Committee on NGOs

7^th & 8^th Meetings (AM & PM)

Approving 19 Applications, Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations

 

Postpones 24, Recommends Reclassification of 1 Group

 

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), entering its fourth day of examining applications for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, today added 19 groups to the more than 3,500 it has accredited since its creation in 1946.

The Committee also reclassified the status of one NGO while postponing its consideration of 24 applications, pending responses to questions posed by its members.

The 19-member body recommends general, special or roster status on the basis of an applicant’s mandate, governance and financials, among other criteria.  Once accredited, NGOs can attend meetings of the Economic and Social Council and enjoy different levels of benefits, depending on status.  Those with general and special status can speak during Council meetings, with the former also allowed to propose agenda items.  NGOs with roster status are more restricted.

Recommended for special status today were the following non-governmental organizations:  Umuada Igbo Nigeria; Union Syndicale des Agriculteurs; World Toilet Organisation Limited; American Medical College of Homeopathy; Asociatia “Fondul International de Cooperare si Parteneriat al Marii Negre si Marii Caspice”; Foundation for Women; Global Foundation for Democracy and Development, Inc.; and JACE (Japan Asia Cultural Exchanges).

Also recommended for special status were:  MIROSLAVA International Alliance; Mosaic; Population Media Center, Inc.; Science of Spirituality, Inc.; St. Louis Aquacenter Inc.; Zoï Environment Network; Asociación Centro Indígena para el Desarrollo Sostenible; Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir Córdoba; International Services Association; Anchor of Salvation International Ministries; and Deutsches Komitee für UN Women e.V.

The Committee recommended the reclassification of Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo from special to general status.

It postponed action on the following applicants:  Organisation for Gender, Civic Engagement & Youth Development; Society of Iranian Women Advocating Sustainable Development of Environment; WWT (Wespak Welfare Trust); Youth Net and Counselling; Association des Populations des Montagnes du Monde; EG Justice; KinderEnergy Inc.; Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Inc. Education Fund; Muslim Aid; and Organizzazione Internazionale Protezione Animali.

Also deferred were the applications of:  Peace X Peace TR; Population Matters; Segretariato Permanente dei Premi Nobel per la Pace; The International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons; The Rockefeller Foundation; Türkiye Yesilay Cemiyeti; Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church; Worldwide Coalition for Peace Inc.; World Shelter Organisation; Association Tierra Incógnita; Afrikaanse Forum vir Burgerregte; Geneva Institute for Human Rights; Fondation Alkarama; and the Global Network for Rights and Development.

During their interactive dialogue with applicants, Committee members posed questions about, among other things, their funding sources and partners, including links to opposition and terrorist groups.  Their human rights monitoring activities in various countries, notably Syria and Sudan, also came under scrutiny as members sought additional information on their sources of information on violations and clarifications relating to content posted on their websites.  Algeria’s representative, speaking in his capacity as an observer, asked the Committee to reject the application of the Switzerland-based Fondation Alkarama because one of its founding members, currently serving as its legal adviser, was a terrorist wanted by the Algerian Government.

In other business today, the members elected Peter Verbrugghe ( Belgium) as a Committee Vice-Chair.

Participating in today’s exchanges were representatives of Belgium, Morocco, United States, Israel, Sudan, Cuba, China, Venezuela, Russian Federation, Turkey, Bulgaria, Pakistan, Nicaragua and India.  A representative of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See also took part.

Representatives of Singapore and Cyprus participated as observers.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Friday, 25 January, to continue its review of deferred applicants.

Special Consultative Status

The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the following non-governmental organizations:

Umuada Igbo Nigeria — a national organization promoting the participation of Igbo women in creating a peaceful community;

Union Syndicale des Agriculteurs — an international organization in Togo working to improve the living conditions of farmers;

World Toilet Organisation Limited — a Singapore-based international organization seeking to improve sanitation practices;

American Medical College of Homeopathy — an international organization providing essential knowledge and skills for the practice of homeopathic medicine;

Asociatia “Fondul International de Cooperare si Parteneriat al Marii Negre si Marii Caspice” — an international organization in Romania monitoring democratization in Black Sea and Caspian Sea States;

Foundation for Women — a United States-based international organization seeking to eradicate global poverty through microcredit programmes;

Global Foundation for Democracy and Development, Inc. — a United States-based organization promoting social, economic and democratic development in the Dominican Republic and the Americas;

