NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS ONE BODY FOR CONSULTATIVE STATUS WITH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Committee on NGOs

2001 Session

27^th Meeting (AM)

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS ONE BODY

FOR CONSULTATIVE STATUS WITH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) this morning recommended Philippine Human Rights Information Center for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and deferred the application of National Council of the Saemaul-Undong Movement.  It left pending the application of World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities.

With regard to Philippine Human Rights Information Center, the representative of India asked why the organization had registered with the Security and Exchange Commission.  Algeria’s representative wondered how the NGO carried out its work when it was not a membership organization, and China’s representative requested clarification on the NGO’s link with the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA).  Cuba’s representative wanted to know from which other NGOs the organization received contributions.

The representative of Philippine Human Rights Information Center stated that registration with the Security and Exchange Commission was a requirement in his country for any NGO in order to carry out its legal needs, such as banking transactions.  It was fundamental for any NGO seeking a legitimate status in the Philippines.  The organization was doing advocacy work with the Philippine Congress and the Philippine Commission on Human Rights.  The NGO was a member of PAHRA and its own membership consisted of 13 personnel, a board of trustees -- who were not paid -- as well as contractors and volunteers who were hired as needed.  The Center did receive financial contributions from several international NGOs.

In the case of National Council of the Saemaul-Undong Movement, a national organization based in the Republic of Korea, the representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in his capacity as observer, asked the NGO to clarify the huge amount of contributions received from other sources, and particularly to indicate who those sources were.  Also, he requested more details on what the NGO meant by “preparing for the country’s reunification”, which it stated as one of its aims.

The World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities was asked by the Russian and German delegations to clarify the location of its headquarters, as it had addresses in both the United States and Italy, in addition to being chartered under Belgian law.  Algeria’s representative sought additional information on how the NGO intended to further its interests at the United Nations, particularly since the Council had no subsidiary bodies dealing with hunting or sport shooting. 

Also, how had it participated with the Crime Commission in Vienna and the Department of Disarmament Affairs in New York? 

The representative of the Forum stated that the NGO was headquartered in Rome and had members who operated both from Rome and Portland, Oregon.  As the organization had noticed that many international organizations had registered under Belgian law, it decided to do so as well.

With regard to France’s question on the organization’s contribution to the environmental debate, he said that the Forum hoped to contribute through its work on the environment, endangered species and lead pollution.  The Forum had an environmental group within its membership as well as associations of manufacturers, who provided expertise on small arms.  Unfortunately, every time firearms were used illegally, the legal users, such as those in the Forum, suffered.  In the future, he hoped the Crime Commission and the sport industry would be in a position to exchange information in order to deal together with the problem of illegal firearms.

The NGO had worked on the protocol on firearms to the Convention on Transnational Organized Crime as well as with the Department of Disarmament Affairs on the issue of small arms and light weapons, he continued.  It hoped to contribute to the upcoming Conference to be held in July at United Nations Headquarters.  Among the members of the Forum were the Sport Shooting Association of Australia and the National Rifle Association of the United States, both of which had roster status with the Council. 

As to why the Forum needed its own consultative status as opposed to contributing through those two organizations, he felt his organization could make a wider contribution considering the variety of its membership.  For example, the Forum had formed a Manufacturers Advisory Group, which would provide information to governments. 

The 19-member Committee considers, among other things, applications submitted by NGOs for consultative status and their requests for reclassification.  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 which include the organization’s activities, decision-making processes and resources.

NGOs with consultative status are classified under the "general", "special" or "roster" categories.  Those in the general category must be "concerned with most of the activities of the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies".  The special category concerns those "which have a special competence in, and are concerned specifically with, only a few of the fields of activity covered by the Council".  The roster category relates to NGOs which "can make occasional and useful contributions to the work of the Council or its subsidiary bodies". 

Different privileges and obligations are accorded to each category.  Non-governmental organizations 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.

The representatives of Ethiopia and United States also spoke.

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

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