITTEE ON NGOS TAKES NOTE OF REPORTS BY 41 ORGANIZATIONS,

DEFERS 21 REPORTS PENDING CLARIFICATION

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) this morning took note of 41 quadrennial reports submitted by organizations having general or special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.  It deferred

21 reports pending clarifications.

By "taking note", the Committee does not endorse a report's contents, but merely notes an NGO’s compliance with reporting requirements.

The Committee took note of the 1994-1997 reports of AFS Inter-Cultural Programs; and Counterpart International.  The reports were contained in document A/C.2/2001/Add.8.  It deferred the reports in that document of Associazione Volontari per il Servicio Internazionale; Baptist World Alliance; International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage; and International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction.

Associazione Volontari per il Servicio Internazionale was asked to provide more information on assistance to Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda, its association with kidnapped children in that area, and to submit a copy of its statement to the 57^th session of the Commission on Human Rights.  It was also asked in which countries it was involved and to provide clarification on the social teachings of the Catholic Church.

The Baptist World Alliance was asked what kind of relationship it had with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.  It was also asked to provide information on its "work for peace" in the Middle East and its mediation in Nagaland, India.  The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage and International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction were asked to provide more information on its contribution to the work of the ECOSOC.

The Committee took also note of the 1995-1998 reports of Data for Development; Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era; Four Directions Council; Economists Allied for Arms Reduction; Human Appeal International; International Association for Volunteer Effort; International Institute of Humanitarian Law; International Movement ATD Fourth World; and Perhaps . . . Kids Meeting Kids Can Make a Difference, contained in document E/C.2/2001/Add.9.

The Association of Arab-American University Graduates was asked, among other things, what its contribution to the Council was.  A Committee member asked why Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, dealing with the environment, was mainly active

in the Commission on Human Rights.  The Commission for the Defence of Human Rights in Central America was asked to provide more information regarding its use of the word "accusations".  The Committee decided to defer the report of the three organizations contained in the same document.

The Committee then took note of the 1995-1998 reports of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission; CHANGE; Centre of Economic and Social Studies of the Third World; International Council for Adult Education; Latin American and Caribbean Committee for the Defence of Women's Rights; and Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities, contained in document E/C.2/2001/2/Add.10.

Regarding the report of the World Safety Organization the representative of China asked how an NGO could act on behalf of the United Nations, as the organization stated, and if the report could be considered a quadrennial report. The International Federation of Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture was requested to provide information on how its cooperation with thematic rapporteurs was carried out, on how its affiliates worked with various committees and whether non-Christian organizations were barred from donating money to that NGO.  The International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists was asked about the reporting dates.  The Committee deferred the reports of the three organizations.  

Turning to document E/C.2/2001/2/Add.11, the Committee took note of the 1995-1998 reports of International Federation for Hydrocephalus Spina Bifida; International Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers; International Federation of Little Brothers of the Poor; Latin American Association of Development Financing Institutions; International Prison Watch; World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women; and World Futures Studies Federation.

The National Bar Association, Inc. was asked to provide the text of a briefing given by George Edwards on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in Hong Kong at the meeting of the Commission on Human Rights in 1999.  Resources for the Future was asked to correct "Taiwan" into "Taiwan, Province of China".  The Simon Wiesenthal Center and the International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee were asked for more information about their activities relating to the work of ECOSOC.  The World Alliance of Young Men's Christian Associations was asked about its priorities.  The Committee deferred the reports of the five organizations pending clarifications.

The Committee further took note of the 1995-1998 reports of the Cousteau Society; International Federation of Associations of the Elderly; International Real Estate Federation; International Service for Human Rights; North-South XXI; Prison Fellowship International; SOS Drugs International; St. Joan's International Alliance; and World Economic Forum, contained in document E/C.2/2001/2/Add.12.

Physicians for Human Rights was asked whether it always complied with the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity and how it had conducted

its investigation of human rights violations in Afghanistan.  The International

Electrotechnical Commission was asked to provide information on its activities relating to the work of ECOSOC.  Women, Law and Development International (formerly, Institute for Woman, Law and Development) was asked about the date on which it changed its name.  Pending receipt of clarifications, the Committee referred the report of the three organizations.

From document E/C.2/2001/2/Add.13, the Committee took note of the 1996-

1999 reports of Centro de Studios Europeos; European Federation of Older Students at Universities; Fraternite Notre Dame; International Association of Youth and Family Judges and Magistrates; International Council on Social Welfare; International Council of Prison Medical Services; Isis International; and Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights.

As there were questions about, among other things, the correct name of the International Human Rights Federation, its membership and the countries to which it sent missions, its report was deferred.  The Friends World Committee for Consultation was asked to clarify its attendance of Security Council meetings.  The Lutheran World Federation was asked for clarification on its participation in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee.  The Committee deferred the reports of those two organizations as well.   

The representative of India suggested the Committee look into issuing better guidelines to NGOs regarding format and content of their quadrennial reports.

The Committee, a standing body of the Economic and Social Council, 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.

Non-governmental organizations with consultative status are classified under the "general", "special" or "roster" categories.  Organizations with general and special status must report every four years on their activities in support of the United Nations, specifically regarding their support to the work of the Organization.  The Committee had around 200 new and 30 deferred or pending quadrennial reports before it.

The Committee’s membership consists of 19 countries.  Its current members are Algeria, Bolivia, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Lebanon, Pakistan, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey and the United States. 

Other speakers this morning were the representatives of Algeria, Sudan, Russian Federation, Germany, Cuba, Pakistan and United States.

The Committee on NGOs will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue consideration of quadrennial reports submitted by NGOs in general and special consultative status with the ECOSOC.

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