Committee on NGOs                                          

9^th & 10^th Meetings (AM & PM)                                

Committee on NGOs Recommends Consultative Status for 8 Groups, Reclassification

for Another, Postpones Consideration of 34 Applications

 

Members Support Request for Withdrawal of Status for 1 Organization

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) today recommended eight entities for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and the reclassification of another, and postponed consideration of 30 applications.

In other decisions, the 19-member Committee recommended the withdrawal of consultative status from one organization, acting on a request by the representative of Iraq, and deferred one application until its next session.

General, special or roster status is granted in accordance with such criteria as the applicant’s mandate, governance and financial regime.  Organizations enjoying general and special status can attend meetings of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and circulate statements, while those with general status can, in addition, address meetings and propose agenda items.  Roster-status NGOs can only attend meetings.

The Committee recommended special consultative status for the following NGOs:

Samaj Kalyan Unnayan Shagstha, a national organization in Bangladesh which tries to improve the socio-economic conditions of poor people and enable them to live free from illiteracy, ill health, malnutrition, starvation, deprivation, discrimination and all kinds of exploitation;

Swami Vivekanand Samaj Seva Samsthe–Sutagatti, a national organization in India which promotes people’s participation in development projects and conducts women’s development programmes;

Center for Policy Studies, an international organization based in the Russian Federation which seeks to help strengthen the international security and non-proliferation regimes;

Global Witness, an international organization headquartered in the United Kingdom which investigates and campaigns to prevent natural resource-related conflict and corruption and associated environmental and human rights abuses;

Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries, a national organization in the Netherlands which seeks to contribute to a free, fair and sustainable world;

Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International, a national organization in Switzerland which strives for a humanitarian sector with a trusted and widely accepted accountability framework, that is transparent and accessible to all relevant parties;

International Confederation of Childhood Cancer Parent Organisations, an international organization headquartered in Spain which aims to promote the sharing of information and experiences between groups of childhood cancer patients around the world in order to ensure the best possible access to treatment and care for children with cancer worldwide;

and Internet Society, a Switzerland-based international organization providing leadership in addressing issues confronting the future of the Internet, and the organizational home for the groups responsible for Internet infrastructure standards.

The Committee also recommended the reclassification of Femmes Afrique Solidarité from special to general status.

Pending receipt of answers to delegates’ questions, it postponed its consideration of applications submitted by:

New World Hope Organization –- a Pakistan-based international NGO striving to create awareness of education among deprived communities in order to develop better living standards for a bright future –- after questioning by the representatives of China, India and Pakistan;

People’s Life Centre -- a national organization in India which seeks the establishment of a just social order based on human values such as love, justice, equality, brotherhood, peace and harmony -– following additional questioning by Pakistan’s representative;

SAHIL -- a national organization in Pakistan providing support for victims and their families through free legal aid and psychological counselling –- after additional questioning by the representatives of Pakistan and India;

International Institute of Security & Safety Management -- an international organization headquartered in India which promotes security and safety as integral parts of human and socio-economic development -- as the representatives of Pakistan and China posed additional questions;

Agape International Spiritual Center of Truth -– a United States-based international organization dedicated to recognizing, honouring and nurturing the dignity and uniqueness of all peoples —- following additional questioning by the representatives of China and Pakistan;

Alliance Defense Fund -- an international organization with headquarters in the United States which seeks to defend and promote human rights and civil liberties recognized and protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and applicable international instruments –- after additional questioning by China’s representative;

Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers -- an international organization based in the United States which advocates technically sound public policy positions that meet the consumer and societal need for clean, safe, efficient and affordable personal transportation -- following additional questioning by the representatives of Egypt and India;

Asia Center for Human Rights -- a national organization in the Republic of Korea which aims to cultivate human resources who will engage in the establishment of a human rights protection mechanism and contribute to improving the human rights situation in the Asian region –- after additional questioning by the representatives of China, Egypt and Cuba;

Assyrian Academic Society -- an international organization based in the United States which aims to ensure a robust understanding and awareness of the Assyrian people, their history and present conditions in various forums -- following additional questioning by the representatives of Lebanon, Egypt, Qatar, Syria and Burundi;

