Committee on NGOs

35^th & 36^th Meetings (AM & PM)

COMMITTEE ON NGOS RECOMMENDS ONE ORGANIZATION FOR ROSTER CONSULTATIVE

STATUS WITH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Defers Consideration of Several NGOs;

Hears Report by Chief of Secretariat NGO Section

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) recommended the Netherlands-based E-Quality (an expert centre focusing on gender and ethnicity issues) for roster status with the Economic and Social Council today.

NGOs can be granted general, special or roster consultative status with the ECOSOC, with different privileges and obligations accorded to each.  Organizations with general status can propose items for the Council’s agenda, attend and speak at meetings and circulate statements, while those on the roster can only attend meetings.  NGOs with special status can attend meetings and circulate statements of a certain length.  Organizations with general and special status must report every four years on their activities in support of the United Nations.

The Committee deferred decision on the application of International Prostitutes Collective in order to allow more time for the consideration of its application.  The Japan Civil Liberties Union, whose application was also deferred, was requested by China’s representative to provide further clarifications on its position on and reference to the “Tiananmen Massacre” in its application.

The application of World Sindhi Institute was also deferred following an exchange between the representatives of Pakistan and the NGO.  Pakistan’s representative raised concerns with the NGO’s position regarding the right of indigenous people to self-determination.  Also, a publication of the NGO, distributed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, had called for the “dismantling of Pakistan”. 

The NGO representative replied that the organization did not view self-determination as a right to secede.  In no way, he emphasized, did the NGO promote the separation of Sindh from Pakistan.  As for the publication, those submitting articles to it were free to express their own opinions.

The Committee also considered a number of special reports submitted by NGOs in response to specific complaints lodged against them by Member States. 

Iran’s representative was disappointed that The Movement against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples had not addressed the complaints presented to it,

namely its accreditation of two individuals of a known terrorist group –- Modjahedin Khalgh Organization/National Council of Resistance (MKO/NCR).  The NGO had not provided assurances that it would not, in the future, provide assistance to or accredit individuals who were affiliated with terrorist groups.  The Committee decided to request another report from the NGO, as suggested by Iran and others.

Along the same lines, the Committee also examined a special report submitted by Transnational Radical Party, following a complaint that it had accredited members of Montagnard Foundation, Inc., a movement considered a terrorist organization by Viet Nam.  It was decided that the Committee would return to the matter on Monday morning.  Speaking as an observer, Viet Nam’s representative stressed that the explanations provided by the NGO were not satisfactory. 

The Committee also deferred until Monday consideration of the special report submitted by Agir ensemble pour les droits del’Homme, in response to a complaint presented by Colombia, and the special report by the International League for the Rights and Liberation of Peoples, in response to the concerns raised by Turkey.

Also discussed today were means of strengthening the NGO Section of the Secretariat as one of the bodies responsible for promoting partnerships for the advancement of the Millennium Development Goals.  Presenting the Section’s activities for 2002-2003, its Chief, Hanifa Mezoui, said that the Section dealt with many issues of concern to the United Nations, maintaining connections with various civil society and grass-roots organizations, as well as major donors and fund-raising foundations.  Its contacts represented a complex system, which required teamwork and coordination of efforts with various United Nations bodies and Secretariat departments.

Among the Section’s initiatives, she mentioned a “Paperless Committee” project, which had been initiated last November to promote electronic circulation of documentation.  Another project was being introduced to promote parity among NGOs through the use of a technology-based outreach system, which would improve the Organization’s communications with those organizations and other partners.

Members of the Committee and observers commended the Section’s work and supported its reinforcement through the establishment of a P-5 post in order to achieve greater coherence in the contacts with NGOs.  Several speakers referred to the Section as one of the Secretariat’s most efficient units.  Highlighted in the discussion was the importance of the Section’s initiatives, including the idea of “the Paperless Committee”.

It was pointed out that with the advancement of globalization, the relevance of NGO participation in the work of the Organization was ever increasing, as was involvement of the private sector.  Particularly important were communications with NGOs from developing countries, in particular Africa, and several speakers expressed hope that the Section’s new strategies would allow it to overcome the problem of their low representation.  In connection with the special outreach programme and an Internet network, several speakers drew attention to the problem of the digital divide between the North and the South, saying that it was

necessary to provide assistance to developing countries’ NGOs and organize training sessions for them. 

Information about the NGOs considered today is contained in documents E/C.2/2002/R.2/Add.6-15, E/C.2/2002/CRP.3 and E/C.2/2002/CRP.5.

The Committee will continue its work at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 16 January.

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