Continuing Regular Session, Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Takes Note of 287 Quadrennial Reports, Postpones Action on 3 Entities
On the sixth day of its 2019 regular session, the Committee on Non‑Governmental Organizations today postponed action on requests from 3 organizations for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and took note of 287 quadrennial reports from various non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The 19-member Committee considers applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification submitted by non-governmental organizations. Once an application has been reviewed and approved by the Committee it is considered recommended for consultative status. Organizations that are granted 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.
In other business, the Committee elected, by acclamation, Mohamed Sallam (Sudan), on behalf of the Group of African States, as its Chair.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 29 January, to continue its session.
Special Consultative Status
The Committee postponed consideration of the following organizations:
World Without Genocide (United States) — as the representative of Turkey asked that it elaborate on its selection process for fellowships and scholarships, and as the representative of China requested that the organization use the correct United Nations terminology in referring to Tibet;
Youth RISE (Resource, Information, Support, Education) Limited (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Sudan, noting that the organization has one source of funding and that it spends 70 per cent of its budget on administrative expenses and travel, asked for details on how it intends to fund itself going forward and to explain why its administrative costs are so high;
İslam Dünyası Sivil Toplum Kuruluşları Birliği (Turkey) — as the representative of India, noting that the organization spends 17 per cent of its budget on transportation and other expenses, and 47 per cent on administration and other expenses, including salaries, requested a breakdown on those expenses;
Requests for Reclassification
The Committee recommended the reclassification of the following organization:
International Transport Workers’ Federation (United Kingdom) from roster status to general consultative status.
It deferred consideration of the following organizations:
Institute of Noahide Code (United States) — from special consultative status to general consultative status, as the representative of Cuba asked that it provide an updated financial report; and
Windows for Peace through Democracy (United Kingdom) — from roster to special consultative status, as the representative of Turkey requested details about its projects and activities for 2019.
Merger Requests
Next, the Committee then took up requests for mergers deferred from its previous sessions.
It first recommended that the Economic and Social Council take note of the merger on 1 January 2011 of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (Switzerland) with the Cluster Munition Coalition to form the International Campaign to Ban Landmines-Cluster Munition Coalition and to grant special consultative status to the merged organization.
It then deferred a request for the Social Service Agency of the Protestant Church in Germany (Germany) to maintain its special consultative status following its merger in 2012 with the Protestant Development Service (Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst) to form the Protestant Agency for Diakonie and Development (Evangelisches Werk für Diakonie und Entwicklung e.V.), as the representative of China requested that it use, on its website, the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan.
Review of Quadrennial Reports
The Committee then took note of new quadrennial reports for the period 2014 to 2017 containing submissions by the following non-governmental organizations:
Report E/C.2/2019/2: 15 non-governmental organizations: Action Aides aux Familles Demunies; Actions communautaires pour le développement integral; Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l’Homme; Architectes de l’urgence; Association Congolaise pour le Développement Agricole; Association Democratique des Femmes du Maroc ; Association Internationale Soufie Alawiyya; Association Solidarité Internationale pour l’Afrique; Association apprentissage sans frontieres; Association des ONG de l’environnement (AOE); Association pour la Formation et l’Insertion Sociale de l’Adolescent et de la Femme (AFISAF); Association pour la santé et la prévention des maladies tropicales; Cause Première; Centre Europe — tiers monde; and Centre d’accompagnement des alternatives locales de dévelopement.
Report E/C.2/2019/2/Add.1: 15 non-governmental organizations: Centre de Formation et de Recherche pour le Développement (CFRD); Club des Jeunes Aveugles Réhabilités du Cameroun; Collectif Senegalais des Africaines pour la Promotion de l’Education Relative a l’Environnement; Comité International pour le Respect et l’Application de la Charte Africaine des Droits de l’Homme et des Peuples (CIRAC); Drepavie; Fondation d’Auteuil; Generation recherche action & formation pour l’environnement; Ingenieurs du Monde; La Brique; Organisation des Hommes demunis et enfants orphelins pour le developpement; Presse Embleme Campagne; Réseau International des Droits Humains (RIDH); Secours populaire francais; Solidarité pour le développement communautaire; and Traditions pour demain.