CIEMEN–Centre Internacional Escarre per a les Minories Etniques i les Nacions -- a national organization in Spain seeking to enhance and disseminate knowledge and information on the situation of oppressed peoples -- as Turkey’s representative, supported by those of Egypt, Sudan, China, Cuba, Pakistan and Qatar, requested the closure of its application due to various repeatedly expressed concerns and its failure to respect the United Nations Charter or the sovereignty and territorial integrity of several Member States.  However, the representative of the United States, supported by those of Peru, Romania, Russian Federation, India and Dominica, requested that the Committee postpone its decision;

Christian Solidarity International -- an international organization based in Switzerland which works for the defence of human rights in general, and religious liberty in particular, on the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ‑‑ after additional questioning by the representatives of Sudan, Syria, Egypt and Pakistan;

Ecocosm Dynamics, Ltd. -- an international organization headquartered in the United States which seeks to reduce the rate of overall human consumption in the world based on the assumption that it is the cause of the current global environmental crisis –- following additional questioning by Egypt’s representative;

Erevna International Peace Centre -- an organization based in Cyprus whose aims include conflict resolution, training mediators and research in conflict-resolution methodology -- after additional questioning by Turkey’s representative;

European Foundation for Democracy -- a national organization in Belgium which aims to promote universal human rights, freedom of conscience, individual liberty, and a plurality of peaceful ideas throughout the world -– following questioning by the representatives of China, Egypt, Pakistan and Cuba;

European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) -– a Belgium-based international organization acting as a forum for the exchange of information and discussion on issues relating to renewable energy sources and representing the European renewable energy industry and research community -- as Egypt's representative requested additional clarifications;

Forest Products Associations of Canada -- a national organization providing leadership in advancing the lawful interests of forest-product companies in Canada as well as a legitimate forum for the discussion of industry issues -– after additional questioning by Egypt's representative;

Hope Medical Enterprises, Ltd. -- an international organization with headquarters in the United Kingdom which aims to empower women and young girls through education, medical counselling (on sexual health, family planning and dental hygiene), socio-cultural counselling and supporting women and girls with regard to domestic violence and harmful cultural practices –- following additional questioning by Egypt's representative;

Human Rights House Foundation –- a Norway-based international organization working to strengthen human rights organizations worldwide through the establishment of Human Rights Houses -- after additional questioning by China’s representative;

Addressing some of the questions, a representative said her organization did not condone, and had never condoned, any type of separatist activity.  It worked with and supported human rights defenders, but did not work on border issues.  It had no activities in Tibet and had ended its membership of the Voice of Tibet radio station in 2009.  The NGO was part of a large community of organizations involved in human rights and had in the past decade broadly supported joint statements on human rights issues.

On an ad hoc basis, it supported joint statements with the Norwegian Pen Club, she said, describing the Foundation’s support in 2009 for a conference organized by the Norwegian Tibet Committee and focusing on freedom of expression.  That had been its only ad hoc partnership with the Norwegian Pen Club.  The organization had had no knowledge of the existence of the Human Rights Foundation Organization until the Committee had asked about its links to that group.  While not formally linked with that group, the Human Rights House Foundation had participated in a 2009 forum held in Norway in which the Human Rights Foundation had also taken part. 

She said her NGO worked with local human rights bodies in four regions and its website had links to many others, but that did not mean it had a formal relationship with all of them.  The organization had joined coalitions of human rights organizations, mainly in Norway, to share views.  It would comply with the Russian Federation’s request to provide the Committee with its joint statements on Belarus and Azerbaijan.  She said she would provide written answers to other questions, such as those relating to the Foundation’s relationship with the Norwegian Burma Committee.

The Committee postponed its consideration of the NGO’s application.

