Committee on NGOs

11^th & 12^th Meetings (AM & PM)

Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations Takes Note of 210 Quadrennial Reports

in Ongoing Effort to Monitor Increasingly Complex Dynamic with United Nations

Committee, Entering Second Week, Grants Status

To 13 More Organizations, Defers Consideration of 6

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 13 entities for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, postponed consideration of six applications and took note of 210 quadrennial reports, or “briefs” submitted by NGOs every four years outlining their activities in support of the Council and, more broadly, the United Nations.

The 19-member body also took note of seven quadrennial reports that had been deferred from previous sessions.  It deferred consideration of a report by Ukrainian World Congress until the next session, at the request of the representative of the Russian Federation.  The Committee’s quadrennial review serves as an important management tool in monitoring the complex relationship between the United Nations and the growing number of NGOs seeking and receiving consultative status with the Council.

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 and circulate statements, while those with general status can, in addition, address meetings and propose agenda items.  Roster-status NGOs can only attend meetings.  Organizations with general and special status must also submit a report every four years.

The Committee recommended special consultative status for the following NGOs:

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund, a national organization in the United States, which seeks to build public understanding, essential for the nation to continue its journey towards social and economic justice;

Life for Africa, an international organization with headquarters in the United States, which aims to provide Africa with resources that foster progress in health care and agricultural improvements, educational assistance, economic empowerment, revolutionary technology, and social and community development;

Mémorial de la Shoah, a national organization in France, which aims to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and to transmit it to subsequent generations by reckoning with issues of genocide and crimes against humanity;

National Association of Home Builders of the United States, a national non-profit trade association with a mission to enhance the climate for housing and the building industry;

National Native Title Council, a national organization in Australia, which provides a national voice for native title representative bodies and native title service providers on matters of national significance affecting the native title rights, and associated rights, of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;

Pan African Civil Society Network, an international organization with headquarters in France, aiming to accelerate African social and economic development.  It seeks to mobilize and to capacitate African civil society to participate in global, regional and national efforts to realize the Millennium Development Goals;

Sacro Militare Ordine Costantiniano di San Giorgio, an international NGO in Italy, which pursues projects in southern Italy and in Africa to assist poor and sick;

Schweizerische Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Jugendverbände, a national organization in Switzerland, which promotes the democratic participation of children and youth in Switzerland, advocating that democratic participation can become a lifestyle through a purely organizational principle and later lead to social change;

Verband Entwicklungspolitik Deutscher Nichtregierungs-Organisationen, a national NGO in Germany that serves as umbrella organization of independent and church-related NGOs working in the fields of development cooperation, emergency assistance, development education, and advocacy;

Women against Violence in Europe, an international organization in Austria, which is a network of European women’s NGOs working to end violence against women and children by gathering information related to male violence against women and children; exchanging information on women’s organisations, research, applicable laws and prevention strategies; and influencing national, European and international policies on violence, among other things;

Womensport International, a Norway-based international organization, which encourages increased opportunities and positive changes for women and girls at all levels of involvement in sport and physical activity;

Victorious Youth Movement, a national organization in Cameroon, working to fight against HIV/AIDS, conserve the environment, empower youth and women and revitalize agriculture and protect human rights; and

Plan International, an international NGO working to achieve lasting improvements in the quality of life of deprived children in developing countries, through a process that unites people across cultures and adds meaning and value to their lives.

The Committee postponed its consideration of applications submitted by the following groups:

Kosmos Associates, Inc., an international organization based in the United States, which seeks to build a new global civilization and world community, by taking a comprehensive approach that includes raising individual consciousness, dialogue among civilizations for understanding different worldviews, individual and group action to reform the United Nations and to build political, economic and civil systems that meet the needs of a globalized world.  Venezuela’s representative asked for documents proving its establishment;

Program in International Human Rights Law, a United States-based international NGO working to further the teaching and study of international human rights law at Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis; promote scholarship in international human rights law; and assist human rights governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental organizations on related projects.  Venezuela’s representative asked about additional funding sources;

Search for Common Ground, a United States-based international NGO, working to transform the way the world handles conflict — away from adversarial approaches and towards collaborative problem solving, which involves working with local partners.  Venezuela’s delegate asked for a breakdown of funding received from Governments and whether it operated in other regions;

National Committee for UNIFEM in Finland, a national organization in Finland, which aims to support the work and goals of United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and to promote of women’s human rights.  India’s delegate asked whether the NGO had responded to a question the Committee had posed on 28 May;

Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a United States-based international organization, providing education on harms caused by the “war on drugs”, working to involve youth in the political process, and promoting an open, honest, and rational discussion of alternative solutions to the nation’s drug problems.  Pakistan’s delegate said its responses required clarity, particularly on whether drug trafficking should be punishable by law; and

Sudanese Mothers for Peace, a United Kingdom-based international organization working to advance education, relieve poverty and empower women; provide recreation facilities for those in need and work towards rapid and full implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace, and security.  Additional questions from Sudan’s representative concerned the location of the NGO in Sudan, the content of a forum to be held in his country and whether the NGO was “a friend” of the International Criminal Court.  Morocco’s delegate asked about its relationship with the Moroccan Hassenite Women’s Organization.