Report E/C.2/2019/2/Add.2: 14 non-governmental organizations: Consortium d’appui aux actions pour la promotion et le développement de l’Afrique (CAPDA); Fondation Genereuse Developpement; Fondation VIMANIS; Fundacion Pro Humanae Vitae; Hope Foundation NGO; IBUKA-Mémoire et Justice-Section Suisse; INSHED — International Network for Standardization of Higher Education Degrees; Jesus Weeps Over Africa; Maasai Aid Association (MAA); ONG Playdoo — Cote d’Ivoire; Tchad agir pour l’environment; Union des Nations pour l’Enseignement, la Science Universelle et les Droits de l’Homme; Vues et Voix; and Women in Law and Development in Africa.
Regarding Fundacion Pro Humanae Vitae, the representative of Turkey requested more information about its programme to set up international alliances in several countries in the context of its contribution to the work of the United Nations.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.7: 16 non-governmental organizations: ANO "Organization" "Vector of Friendship"; ANPAM — Associazione Nazionale Produttori Armi e Munizioni Sportive e Civili; Africa Centre for Citizens Orientation; African Centre for Advocacy and Human Development; African Heritage Foundation Nigeria; African Hope Committee Inc.; African Views Organization a NJ Nonprofit Corporation; African Youth Movement; Afro-European Medical and Research Network; Agence d’aide a la cooperation technique et au developpement; Agencia Latinoamericana de Informacion (ALAI); Al Birr & Al Tawasul Organization; Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights; Al-khoei Foundation; All-Russian public organization "Russian Public Intstitute of Electoral Law"; and All-Ukrainian Union of Non-Government Organizations "Confederation of Non-Government Organizations of People with Disabilities of Ukraine".
Regarding African Heritage Foundation Nigeria, the representative of Nigeria asked what could be done to address the group’s stated inability to obtain visas to attend United Nations meetings.
MARC-ANDRÉ DUVAL, Acting Chief of the Non-Governmental Organizations Branch of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said this concern arises on a regular basis among several NGOs. He explained that while the Secretariat is striving to send out letters of invitations to NGOs earlier, the issuance of visas is in the hands of national authorities.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.8: 15 non-governmental organizations: Alliance Defending Freedom; Allied Rainbow Communities International; Alpha O. Centre for Malaria Prevention and Control; American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Inc.; Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain Inc; Amity Foundation; Amman Center for Human Rights Studies; Anti-Slavery International; Asia Pacific Basin for Energy Strategies Association, Inc.; Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development; Asian Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Network (AITPN); Asian Institute of Transport Development; Asian Legal Resource Centre; Asian-Eurasian Human Rights Forum; and Asociación Habitat Pro.
Regarding Alliance Defending Freedom, the representative of China requested that the organization, on its website, use the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan.
Regarding the Asian-Eurasian Human Rights Forum, the representative of China requested that the organization clarify the status of Tibet and provide more details about a seminar it conducted about that autonomous region of China.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.9: 15 non-governmental organizations: Asociación Nacional de Estudiantes de ingenierías Industrial, Administrativa y de Producción; Asociatia Obsteasca "Promo-LEX"; Asociatia Pakiv Romania; Assembly of First Nations — National Indian Brotherhood; Associacao de Mulheres Contra a Violencia; Association "For Sustainable Human Development"; Association ALKHAYR pour le developpement en Mauritanie; Association Diogenis, Drug Policy Dialogue in South East Europe; Association des Etats Generaux des Etudiants de l’Europe; Association for Assistance to Families with Disabled Children; Association for Defending Victims of Terrorism; Association of Medical Doctors of Asia; Association of Presbyterian Women of Aoteaora, New Zealand; Association on sustainable development and investment climate improvement, uniting investors and creditors "World Organization for Development"; and Associazione Comunita Papa Giovanni XXIII.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.10: 15 non-governmental organizations: Awesome Treasures Foundation; BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights; Baha’i International Community; Baptist World Alliance; Basic Health International; Batey Relief Alliance Inc.; Board of Certified Safety Professionals; Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University; British Columbia Civil Liberties Association; Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation; Building and Social Housing Foundation; C-Fam, Inc.; CHIRAPAQ — Centro de Culturas Indígenas del Perú; CIBJO — The World Jewellery Confederation; and Cameroon Association for the Defence of the Victims of Accident.
