Continuing Resumed Session, Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommends Special Status for 79 Entities, Defers Action on 38 others
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 79 entities for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, while deferring action on the status of 38 others.
The 19-member Committee vets applications submitted by non-governmental organizations, 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.
Action on a number of applications was postponed as Committee members requested additional information from the candidates about sources of funding, countries of operation and the ability to remain impartial and independent if the bulk of grants came from Government sources. In the afternoon, the Committee held a question-and-answer session, during which it heard from eight non-governmental organizations, granting four of them consultative status and deferring action on another four. During that session, non-governmental organizations were given the opportunity to answer questions posed by Members. Those whose applications were postponed were asked to provide additional details in writing.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 24 May, to continue its session.
Special Consultative Status
The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the following 75 organizations:
Society for Roots for Equity (Pakistan);
Société Civile Africaine sur la Société de l'Information, Réseau pour les TIC et le Développement (Senegal);
Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation (India);
Women and Media Collective (Sri Lanka);
Youth Foundation for Development, Education and Leadership (Nigeria);
Youth Social Service Organization, Pulpally (India);
Zéro pauvre A (Guinea);
ABC Tamil Oli (France);
ACE (Japan);
AMFORHT (France);
ASSOCIATION CULTURELLE DES TAMOULS EN FRANCE (France);
Adelphi Consult GmbH (Germany);
Afectividad y Sexualidad, Asociación Civil (Mexico);
Asociación Española de Directivos, A.E.D.-1996 (Spain);
Association Thendral (France);
Association d'Entraide Médicale Guinée (Switzerland);
Association of Former International Civil Servants for Development (Switzerland);
Autonomous Non-Profit Organization Ethnocultural Association Elleyada (Russian Federation);
Biedrība "Mūsdienu Latvijas Teritoriju Apdzīvojošās Krievvalodīgās Pamattautas Asociācija" (Latvia);
Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch Hall w.V. (Germany);
Caucasian Jews World Congress (Israel);
Centrul European Pentru Prevenirea Adictiilor (Romania);
Collectif haitien des droits humains (CHDH) (France);
Compassion in World Farming (United Kingdom);
Equis: Justicia para las Mujeres; (Mexico);
European Business Club Association e.V. (Germany);
European Federation of Psychologists Associations (Belgium);
European Union of the Deaf (Belgium);
Foreningen for Human Narkotikapolitikk (Norway);
Foundation Sozopol (Bulgaria);
Foundation for Environmental Stewardship (Canada);
Fédération bruxelloise des institutions pour toxicomanes (Belgium);
Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (Canada);
Gusenghwe Inc. (Republic of Korea);
HUMAN DIGNITY–HD (France);
Help Not Handcuffs (United States);
Hope for Education (France);
IMPACT Initiatives (Switzerland);
IOGT-NTO (Sweden);
Ihsan Foundation for West Africa (United States);
Initiative for Equality (United States);
Institut für Klimaschutz, Energie und Mobilität-Recht, Ökonomie und Politik e.V. (Germany);
International Doctors for Healthier Drug Policies CIC (United Kingdom);
Korea Civil Society Forum on International Development Cooperation (Republic of Korea);
Korea Disaster Relief (Republic of Korea);
Korea Food for the Hungry International (Republic of Korea);
Korea Spinal Cord Injury Association (Republic of Korea);
New York Encounter (United States);
Organization Earth (Greece);
Positive Planet (France);
Professional Women's Network Madrid (Spain);
Project 1948 Foundation (United States);
Stichting Simavi (Netherlands);
Sunfull Movement (Republic of Korea);
The Brooke (United Kingdom);
The HAMS Harm Reduction Network, Inc. (United States);
The Women Striving for Brighter Tomorrow (Republic of Korea);
Voice of the Youth (Bulgaria);
World Martial Arts Union (Republic of Korea);
Öğretmen Akademisi Vakfı (Turkey);
Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (Viet Nam);
Association Adala-Justice (Morocco);
Fundación Éforo (Argentina);
Humanitarian Care Malaysia Berhad (Malaysia);
Women's Rights Center (Armenia);
All Win Network (Netherlands);
Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation (Sweden);
Haiti Cholera Research Funding Foundation Inc (United States);
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (Republic of Korea);
Mor Çatı Kadın Sığınağı Vakfı (Turkey);
The Mary Robinson Foundation (Ireland);
Action pour la promotion du développement (Congo);
Aleradah & Altageer National Society (Bahrain);
Asociación Pro-Bienestar de la Familia Colombiana "Profamilia" (Colombia;
Aid Organization (Bangladesh).