The Committee also took note of most of the new quadrennial reports contained in documents E/C.2/2011/2 and E/C.2/2011/2/Add.1 through Add.15, putting forward queries to only a handful of organizations.

As for a report from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty (document E/C/2/2011/Add.1), China’s delegate requested information about fact-finding trips that had been undertaken in China and a class taught at a Chinese University.

Concerning a report by International PEN (document E/C/2/2011/Add.4), Cuba’s delegate asked about human rights abuse cases, while China’s representative wondered about its engagement with the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council.

Regarding a report by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (document E/C.2/2011/2/Add.7), Pakistan’s delegate asked about its activities and how it had promoted Millennium Development Goal 1 (end poverty and hunger).

When the Committee turned to quadrennial reports deferred from previous sessions (document E/C.2/2011/CRP.2), Cuba’s delegate asked the CIVICUS – World Alliance for Citizen Participation, which had submitted its 2004-2007 report, about information it had provided to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  Nicaragua’s delegate asked about the countries in which the organization operated.

Regarding the 2003-2006 report of Freedom House, Cuba’s delegate asked about its views on the Annual Ministerial Review, while Venezuela’s representative asked about the names of Venezuelan delegates participating in a 2006 panel, and for the conclusions of that panel.

On the 2005-2008 report of Human Rights Watch, Sudan’s delegate asked about its advocacy with the International Criminal Court, while the delegates of Cuba and Venezuela asked, respectively, why not all the NGO’s activities were included in the report, and about activities in Latin America, especially those to ensure States ratified the Rome Statute.  The representatives of China and Nicaragua asked about the sources of information used in various economic and social reports.

On the 2003-2006 report of the International Network of Liberal Women, Cuba’s representative asked the organization to be more precise about who its partners were.

Regarding two reports of the International Press Institute, for the 2001-2004 and 2005-2008 periods, China’s representative said the NGO had invited the Dalai Lama to its meetings and his Government had not received an answer to that question, asked on 6 April.  Nicaragua’s delegate asked for more information on activities not detailed in its quadrennial report, while Sudan’s representative asked whether Africa had been included in its press freedom missions.

As for the 2005-2008 report of the International Union of Socialist Youth China’s delegate asked about campaigns carried out on Millennium Development Goals and its participation in the Human Rights Council.

Regarding the report of Reporters Sans Frontiers International, Cuba’s delegate inquired about information the NGO had submitted to the Human Rights Council in 2007, while Nicaragua’s representative asked about assistance granted to the families of detained journalists.

The report of the Society for Threatened People raised questions with China’s representative, who said the NGO had criticized the human rights situations of Member States.  She wondered how the NGO obtained its information.  Sudan’s delegate asked for more information on statements about “ending impunity”, in which it had specifically mentioned Sudan.  On that point, Belgium’s delegate said there was an issue of confidentiality of sources in the case of journalists, and noted that a balance must be achieved with regard to China’s question.

Perhaps the most spirited morning debate centred on Amnesty International, following the submission last week by the United States’ delegation of a draft decision (document E/C.2/2011/L.1), which would have had the Committee take note of the group’s report.  Today, Cuba’s representative insisted that the NGO respond to a question it had posed about five Cuban citizens imprisoned in North America.  The United States’ delegate argued that the NGO already had responded to two rounds of questioning by the Committee.  To bridge that divide, India’s representative proposed that information from the group’s website be printed for delegations, with a view to resolving the matter.  Acting on that suggestion, that material was distributed and the Committee took note of the NGO’s report.

The Committee ultimately did not need to take action on the draft decision.

In the Committee’s traditional question-and-answer period, a representative of the International Organization for Victim Assistance said his group was working to establish partnerships with agencies and institutions in Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Uganda.  While it had limited resources, its main goal was to promote policy change related to crime victims and to assist emergency workers — health workers and police, for example — in order to respond to those victims.  The NGO had worked in Rwanda and been invited to help in Northern Uganda and in the United Republic of Tanzania.

