As Session Suspends, Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommends 23 Groups for Consultative Status, Postpones Action on 44

Committee Urged to View Civil Society as ‘Partners’ in Realizing Sustainable Development Goals

Suspending its 2016 resumed session pending one final day of work, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 23 organizations for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, while deferring action on 44 organizations.

The Committee also decided to withdraw 85 organization applications for consultative status that had not responded to the Committee’s last three requests for information.  The immediate suspension of 158 organizations was also recommended for a period of one year, pursuant to the Economic and Social Council resolution 2008/4 (document E/C.2/2016/CRP.13), and the request for reclassification of World Evangelical Alliance’s consultative status was closed.

During the half-day session, the Committee set dates for the 2017 regular session, commencing 30 January through 8 February and then again on 21 February.  Following that, the resumed session would then commence on 22 May through 31 May, and again on 12 June.  Also approved was the provisional agenda for the 2017 session (document E/C.2/2016/L.1).  The Committee’s draft report was introduced by Rapporteur Farid Jabrayilov (Azerbaijan) (document E/C.2/2016/CRP.19).

Reflecting on the events of the session, the representative of the European Union, an observer, stressed that civil society’s voice must be heard as it was the lifeblood of open and democratic societies noted that.  He urged that all delegations view such organizations as partners, emphasizing that they made valuable contributions to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.  Drawing attention to the disproportionate number of rejections, he underscored that such practice had raised strong concerns.

While expressing support to the rules of procedure, Australia’s representative, also participating as an observer State (on behalf of Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland), questioned the Committee’s spirit.  It was unfortunate that the applications of some human rights organizations were blocked due to political purposes.  Stressing the need for webcasting, she pointed out that it would enable organizations with applications being considered to watch the meetings online.

Action on several applications was postponed because Committee members requested further information from the candidates about, among other items, details of their respective organizations’ projects, partners, expenditures, sources of funding and possible contribution to the United Nations’ work.

The 19-member Committee vets applications submitted by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), recommending general, special or roster status on the basis of such criteria as the applicant’s mandate, governance and financial regime.  Organizations enjoying general and special status can attend meetings of the Council and issue statements, while those with general status can also speak during meetings and propose agenda items.  Organizations with roster status can only attend meetings.

The Committee will reconvene on 10 June to conclude its resumed session.

Special Consultative Status

The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the following 23 organizations:

Asociación Civil Hecho por Nosotros (Argentina);

Dayemi Foundation (Bangladesh);

Sanad Charity Foundation (Sudan);

Action on Disability and Development (United Kingdom);

Advocacy Initiative for Development (AID) (United States);

BJD Reinsurance Consulting, LLC. (United States);

Campagne Internationale pour l'Abolition des Armes Nucléaires (Switzerland);

Differenza Donna - Associazione di donne contro la violenza alle Donne — ONLUS (Italy);

Dreikönigsaktion - Hilfswerk der Katholischen Jungschar (Austria);

Geo Expertise Association (Switzerland);

Global Zero (United States);

HackerNest (Canada);

Institute for International Women's Rights - Manitoba Inc. (Canada);

Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of the Social Solidarity Economy (Canada);

Kehitysyhteistyöjärjestöjen EU-yhdistys KEHYS ry, EU-plattformen för finländska biständsorganisationer KEHYS rf (Finland);

Profugo (United States);

Red Iberoamericana de Organizaciones No Gubernamentales que Trabajan en Drogodependencias — RIOD (Spain);

Restored (United Kingdom);

World Association for Supported Employment (United States);

DRCNet Foundation, Inc. (United States);

International Breathwork Foundation (Netherlands);

International Center for Advocates Against Discrimination (ICAAD), Inc. (United States); and

Latin American Mining Monitoring Programme (United Kingdom);

The Committee deferred applications of the following 44 organizations:

"ECO-FAWN" (Environment Conservation Organization — Foundation for Afforestation Wild Animals and Nature) (India) — as the representative of India asked for further information about its fundraising programmes and strategies.

Akhil Bharatiya Human Rights Organisation (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for an updated financial statement.

Centre for Peace, Culture and Environmental Studies (Nigeria) — as the representative of South Africa sought further information about its planned activities and projects.

Change Managers International Network Limited by Guarantee (Nigeria) — as the representative of South Africa asked where in Nigeria it planned to operate.

Creators Union of Arab (Egypt) — as the representative of Sudan asked for clarification about its current and upcoming projects and activities.

Danjuma Atta Eye Foundation (Nigeria) — as the representative of Azerbaijan sought further information about its activities and their outcomes.

Femmes unies pour un avenir meilleur (Togo) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked about its current activities.

Girls Education Mission International (Nigeria) — as the representative of South Africa inquired the location of its activities and projects.

Gulshan-e-John (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for clarification about its name change.