The Committee postponed consideration of the following 36 organizations:
Tabriz Green Hearts Charity Society (Iran) — as the representative of Sudan requested additional information on the membership fee and whether it was charged equally to all members.
The Union of Non-governmental Associations "The International Non-governmental Organization "The World Union of Cossack Atamans" (Kazakhstan) — as the representative of Cuba requested additional information on how it implemented a large quantity of projects on only 3 per cent of its budget.
Uganda Youth Development Link (Uganda) — as the representative of Pakistan requested additional information on its sources of funding.
Wockhardt Foundation (India) — as the representative of China requested it to clarify its connection with the Dalai Lama and separatist groups.
Arab Center for the Promotion of Human Rights (United States) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested specifics on its funding.
Centre universitaire de droit international humanitaire (Switzerland) — as the representative of Turkey requested further information on organizational matters.
Children's Hope India, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of India requested a list of its partners in India and more detail on its projects.
Commonwealth Medical Trust (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested additional information on what countries it works in.
Congres mondial Amazigh (France) — as the representative of Iran requested additional information of its activities at the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The representative of South Africa also requested additional information on its engagements with Governments.
Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue (Switzerland) — as the representative of Iran requested additional information on its sources of income.
International Media Support (Denmark) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested clarification on sources of its funding and grants particularly those received from Governments.
The representative of Cuba requested information on which specific Scandinavian countries and institutions within those Governments provide funding and grants.
The representative of the United States said that the organization had already provided a list of its grants.
The representative of Cuba said she was requesting the latest updates since the latest one provided was for 2014. She also requested clarification on how the non-governmental organization could guarantee its independence when 90 per cent of its funding was sourced from Governments.
Norsk organisasjon for reform av marihuanalovgivningen (Norway) — as the representative of China requested additional information on its projects.
North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked it to clarify whether it allowed room for people who live in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to disagree with the vision it was carrying out.
Peace Research Institute Oslo (Norway) — as the representative of China requested further detail on project activities.
Sadakatasi Dernegi (Turkey) — as the representative of Iran requested information on its source of funding.
Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Sudan requested additional information on its dealings with Switzerland.
Soulforce, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked whether its operations were only carried out at the national level or whether it carried out projects in other countries, as well.
The representative of United States said it was clear that the non‑governmental organization worked only in the United States. The organization had clarified in its application that less than 1 per cent of its donors were based outside of the United States.
The representative of Nicaragua said she still would like a list of the most recent projects carried out.
Turkiye Diyanet Vakfi (Turkey) — as the representative of Greece requested disaggregated data of its services.
Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (Armenia) — as the representative of Azerbaijan asked whether it conducted projects in Nagorno-Karabakh and if so, to provide a list of activities.
Associación Red de Mujeres Afrolatinoamericanas, Afrocaribeñas y de la Diáspora (Nicaragua) — as the representative of Turkey requested updated information on its work plan.
Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) Inc. (Philippines) — as the representative of China requested it make amendments to its website when referring to Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Saudi Green Building Forum (Saudi Arabia) — as the representative of China requested it make corrections on its website regarding its terminology on Taiwan, Province of China.
The International Center for Supporting Rights and Freedoms (Egypt) — as the representative of Sudan requested an explanation on which country it operated from.
American Jewish World Service, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Cuba asked what measures the non-governmental organization was planning to take to overcome its large deficit.
Fondation Cordoue de Genève (Switzerland) — as the representative of Turkey requested additional information on its income and expenditures and how it maintained its impartiality when funded mostly by one source.
GAHT-US Corporation (United States) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested additional information of sources it uses to review Japan’s role in the Second World War.
International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights Ltd (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Iran requested the reason behind its recent name change and whether that had impacted the scope of its activities.