As to victims helped by the NGO, he said the main goals were to promote the principles of justice for victims of crime and abuse of power, who included families of homicide, and victims of rape and robbery, and other crimes defined in national criminal codes.  The Board consisted of experts in that area.

As for coordinating with Governments, he said that, in Latin America, his organization had received invitations from Mexico, Ecuador and the Supreme Court of Venezuela.  It had been invited to meetings by the Venezuelan Ministry of Justice.  It also had been invited to Argentina by city-level government.  His most recent travel to Venezuela had been funded by Canada to arrange workshops with the Ministry of Justice and the Central University of Venezuela.

The Committee then turned its attention to the organization Students for Sensible Drug Policy, whose representative said that the organization neither condemned nor condoned drug use or drug trafficking, but felt that people did have the right to act autonomously as long as they did not harm others.  Many countries had “ballooning” crime rates as a result of “bad drug policy”.  It was also working to support the Millennium Development Goal targets on youth participation in decision-making, harm reduction around HIV/AIDS and other areas.

Additionally, a second representative of the organization, who had come from Colombia and represented the country’s youth population, stated that the NGO wished to present the magnitude of the problems created by drug policies worldwide.

The Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 8 February, to consider new and deferred applications for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.

The Committee took note of the following quadrennial reports submitted by non-governmental organizations:

Report E/C.2/2011/2 — 11 organizations:  African Services Committee, Inc; Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University; Building and Social Housing Foundation; Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Senioren-Organisationen; Child Care Consortium China Education Association for International Exchange; Federation of National Representations of the Experiment in International Living; General Confederation of Trade Unions; Incorvuz-XXI; Institut de politique familiale; International Chamber of Commerce; and International Communities for the Renewal of the Earth (ICRE).

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.1 — 12 organizations:  Centro di Ricerca e Documentazione Febbraio 74; Conectas Direitos Humanos; Dominican Leadership Conference; Inter-American Parliamentary Group on Population and Development; International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB); International Council of Chemical Associations; International Federation of Inspection Agencies; International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions; International Young Catholic Students JMJ Children’s Fund of Canada; Kids First Fund; Macedonian Center for International Cooperation; and Network “Earth Village”.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.2 — 12 organizations:  Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy; Deniz Feneri Yardimlasma ve Dayanisma Dernegi; Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe; HELIO International; International Fund for Animal Welfare; International Society of Doctors for the Environment; International Women’s Democracy Center; Junior Chamber International; Native American Rights; Peace Boat; Rainforest Foundation; and World Federalist Movement.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.3 — 16 organizations:  8^th Day Center for Justice; American Society of Safety Engineers; Americans for UNFPA, Inc.; Asian Migrant Centre (AMC); Assembly of First Nations - National Indian Brotherhood; Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR); Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa; China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS); Friends World Committee for Consultation; Fundacion para Estudio Investigacion de la Mujer; Greenpeace International; Hope for Africa; International Energy Foundation; International Women’s Writing Guild; International Women’s Year Liaison Group; and Urban Justice Center.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.4 contained the following 16 organizations:  African Youth Movement; AFS Inter-Cultural Programs, Inc.; Amman Center for Human Rights Studies; Baptist World Alliance; Center for Oceans Law and Policy (COLP); Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs; Interregional Union of Life Help for Mentally Handicapped Persons “Sail of Hope”; Italian Association for Aid to Children; Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS); Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, Inc.; Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP); National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas; Organization for Defending Victims of Violence; Women’s Welfare Centre; and Youth Empowerment Alliance, Inc.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.5 contained the following 16 organizations:  African American Islamic Institute; Anti-Slavery International; Asian Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Network (AITPN); Baha’i International Community; Federation Europeenne des Femmes Actives au Foyer; Global Alliance for Women’s Health; Human Resource Development Foundation; International Association of Ports and Harbors; International Federation of Family Associations of Missing Persons from Armed Conflicts; International First Aid Society; Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers; Sinha Institute of Medical Science and Technology; Tiye International; To Love Children Educational Foundation International; Unione Intercontinentale Casallinghe; World for World Organization.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.6 — 11 organizations:  Agence d’aide a la cooperation technique et au developpement; Association des Etats Generaux des Etudiants de l’Europe; Indonesian Child Welfare Foundation; LatCrit; Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany; Medico International; Population Reference Bureau; Presbyterian Church (USA); Winvisible - Women with Visible and Invisible Disability; Women Against Rape; and World Information Transfer.

