New Public Information Department Policy to Raise Geographic Diversity

in Latin America and Caribbean Region an Overwhelming Success

The Department of Public Information’s (DPI) Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations decided this month to accept the applications of 31 NGOs to be associated with the Department, bringing to 1,549 the total number of officially affiliated groups.

With a marked increase in the representation of NGOs from Latin America and the Caribbean in particular -- from 75 in 2008 to the current 141, an 88 per cent increase -- the new additions contribute to solidifying the trend of increasing geographic diversity among the NGOs affiliated with DPI, a result of the Department’s recently revised policy, whereby it gives priority to associating organizations based in the region hosting the annual DPI/NGO Conference.  While the event has been a staple on the United Nations calendar since 1945, it was only in 2008 that the Conference was moved away from New York Headquarters, being held in Paris that year.  In 2009 it was held in Mexico City, resulting in a surge of interest from and participation by NGOs from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Since the next Conference, to be held under the theme “Global health”, will be taking place in Australia, DPI will work closely with the United Nations Information Centres and United Nations Information Services (UNIS) in the Asia-Pacific region to encourage participation in the 63rd Annual Conference and to inform non-governmental organizations about the application process for affiliation with the Department of Public Information.

The organizations reviewed by the DPI Committee on NGOs this month covered a wide range of issues, including:  global health; education, culture and science; poverty alleviation; environment; development; freedom of expression and access to information; water; governance; reproductive health; African-Honduran rights; non-violence and human rights; rehabilitation of ex-prisoners; overcoming urban violence and promoting peace and development; public policy research; medical services; religious freedom; disability issues; Palestinian rights; global awareness; social work; and disaster relief.

The newly associated non-governmental organizations, listed alphabetically and by region, are:

Latin American and Caribbean:  American Institute of Foment to Education, Culture, and Science (IFEC) (Brazil); Asociación de Apoyo al Pequeño Trabajador y Empresario (ADAPTE) (Costa Rica); Asociación Hondureña de Juntas Administradoras de Sistemas de Agua (AHJASA) (Honduras); Asociación de Organismos No Gubernamentales (ASONOG) (Honduras); Comité por la Libre Expresión, (C-Libre) (Honduras); Federación de Organizaciones No Gubernamentales para el Desarrollo de Honduras, (FOPRIDEH) (Honduras); Fundación Para el Desarrollo Municipal (FUNDEMUN) (Honduras); Fundación para la Educación Ricardo Ernesto Maduro Andréu (FEREMA) (Honduras); Honduran Association of Family Planning (ASHONPLAFA) (Honduras); Organización de Desarrollo Étnico Comunitario (ODECO) (Honduras); Rio de Paz (Brazil); St. George East Branch Association of Village/Community Council (Trinidad and Tobago); United Nations Association of Trinidad and Tobago (UNATT) (Trinidad and Tobago); Vision on Mission (Trinidad and Tobago); and Viva Rio (Brazil).

Occupied Palestinian Territory:  International Peace and Cooperation Centre (IPCC).

United States:  92 St. Y; Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention (ATOP); Bridge Foundation Inc; Century Foundation; The Interfaith Alliance Foundation; International Mission Association; Kappa Delta Phi; Monmouth University Institute for Global Understanding (IGU); National Association of Social Workers; Operation USA; Public-Private Alliance Foundation; Roger Williams University; Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society; and NGO Health Committee.

In a comprehensive review of non-governmental organizations from around the world, the Department also formally disassociated two non-governmental organizations effective 7 December 2009:  the Committee for International Cooperation in Nation Research in Demography (CICRED) (USA), and the United Nations Association of the Czech Republic (Czech Republic).

The Directory of non-governmental organizations associated with the Department of Information is available at www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/index.asp.

For further information, please contact DPI/NGO Relations at tel.:  +1 212 963 6842 or e-mail:  dpingo@un.org.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record