Regarding the Baha’i International Community, the representative of Cuba requested more details about its participation in the High-level Political Forum in 2016 and 2017.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.11: 15 non-governmental organizations: Canadian Federation of University Women; Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network; Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women; Capital Humano y Social Alternativo; Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action; Casa Generalizia della Societa’ del Sacro Cuore; Catholic International Education Office; Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid; Catholics for Choice; Center for Global Nonkilling; Center for Policy Studies; Center for Women and Development; Centre for African Israeli Friendship; Centre for Public Health; and Centre pour les Droits Civils et Politiques — Centre CCPR.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.12: 15 non-governmental organizations: Centrist Democratic International; Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc.; Centro de Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos; Charter of Union of legal persons in the form of Association "Internet Association of Kazakhstan"; China Association for International Science and Technology Cooperation; China Education Association for International Exchange; China Foundation for Peace and Development; China International Council for the Promotion of Multinational Corporations; China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS); Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament; Christian Aid; Church World Service; Comite National d’Action pour les Droits de l’Enfant et de la Femme; Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy; and Commonwealth Human Ecology Council.
Regarding Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc., the representative of Nicaragua asked for more information about its work, including whether it has attained the goals it set out for itself.
Regarding Centrist Democratic International, the representative of Cuba requested a list of the countries in which the organization works in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.13: 15 non-governmental organizations: Community Development Programme (SDP); Conectas Direitos Humanos; Confédération des organisations familiales de l’Union européenne; Connecting Gender for Development; Conservation International Foundation; Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service; Criminologists Without Borders Inc; Curia Generalizia Agostiniana; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association; DiploFoundation; Dir Rural Development Organization; Disisleri Mensuplari Esleri Dayanisma Dernegi; DMW — Diplomaten für internationale Verbindungen von Mensch & Wirtschaft e.V.; and Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.14: 15 non-governmental organizations: Dominican Leadership Conference; Dominicans for Justice and Peace — Order of Preachers; Dones per la Llibertat i Democràcia; Donne in Rete contro la Violenza — ONLUS; Drug Free America Foundation; East-West Management Institute; Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration; Eastern Sudan Women Development Organization; Education International; Egyptian Organization for Human Rights; EKTA; End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes, Inc.; Engender; EquallyAble Foundation; and EUROMIL EV.
Regarding the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, the representative of Turkey requested more information about side events it organized on the topic of terrorism and human rights.
Regarding Dominicans for Justice and Peace-Order of Preachers, Dones per la Llibertat i Democràcia, Donne in Rete control la Violenza-ONLUS, Educational International, EKTA and Engender, the representative of China requested that those NGOs use, on their websites, the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.15: 14 non-governmental organizations: Escuela Cultura de Paz; Ethiopia Change and Development Association; Ethiopian World Federation; European Humanist Federation; European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Federation; European Union of Jewish Students; European Union of Women; Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians; FN Forbundet; Families of the Missing; Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND); Family Health Association of Iran; Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia; and Federation of National Representations of the Experiment in International Living.
Regarding the European Humanist Federation and European Union of Women, the representative of China requested that the two organizations, on the website, use the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.16: 15 non-governmental organizations: Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe; Flora Tristan Peruvian Women’s Center; Fondation d’Entreprise Sanofi Espoir; Fondation pour un Centre pour le Développement Socio-Eco-Nomique; Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Torino; Free World Foundation (FWF); Friends of UNFPA; Friends World Committee for Consultation; Fundacion Migrantes y Refugiados sin Fronteras; Fundacion Teleton Mexico AC; Fundación Cooperadora de la Nutrición Infantil (CONIN); Future Hope International; Féderation Européenne de la Manutention; Gabasawa Women and Children Empowerment Initiative; and Gender at Work.
Regarding Fondation pour un Centre pour le Développement Socio-Eco-Nomique and Gender at Work, the representative of China requested that they use, on their websites, the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan and Tibet, respectively.
Regarding Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe, the representative of Greece requested that the NGO correct an erroneous reference to a Turkish community in Greece, explaining that, based on international treaties, there is only a Muslim minority in Greece.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.17: 14 non-governmental organizations: General Confederation of Trade Unions; General Forum of the Arabic and African Non-Governmental Organizations; Generation Initiative for Women and Youth Network; Global Alert for Defence of Youth and the Less Privileged; Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments; Global Education Motivators; Global Housing Foundation (GHF); Grail; Gram Bharati Samiti; Grameen Shakti; Grassroots Organisations Operating Together in Sisterhood; Grupo de Mujeres de la Argentina - Foro de VIH, mujeres y familia; Guild of Service; and Hawa Society for Women.
Regarding Generation Initiative for Women and Youth Network, the representative of Nicaragua requested a list of its projects, its partners and how those projects have changed its vision of its work.