Int'l Centre for Women Empowerment & Child Dev. (Nigeria) — as the representative of South Africa asked for the latest financial statement.

International Human Rights Protector's Group (India) — as the representative of China noted the organization’s website did not use the correct name for Taiwan and asked for correction.  The representative of India asked how the organization intended to contribute to the work of the Economic and Social Council.

Medical Women's Association of Nigeria (Nigeria) — as the representative of South Africa asked for the list of its members.

Society to Heighten Awareness of Women and Children Abuse (Nigeria) — as the representative of South Africa asked for further information about the location of its projects.

The Voice Society (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan requested that the organization provide the sources of income.

Yay Gender Harmony (Indonesia) — as the representative of Iran asked for further information about its activities and projects.  She also inquired the organization’s relationship with the Indonesian Human Rights National Commission.  The representative of India requested that the organization provide further information about its activities in his country.

Action Against Hunger USA (United States) — as the representative of China asked about the organization’s independence given that it received funding from the Government.

Arab-European Center of Human Rights and International Law (AECHRIL) (Norway) — as the representative of Sudan asked for clarification about its structure.

Asistencia Legal por los Derechos Humanos, Asociación Civil (Mexico) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked for further information about its meetings.

Bahrain Center for Human Rights (Denmark) — as the representative of Sudan asked whether it planned to open new offices in the near future.

Center of Political Analysis and Information Security (Russian Federation) — as the representative of Iran asked whether its members worked for the Government.

Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights — as the representative of South Africa sought clarification about its educational projects.  She also inquired the meaning of “disadvantaged groups”.

Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of China asked for clarification about its information sources about North Korean people.

Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (Denmark) — as the representative of Iran asked whether the organization planned to undertake any activities in the fight against extremism and radicalization.

Forum Droghe Associazione Movimento per il Contenimento dei Danni (Italy) — as the representative of Turkey asked for further information about its partners.

Hazar Strateji Enstitüsü Derneği (Turkey) — as the representative of Iran noted that the organization did not provide an adequate answer to the question posed previously.

HealthBridge Foundation of Canada (Canada) — as the representative of South Africa asked for clarification about its activities.

Jus Cogens (United States) — as the representative of South Africa asked whether the organization dealt only with social and cultural rights in Africa.

Landsrådet for Norges barne- og ungdomsorganisasjoner (Norway) — as the representative of Turkey asked for further information about the side events.

Mangfoldhuset (Norway) — as the representative of Azerbaijan asked for further information about its sources of income.

NK Watch (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of South Africa sought information about its projects in relation to education.

Novant Health, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China expressed hope that the organization would use the correct name for Taiwan.

Vang Pao Peace Institute (United States) — as the representative of China noted that the organization had provided financial assistance to low income families in Taiwan and Laos.  She asked about its registration in those places.

Women With Disabilities Australia Inc. (Australia) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked about its future projects.  The representative of India asked for further information about the organization’s budget programme.

Women’s Voices Now Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Nicaragua sought clarification about whether the organization operated internationally.

"SEG" Civil Society Support Center NGO (Armenia) — as the representative of Azerbaijan asked for the list of its partners.

Society Without Violence Non-Governmental Organization (Armenia) — as the representative of Azerbaijan asked for further information about its rapid response unit.

The representative of Armenia requested to take the floor as an observer States.  The representative of Azerbaijan objected.  The representative of Greece expressed support to the statements delivered by observer States as they improved Committee’s work.

Fair Trials International (United Kingdom) — as the representative of South Africa asked for further information about its activities.

Fundación Acción Pro Derechos Humanos (Spain) — as the representative of Nicaragua sought information about its partners.

Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (United States) — as the representative of China asked how it intended to contribute to the work of the Economic and Social Council.

Partnership for Change (Norway) — as the representative of China asked about the outcome of the Minnesota 2015 Summit.Peace Brigades International (United Kingdom) — as the representative of South Africa asked for further information about its side events.

Sex & Samfund (Denmark) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked for the list of projects carried out since 2012.  The representative of South Africa asked for further information about the interlinkages between sexual reproductive health and rights and the environment.

The Andrey Rylkov Foundation for Health and Social Justice (Russian Federation) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked how the organization intended to contribute to the work of the Economic and Social Council.

Universal Rights Group (Switzerland) — as the representative of Iran asked for further information about the congressional hearing.  The representative of India asked whether the organization had undertaken any activities for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

World Association for Sexual Health (United Kingdom) — as the representative of South Africa asked whether sexual health and rights could replace human rights. 

The representative of Armenia, taking the floor at the end of the session as an observer State, noted that all Members should be given the floor to deliver their statements, which were beneficial for the Committee’s work.  He expressed regret that the representative of Azerbaijan was hijacking the agenda items and distorting the facts.