JACE ( Japan Asia Cultural Exchanges) — a national organization applying cross-cultural programmes to help poor Asian children;

MIROSLAVA International Alliance — a filmmaking organization in Ukraine promoting peace, security and human rights;

Mosaic — a United States-based international organization developing services for people with disabilities;

Population Media Center, Inc. — a national organization in the United States striving to improve health and well-being through serialized radio and television dramas;

Science of Spirituality, Inc. — a United States-based international organization helping people learn meditation for spiritual fulfilment and inner peace;

St. Louis Aquacenter Inc. — an international organization in the United States supporting grassroots research and projects on water conservation, biodiversity, climate change, coral ecology and ecosystem sustainability;

Zoï Environment Network — a Switzerland-based international organization focused on revealing connections between the environment and society;

Asociación Centro Indígena para el Desarrollo Sostenible — a national organization in Peru working for the well-being of Amazonian indigenous peoples;

Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir Córdoba — a national organization in Argentina seeking to foster discussion and action on reproductive rights, sexuality and health;

International Services Association — an organization focused on sustainable health and development for vulnerable communities in India;

Anchor of Salvation International Ministries — a United States organization helping to alleviate human suffering and raising awareness of drug and crime prevention; and

Deutsches Komitee für UN Women e.V. — a national organization working for gender equality in Germany.

Reclassification

The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council reclassify the following NGO from special to general consultative status:

Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo — an international organization in the Dominican Republic seeking to further research, public understanding, capacity and public-policy strategies for social, economic, and democratic development.

Action Postponed

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

Organisation for Gender, Civic Engagement & Youth Development — a national organization working to eradicate poverty and promote gender equality in Cameroon;

Society of Iranian Women Advocating Sustainable Development of Environment — a national NGO committed to environmental preservation and education for rural women;

WWT (Wespak Welfare Trust) — a national organization dedicated to establishing educational institutions and libraries in Pakistan;

Youth Net and Counselling — a national organization in Malawi working towards a society free of HIV/AIDS;

Association des Populations des Montagnes du Monde — a France-based international organization promoting sustainable mountain development;

EG Justice — a United States-based international organization focused on improving governance, accountability, and development in Equatorial Guinea;

KinderEnergy Inc. — a national organization in the United States working to empower children to become environmental leaders;

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Inc. Education Fund — a national NGO in the United States fostering respect for human life from conception to natural death;

Muslim Aid — an international organization in the United Kingdom supporting victims of natural disasters, poor people and other marginalized populations;

Organizzazione Internazionale Protezione Animali — an international organization in Italy protecting the rights of animals;

Peace X Peace TR — a United States-based international NGO promoting women’s empowerment, equality, leadership and role as peacebuilders;

Population Matters — a national charity in the United Kingdom aiming to raise awareness of the damaging environmental, social and economic impacts of population growth;

Segretariato Permanente dei Premi Nobel per la Pace — a national NGO in Italy promoting the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates and monitoring the activities of Nobel Peace Prize recipients;

The International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons — a United Kingdom-based international NGO seeking the banning of uranium in conventional weapons and weapon systems, and compensation for communities affected by them;

The Rockefeller Foundation — a United States-based international NGO seeking broader distribution of globalization’s benefits and shouldering of economic, health and environmental challenges;

Türkiye Yesilay Cemiyeti (Green Crescent Society) — a national NGO in Turkey fighting addiction to substances, gambling, prostitution and the Internet;

Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church — a national NGO in the United States striving for spiritual growth, leadership development and justice in more than 100 countries;

Worldwide Coalition for Peace Inc. — a United States-based international NGO dedicated to conflict resolution through intelligent and civil discourse;

World Shelter Organisation — an NGO in India providing shelter to homeless people in developing and underdeveloped countries;

Association Tierra Incógnita — a national organization helping Latin American migrants in Switzerland;

Afrikaanse Forum vir Burgerregte — a national NGO working for democracy and socio-economic development, and to protect minority human rights in South Africa;

Geneva Institute for Human Rights — an international organization in Switzerland focused on training Arabs in human rights and the rule of law;

Fondation Alkarama — a Switzerland-based international NGO promoting human rights and universal access to justice in the Arab world; and

Global Network for Rights and Development — an international organization in Norway supporting institutions active in development and human rights programmes.

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For information media • not an official record