There are 14 in report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.7 — 13 organizations:  A Centre for the World Religions; Associacao de Mulheres Contra a Violencia; Association of Former Diplomats of China; BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights; Brazilian Foundation of America; Canadian Race Relations Foundation; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; DiploFoundation; Egyptian Organization for Human Rights; Imamia Medics International; Mujer para la Mujer A.C.; National Center for State Courts; and Parliamentarians for Global Action.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.8 — 15 organizations:  Action Aides aux Familles Demunies; Architectes de l’urgence; Association Internationale de Lutte Contre la Pauvrete et pour le Developpement (AIPED); Centre Europe - Tiers Monde; Comité International pour le Respect et l’Application de la Charte Africaine des Droits de l’Homme et des Peuples (CIRAC); Dominicans for Justice and Peace - Order of Preachers; Exchange and Cooperation Centre for Latin America; Groupe pivot/Droit et Citoyenneté des femmes; Ingenieurs du Monde; Institut de la gestion déléguée; Society for Comparative Legislation; Tchad agir pour l’environnement; Union Nationale de la Femme Tunisienne; World Organisation Against Torture; and World Road Association.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.9 — 15 organizations:  Al-khoei Foundation; Argentine Society of Pediatrics; Associazione Comunita Papa Giovanni XXIII; CIBJO - The World Jewellery Confederation; China Association for International Science and Technology Cooperation; European Federation for Transport and Environment; Health on the Net Foundation (HON); International Committee for Arab-Israeli Reconciliation; International Research Foundation for Development; National Rehabilitation and Development Center (NRDC); New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council; Political and Ethical Knowledge on Economic Activities; Rooftops Canada; Save Africa Concerts Foundation; and Teresian Association.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.10 — 14 organizations:  AAHUNG; Asociacion Civil Consorcio Desarrollo y Justicia; Association “For Sustainable Human Development”; Association of Medical Doctors of Asia; Eco-Accord - Center for Environment and Sustainable Development; Half the Sky Foundation; International Association of Y’s Men’s Clubs; International Coastal and Ocean Organization; International Council of Voluntary Agencies; International Council on Jewish Social and Welfare Services; Oxfam International; Rainforest Foundation International; Vital Voices Global Partnership; and World Peace and Economic Development Organization.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.11 — 13 organizations:  CARE (Christian Action Research and Education); Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament; Commonwealth Human Ecology Council; Drug Free America Foundation; Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration; Gram Bharati Samiti; International Association for Humanitarian Medicine Brock Chisholm; International Federation of Settlements and Neighbourhood Centres; International Federation of Women Lawyers; International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication; International Union for the Scientific Study of Population; Korea Freedom League; and Korea International Volunteer Organization (KVO).

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.12 — 11 organizations:  Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid; Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO); Netherlands Centre for Indigenous Peoples (NCIV); Network of East-West Women; Physicians for Social Responsibility; Rozan; Seniors Espanoles para la Cooperaci Technica; Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (OSMTH); UBUNTU-World Forum of Civil Society Networks; United Nations Watch; and Universal Esperanto Association.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.13 — 14 organizations:  Austrian Federal Economic Chamber; Institute for Energy and Environmental Research; Institute of International Sociology of Gorizia; International Association of Lions Clubs; International Center for Research on Women (ICRW); International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID); International Health Awareness Network; International Institute for Non-aligned Studies; International Network for Sustainable Energy; International Union of Psychological Science; Kiwanis International; Korean National Council of Women; Real Women of Canada; and Rehabilitation International.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.14 — 11 organizations:  Family Health International; Group of 78; Imam Al-Sadr Foundation; Institute of Global Education; International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage; International Relations Students’ Association of McGill University; Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women (KFAW); School Sisters of Notre Dame; Vikas Samiti; Women’s Crisis Centre; and World Federation of Trade Unions.

Report E/C.2/2011/2/Add.15 — 2 organizations:  Fondation Chantal Biya; and Women in Law and Development in Africa.

In an “exceptional” situation, the Committee took note of a quadrennial report of Plan International, and subsequently recommended its reclassification from roster to special status.

On that point, Committee Chair Aydan Karamanoğlu ( Turkey) recalled that at its meeting on 3 February 2010, during consideration of the application of Plan Sweden, it had been brought to delegates’ attention that Plan Sweden was part of an umbrella organization, Plan International.  The Committee had requested a report from Plan International for the 2011 regular session, with a view to considering a recommendation of reclassification of its status, as the Committee deemed appropriate.

The Committee also took note of the following deferred quadrennial reports, contained in document E/C.2/2011/CRP.2:  Amnesty International (2004-2007); Heritage Foundation (2003-2006); Human Rights Internet (2003-2006); International Association of Judges (2005-2008); International Federation for Human Rights Leagues (2004-2007); Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights (JKCHR); and Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty.

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For information media • not an official record