International Women's Peace Group Corporation (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of China urged it to use to correct United Nations terminology when referring to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V. (Germany) — as the representative of China requested it use the correct United Nations terminology when referring to Taiwan and Tibet.
Scholé Futuro (Germany) as the representative of China requested it use the correct United Nations terminology when referring to Tibet, Autonomous Region of China, and clarify its connection with the Dalai Lama and his separatists.
Stichting CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality (Netherlands) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested clarification on how the organization could maintain independence when it receives 95 per cent of its funding from Government.
WomenNC-NC Committee for CSW/CEDAW (United States) — as the representative of China urged the correct use of United Nations terminology when referring to Taiwan.
International Federation of Consular Corps and Associations (Belgium) — as the representative of China urged the correct use of United Nations terminology when referring to Taiwan and Hong Kong.
AIM Education & Research Society (India) — as the representative of India requested information on whether it had undertaken non-government projects, and if so, to provide a list.
AMPHTS (Syria) — as the representative of the United States requested additional information on the results of its projects and further detail on its partnerships.
Aleradah & Altageer National Society (Bahrain) — as the representative of Pakistan requested information on its document referring to its “bill of rights”.
Interactive Discussion
During a question-and-answer session in the afternoon, non-governmental organization representatives responded to queries posed by the Committee.
The representative of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work responding to a previous posed question on the country her organization operated from clarified that its offices were located in Qatar.
The Committee then recommended the organization be granted special consultative status.
The representative of Public Aid Organization provided additional information on its operations and centres servicing affected children in Iraq. He also provided details on donors which he said included the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as well as several other organizations.
The representative of Turkey requested additional information on its executive bodies.
The Committee then postponed consideration of the application.
The representative of The Union of Non-governmental Associations "The International Non-governmental Organization "The World Union of Cossack Atamans” said the special conditions in the Commonwealth of Independent States affected civil society work, often requiring staff to use their own resources. A part of its work from artists that participated in events to researchers conducting inquiries was carried out free of charge.
The representative of Cuba asked if the non-governmental organization considered itself working for indigenous people.
The representative of The Union of Non-governmental Associations "The International Non-governmental Organization "The World Union of Cossack Atamans” said that Cossacks were indeed indigenous to the Eurasia region.
The representative of Iran requested a list of its publications and research activities.
The Committee then postponed consideration of the application.
The representative of the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue provided additional information on his organization’s funding sources.
The Committee then recommended the organization be granted special consultative status.
The representative of Association Red de Mujeres Afrolatinoamericanas, Afrocaribenas Y de La Diaspora outlined her group’s plan of work in more detail.
The representative of Venezuela, pointing to a deficit in the organization’s finances, asked what was being done to cover that gap and requested information on its activities in other countries.
The Committee then postponed consideration of the application.
The representative of Gestos Soropositividade Comunicação e Gênero provided details on his organization’s work in the area of improving the lives of people living with HIV/AIDs.
The Committee then recommended the group be granted special consultative status.
The representative of Alliance pour la Solidarite et le partage en Afrique Jeunesse pour Integration Culturelle et Sociale briefed the Committee on his organization’s work.
The Committee then recommended the group be granted special consultative status.
The representative of Malteser International e.V. said his organization had reached over 6 million people in 25 countries with various health, nutrition and sanitation projects.
The representative of the Russian Federation requested additional information on its activities in Syria.
The representative of Malteser International e.V. said that, currently, it did not work in Syria, but it was operational in neighbouring Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq.
The representative of the Russian Federation asked about the nature of the organization and requested it list the projects it had undertaken using the funds provided by Germany and Switzerland. He asked what accountability the non‑governmental organization had to those Governments.
The representative of Malteser International e.V. said provided additional details on the grant application process, its accountability mechanism and its projects.
The representative of Cuba requested additional information on countries it operated in in South America.
The representative of Malteser International e.V. responded with a list of countries in South America his organization carried out its work.
The representative of India asked why it was applying for consultative status after being operational for over 60 years.
The representative of Malteser International e.V. provided some historical context on why his organization was only now applying for consultative status.
The representative of the Russian Federation reiterated his request for a list of projects funded by the Governments of Germany and Switzerland.
The Committee then postponed consideration of the application.