Committee on NGOs

16^th Meeting (AM)

Committee on NGOS Concludes Session, Adopts Report Recommending 159 Organizations

for Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council

 

Wrapping up the first part of its regular session, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today adopted its draft 2013 report, which contains the list of 159 NGOs recommended for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.

Committee Chair Marghoob Saleem Butt ( Pakistan) thanked the Secretariat and fellow delegates for their consistent support and efficiency, which had helped the 19-member body review a total of 355 applications between 21 and 30 January.  Looking ahead, he said:  “I expect the same kind of productive session in May.”

The Committee recommends general, special or roster consultative status on the basis of an applicant’s mandate, governance and financials, among other criteria.  Organizations enjoying general and special status can attend Council meetings and make oral statements, or circulate written statements.  In addition, those with general status may recommend items for the Council’s provisional agenda.  Roster status organizations can attend meetings, but submit statements only if requested by the Council or Secretary-General.  Groups with general and special status must also submit a report every four years.

The highlights of the just-concluded session included an assertion by several Committee members that some NGOs had clearly been more scrutinized than others and had become victims of discrimination.

At the outset of today’s meeting, Rapporteur Eduardo López (Peru) introduced the draft report on the Committee’s 2013 regular session (document E/C.2/2013/L.1/Rev.1), highlighting some details:  Along with the 159 NGOs recommended for status, the Committee deferred 180 others for further consideration at its forthcoming session in May, while closing 15 applications that had failed to respond to queries over two consecutive sessions, despite three reminders.  It took note of one NGO that had withdrawn its application, and granted three of the six requests for reclassification of consultative status, while also taking note of four of the five requests for name change.  The Committee also took note of 277 of the 299 quadrennial reports submitted by NGOs.  The Committee had interactive dialogue with 21 representatives of the 47 NGOs that had attended the session.

The report will be submitted to the Economic and Social Council for action.

The Committee will meet again 21-30 May.

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For information media • not an official record