21st & 22nd Meetings (AM & PM)
ECOSOC/6839-NGO/852

Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommends 46 Groups for Special Status, Defers Action on 48 in Third Day of Session

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 46 entities for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, while deferring action on the status of 48 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 deferred as Committee members requested additional information from the candidates regarding funding, countries of operation and the ability to remain impartial and independent when a bulk of grants derived from Government sources.  In the afternoon, the Committee held a question-and-answer session, during which it heard from two non-governmental organizations, granting both consultative status.  During that session, the two members of civil society were given the opportunity to present their non-governmental organization and answer questions posed by Members.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 25 May, to continue its session.

Special Consultative Status

The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the following 44 organizations:

Association Marocaine de Planification Familiale (Morocco)

Association de la continuité des générations (Tunisia);

Community Empowerment and Development Initiative, Warri (Nigeria);

Conglomeration of Bengal's Hotel Owners (India);

Drishti Foundation Trust (India);

Education, Communication and Development Trust (EDUCATR) (India);

Heal the Land Initiative in Nigeria (Nigeria);

Initiative for Youth Awareness on Climate Change (Nigeria);

Initiative pour le Developpement de l'Afrique–I.D.A. (Senegal);

International Association for Religious Freedom, Co-ordinating Council for South Asia (India);

International Centre for Leadership Development Nigeria (Nigeria);

International Human Rights Council (India);

International Mayor Communication Centre Limited (China);

J.P. Foundation Inc. (Dominica);

Medical Women's Association of Nigeria (Nigeria);

Millennium Network for Community Development Initiative (Nigeria);

Navjivan Foundation (India);

Neighbourhood Community Network (India);

Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (Nigeria);

Orji Uzor Kalu Foundation (Nigeria);

Pan African Institute for Entrepreneurship and Community Development (Ltd/Gte) (Nigeria);

Rwenzori Center for Research and Advocacy (RCPA) (Uganda);

Slum Child Foundation (Kenya);

Society for Environment and Development (India);

Society for the Widows and Orphans (Nigeria);

Somali Youth Development Foundation (SYDF) (Somalia);

The Red Elephant Foundation (India);

Women and Child Watch Initiatives (Nigeria);

Al-Hasaniya Moroccan Women's Project (United Kingdom);

Albert Kunstadter Family Foundation (United States);

Canadian Council for Refugees (Canada);

Center for Media & Peace Initiative Inc. (United States);

Comisión Unidos Vs Trata (Mexico);

Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V. (Germany);

GenderCC-Women for Climate Justice e.V. (Germany);

INA (Māori, Indigenous & South Pacific) HIV/AIDS Foundation (New Zealand);

Insamlingsstiftelsen Kvinna till Kvinna (Sweden);

Institut international de recherches pour la Paix à Genève (GIPRI) (Switzerland);

International Right of Way Association (United States);

James Madison University (United States);

Partnership for Change (Norway);

Roads of Success (United States);

Saviour USA-One World Charity (United States);

Settlement Services International Incorporated (Australia);

The Committee postponed consideration of the following 48 organizations:

Association M’zab prévention routière et développement (Morocco) — as the representative of Iran requested further information on its activities.

Association organisation populaire pour l'enseignment des droits humains (Mauritania) — as the representative of Mauritania requested additional information on where in his country the organization was “combating slavery”.

Cameroon League for Development (CAMLEAD) (Cameroon) — as the representative of South Africa requested further information about its relationship with the Department of Health, particularly when carrying out its health-care projects.

Coordination Waï (Eveil) relative à l'unité nationale et la lutte contre l'esclavage (Mauritania) — as the representative of Mauritania requested information on its slavery-combating initiatives.

Creators Union of Arab (Egypt) — as the representative of Venezuela requested information on whether it was registered in Kuwait and Oman.

Dalit Welfare Organization (Nepal) — as the representative of India requested additional details and a list of its international sponsors and projects.

Danjuma Atta Eye Foundation (Nigeria) — as the representative of Azerbaijan requested additional details of its work in women’s empowerment.

Eaglesworth Human Empowerment Foundation (Nigeria) — as the representative of South Africa requested additional information on its health-care services.

Emperor Gaza International Foundation (Ghana) — as the representative of South Africa requested additional information on its budget.

Establishment of Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani for Humanitarian Services (Qatar) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested additional information on its work in Syria and projects implemented.

Family Planning Association of Bangladesh (FPAB) (Bangladesh) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested additional information on its funds and projects.

Formation Awareness and Community Empowerment Society (FACES) Pakistan (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan requested it elaborate further on a previously asked question.

Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation (Iran) — as the representative of the United States requested additional information on its programmes and how its relief reached ethnic and religious minorities.

Int'l Centre for Women Empowerment & Child Dev. (Nigeria) — as the representative of South Africa requested additional information on its work.