Institute of Noah Code-7 Laws for 70 Nations -- a national organization in the United States which encourages the practice of the Seven Laws of Noah according to the teachings of Rabbi M. M. Schneerson -- as the representatives of Egypt and India noted that it had not responded to all questions from the previous session and asked additional questions;

International Confederation of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul -- an organization based in France which fights for poverty alleviation and social change, while enhancing local development capacities in 141 countries -- following additional questioning by the representatives of China, Egypt, India and Sudan;

International Dalit Solidarity Network –- an organization based in Denmark which seeks the elimination of caste-based discrimination worldwide -– after additional questioning by the representatives of India and the United States.  Switzerland’s representative informed the Committee that the NGO had participated in international conferences;

A representative said consultative status would enable the Network to evolve further its existing relationships with several United Nations entities and treaty bodies.  It did not equate caste-based discrimination with racism, and there were several United Nations entities and documents dealing with that issue, such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the General Assembly’s Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) and the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.  As to whether general comments were binding on States parties to conventions, she said they were an important tool of treaty bodies.

The network comprised members of national advocacy platforms in caste-affected countries and Dalit solidarity networks in various countries, she said.  It also had international associates such as Amnesty International and the Asian Human Rights Commission, as well as research associates, such as the New York University School of Law's Center for Human Rights and Global Justice.

The Committee postponed its consideration of the NGO’s application.

International Federation of Liberal Youth –- a group headquartered in Belgium which serves as an umbrella organization for liberal and student youth bodies worldwide, providing a forum for cooperation, exchange of resources and ideas, and intercultural learning -- as the representatives of Cuba, China, Egypt and Qatar asked additional questions;

International Foundation for Electoral Systems, Inc. -- a national organization in the United States working to give people a voice in the way in which they are governed -– following additional questioning by the representatives of Cuba and China;

International Gas Union -- an organization based in Norway which promotes the technical and economic progress of the global gas industry -- after additional questioning by China’s representative.  Egypt’s representative proposed the closure of the application because the organization was merely a union of companies, or a focal point allowing them to organize, and as such did not comply with the criteria set forth in Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31. 

The Committee postponed the application until later in the session because several members needed time to consult their capitals.

International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission -- an organization with headquarters in the United States which strives to secure the full enjoyment of human rights for all people and communities subject to discrimination or abuse on the basis of sexual orientation or expression, gender identity or expression, and/or HIV status.  Although the representatives of the United Kingdom, United States and Romania expressed “strong support” for granting the group consultative status, the representative of Qatar, Egypt and Pakistan requested more information;

International La Strada Association -- an anti-trafficking network of nine independent human rights NGOs based in the Netherlands and working from a human rights perspective in support of all trafficked persons, but with a focus on women in Central and (South) East Europe -- as China’s representative requested additional information;

International Reading Association -- an organization based in the United States and dedicated to promoting high levels of literacy for all by improving the quality of reading instruction, disseminating research and information about reading, and encouraging the lifetime reading habit -- after questioning by the representatives of Cuba and China;

Kashmiri American Council -- a national organization in the United States striving for international education and the promotion of principles of human rights and human dignity, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, self-determination and fundamental freedoms for all, irrespective of racial, religious, linguistic or sexual preferences –- following additional questioning by India’s representative;

Kosmos Associates, Inc. – a United States-based international organization seeking to build a sustainable global civilization by raising individual consciousness, dialogue among civilizations, and action to reform the United Nations more democratically and enhance the participation of civil society organizations -- as Egypt’s representative sought further clarification;

LESTIME --a national organization in Switzerland providing the lesbian community with counselling, information and support facilities, while defending the interests of its members, including those who may be subject to discrimination based on their sexual orientation or feminist commitment -- because it had not responded to delegates’ questions.

The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council withdraw consultative status from the General Federation of Iraqi Women, as requested by Iraq’s representative on 25 January (see Press Release ECOSOC/6404).  Supporting that request were the representatives of Egypt, Qatar, Peru, India, China, Burundi, Russian Federation, Colombia, Pakistan and Dominica, who all noted that the NGO was not registered in Iraq under its new laws on NGOs, was not active in the country, and was engaged in political activities aimed at undermining the new Government.

In further action, theCommittee acceded to requests by the representatives of Ethiopia, Somalia, Egypt, Russian Federation, Dominica and China to defer the application of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council until the next session, if the NGO was officially registered with the Government of Ethiopia.

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For information media • not an official record