NGO COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS EIGHT ORGANIZATIONS FOR CONSULTATIVE STATUS

WITH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, DEFERS SEVEN APPLICATIONS

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended eight non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and deferred seven applications.  Pending issuance of the relevant documents, it recommended ad referendum consultative status for three NGOs. 

The 19-member Committee uses various criteria to recommend general, special or roster status with ECOSOC, including the applicant’s mandate, governance and financial regime.  Organizations that have general and special consultative status can attend meetings of the Council and circulate statements of a certain length.  Those with general status can, in addition, speak at meetings and propose items for the Council’s agenda, while NGOs with roster status can only attend meetings.

The Committee recommended that ECOSOC grant special consultative status to:

-- Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics, an international, United States-based organization aiming to develop and implement social policies that preserve and enhance freedom of thought; and

-- Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc., a national organization in the United States that wants to improve the quality of life for Latino children and families and to be a voice for the Latino community.

The Committee confirmed yesterday’s decisions ad referendum to recommend special consultative status to:

-- Asociación Nacional Cívica Femenina, a national organization based in Mexico working to contribute to the wealth of Mexico through women’s participation in civic education and the development of a culture of respect for women’s dignity;

-- China Environmental Protection Foundation, a national organization from China, aiming to promote environmental protection in China;

-- Friends of the Disabled Association, a national organization based in Lebanon working in the area of children with learning disabilities;

-- Institution Nationale de Solidarité avec les Femmes en Détresse, a Morocco-based national organization that supports women and children in distress;

-- International Association of Applied Psychology, an international organization headquartered in Germany, which is an international network of scientists in the area of applied psychology; and

-- International Holistic Tourism Education Centre, a national organization from Canada, dedicated to developing global sustainability education programmes that educate young people through tourism as a vital force for peace.

Pending issuance of relevant documents in the six official languages of the United Nations, the Committee recommended, ad referendum, special consultative status for National Council on Family Relations and Yemeni Women Union, as well as roster status for Literacy Tech Foundation.

The Committee deferred a decision on the application from BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights -- a national organization based in Bethlehem that provides professional analysis and information regarding the situation of Palestinian refugees to the United Nations human rights system -- as Germany’s representative asked if the NGO had ever dealt with the issue of terrorism.  The representative of Cuba wanted to know if the organization made a distinction between terrorism and national liberation movements, while the representative of the United States asked the organization’s position regarding the land issue between Israel and Palestine.  The Observer of Palestine voiced strong support for the application.

The Committee also deferred the applications from:

-- International Association for Integration, Dignity and Economic Advancement, IDEA, an International organization based in the United States, representing people who have been affected by leprosy, as Cuba’s representative asked a question about the NGO’s activities;

-- People in Need, a national organization from the Czech Republic, which wants to give effective assistance and support to people in need in crises, disasters and post-conflict regions, as Cuba’s representative asked about the NGO’s relationship with a “centre for free Cuba”;

-- Netherlands Humanist Committee on Human Rights, a national organization that aims to contribute to the realization of human rights worldwide, as Cuba’s representative asked how the NGO selected countries for its projects, including the criteria used;

-- Osservatorio per la Comunicazione Culturale e l’Audiovisivo nel Mediterraneo e nel Mondo, an international organization based in Italy, working in the field of information and communication technologies for development, since delegates needed more time to study answers provided;

-- Centre for Inquiry, an international organization based in the United States, which works to advance the cause of reason, science and free inquiry in all fields of human endeavour and develop rational ethical alternatives, as delegates needed more time to study answers given by the NGO’s representative at the meeting; and

--Unión de Asociaciones Familiares, a national organization in Spain, advocating and mediating for families.

The Committee members are:  Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Iran, Peru, Pakistan, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sudan, Turkey, United States, and Zimbabwe.

The Committee will meet again on Monday, 9 May, at 10 a.m. to consider new applications as well as complaints by Member States.

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