Islamic African Relief Agency (IARA) (Sudan) — as the representative of the United States requested details on its work with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Legal Advice Centre (Kenya) — as the representative of Burundi requested additional details on its source of funding.

Mkokoteni Aid Development Organization (Kenya) — as the representative of South Africa requested further detail on how it planned to carry out its projects if it was not active in the field.

National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (India) — as the representative of India requested additional information on its work.

Orion Projects Private Limited (India) — as the representative of India requested additional detail on its headquarters address.

Pak Special Persons Welfare Society (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan requested clarification on its sources of funding.

Sheikh Eid Bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association (Qatar) — as the representative of Iran requested a list of its activities.

Yay Gender Harmony (Indonesia) — as the representative of Cuba requested additional detail on its activities around the world, and the representative of India requested information on its partners.

Alliance internationale pour la défense des droits et des libertés (France) — as the representative of Guinea requested more information on sources of income.

American Human Rights Council (United States) — as the representative of China requested additional information on its activities in promoting Arab and Muslim heritage and culture, and the representative of South Africa requested additional clarification on its interventions and partnerships.

Arab-European Center of Human Rights and International Law (AECHRIL) (Norway) — as the representative of Cuba requested information on its projects focusing on the Palestinian people.

Association pour la défense des droits de l'homme et des revendications démocratiques/culturelles du peuple Azerbaidjanais-Iran - « ARC » (France) — as the representative of Iran requested clarification on its use of geographical terms.

Assyrian Aid Society of America Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Turkey requested additional details on its projects in education.

Bureau international pour le respect des droits de l'homme au Sahara Occidental (Switzerland) — as the representative of Azerbaijan requested additional information on its relationship with another organization.

Centre Zagros pour les Droits de l'Homme (Switzerland) — as the representative of Iran requested additional information on its campaigns.

Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested additional information on its methods of work.

Dream Touch for All (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of Burundi requested information on what Governments financed it.

Embajada Mundial de Activistas por la Paz (Global Embassy of Activists for Peace) Corp. (United States) — as the representative of Turkey requested additional information on its “Justice for Peace” initiative.

Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (Denmark) — as the representative of Turkey requested an updated financial statement.

Fondation Alkarama (Switzerland) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested it clarify its definition of human rights.

Fundación Acción Pro Derechos Humanos (Spain) — as the representative of Cuba requested additional information on its work in Spain and whether it had projects in Latin America.

Insamlingsstiftelsen Kvinna till Kvinna (Sweden) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested additional information on its funding, and asked which projects were implemented using Government funds.

International Centre for Development Initiatives (ICDI) (United Kingdom) — as the representative of South Africa asked for more information about its projects in South Africa.

International Child Rights Center (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of Iran asked how it maintained a non-political stance when it dealt with child rights in other countries.

Jerusalem Institute of Justice (Israel) — as the representative of Cuba requested clarification on the small membership of the organization, given the extensive projects listed.

Jubilee USA Network Inc. (United States) — as the representative of South Africa asked if it had any relation to the organization called Jubilee Campaign.

Keeping Children Safe (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked for more details on the projects the organization was carrying out with the United Nations.

Korea Human Rights Foundation (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of Iran asked for more information regarding project-based income for 2016, as well as a list of those projects.

Mangfoldhuset (Norway) — as the representative of Azerbaijan asked why the group considered itself an international organization, and also for more information about the geographical scope of its activities.

Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, Inc. (P-FOX) (United States) — as the representative of Israel asked for a breakdown of its donations into companies and individuals.

Peace Islands Institute Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Azerbaijan reiterated a previous request, which asked for a list of private entities that provided funding.

Pirate Parties International Headquarters (Belgium) — as the representative of India asked what the organization meant by achieving its goals through the established political system rather than activism.  The representative of the United States said that the answer to that was self-evident as the Party ran for office in Belgium.  The representative of India reiterated his wish to hear from the Party itself.

Reprieve (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Cuba asked for a list of the countries in which the organization worked.  The representative of the United States said that the list was on the website, contained in the annual report.  The representative of Cuba said she would like to ask for a list of those countries as searching reports would take time.

Right Livelihood Award Foundation (Sweden) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested further information on the organization’s work with educational institutions.

Interactive Discussion

The representative of the Education Above All Foundation said that the organization addressed the educational needs of the most disadvantaged populations across the globe.  It aimed to reduce the number of out of school children by improving access to education to millions of children.  It was active in over 50 countries and covered primary through higher education.  All of its projects were implemented through credible partners.  The projects that dealt with Syrian Refugees only dealt with United Nations agencies as implementing partners.

The Committee then recommended the group be granted special consultative status.

The representative of SAE International said it was a global society of 130,000 engineers and related technical experts.  It worked in such areas as producing consensus on road traffic safety standards.

The Committee then recommended the organization be granted special consultative status.

For information media. Not an official record.