Regarding Grassroots Organisations Operating Together in Sisterhood, the representative of China requested that the group, on its website, use the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.18: 16 non-governmental organizations: African Foundation for Human Advancement; Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women; Health on the Net Foundation (HON); Hellenic Association of Political Scientists; Henry Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue; Heungsadahn, A Corporation; High Security Newplate Limited; Human Life International, Inc.; Human Resource Development Foundation; Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries; Humanity First; Huqooq-ul-Ebad Development Foundation; IBON International Foundation Inc.; IDEAS for US; IDPC Consortium; and IFENDU for Women's Development.
Regarding Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women, the representative of China requested that it use the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan and Tibet. The same representative also requested that Human Life International, Inc., IBON International Foundation Inc. and IDPC Consortium use the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan, and that the Henry Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue use the correct United Nations terminology for Tibet.
Regarding the Human Resource Development Foundation, the representative of Nicaragua asked that the organization explain in detail the way in which its projects have contributed to the work of the United Nations.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.19: 14 non-governmental organizations: Il Cenacolo; Imam Al-Sadr Foundation; Imam Ali’s Popular Students Relief Society; InnerCity Mission for Children; Institute for Economics and Peace Limited; Inter-European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development; International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations; International Career Support Association; International Center for Research on Women; International Committee For Peace And Reconciliation; International Confederation of Childhood Cancer Parent Organisations; International Cooperative Alliance; IPAS; and ISIS — Women's International Cross-Cultural Exchange.
Regarding the Institute for Economics and Peace Limited, the representative of China requested that it use the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan. Regarding the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations, he requested that it use the correct United Nations terminology for Hong Kong.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.20: 15 non-governmental organizations: International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB); International Council of Psychologists; International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID); International Council of Voluntary Agencies; International Council on Management of Population Programmes; International Federation of Settlements and Neighbourhood Centres; International Federation of Training and Development Organisations, Ltd.; International Federation of Women Lawyers; International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA); International Forestry Students’ Association; International Fund for Animal Welfare; International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission; International Higher Education Academy of Sciences; International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies; and International Investment Center.
Regarding the International Council for Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) and International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, the representative of China requested that they use the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.21: 14 non-governmental organizations: International Justice Resource Center, Inc.; International Mediation Institute Stichting; International MotherBaby Childbirth Organization Inc.; International Network for Sustainable Energy; International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions; International Partnership for Human Rights; International Prison Chaplains’ Association; International Public Organization "Sovereign Knightly Order of Christ the Savior"; International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication; International Union of Psychological Science; International Women’s Forum, Inc.; International Women’s Year Liaison Group; Interregional Public Charitable Organization of Assistance to Persons with Disabilities “SAIL OF HOPE”; and Inwelle Study and Resource Centre.
Regarding the International Justice Resource Center, Inc., the representative of China requested that the organization, on its website, use the correct United Nations terminology when referring to Taiwan.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.22: 15 non-governmental organizations: International Society of Doctors for the Environment; Italian Association for Aid to Children; Italian Association for Women in Development; Japanese Association of International Women’s Rights (JAIWR); Jewish Voice Ministries International; John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Jose Marti Cultural Society; Jssor Youth Organization; Kalyani; Keystone Human Services International; Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture; Khuwendo Kor; Kids First Fund; Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women (KFAW); and Kiwanis International.
Regarding the Japanese Association of International Women’s Rights (JAIWR), Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women (KFAW) and Kiwanis International, the representative of China requested that they use, on their websites, the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan. Regarding the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the same representative asked that it use the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan and Tibet.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.23: 15 non-governmental organizations: Korea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy; Korea Diffently Abled Federation; Korea NGO Council for Overseas Development Cooperation; Korean National Council of Women; Kulturverein — IDEA Society; Labour, Health and Human Rights Development Centre; Law Enforcement Action Partnership, Inc.; Lazarus Union; Lebanese American Renaissance Partnership, Inc.; Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany; LGBT Denmark — The National Organization for Gay Men, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgendered People; Liberians United to Expose Hidden Weapons; Local Governments for Sustainability; Lotus World; and Maarij Foundation for Peace and Development.
Regarding the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany and Local Governments for Sustainability, the representative of China requested that they use, on their websites, the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.24: 15 non-governmental organizations: Mar Adentro de México A.C.; Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights; Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation; Martin und Gerda Essl Sozialpreis gemeinnützige Privatstiftung; Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers; Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, Inc.; Medico International; Mennonite Central Committee; Mental Disability Rights International; Mines Advisory Group; Mobility International USA; Movimento Italiano Casalinghe; Movimiento Manuela Ramos; Nation Builders Organisation; and National Assembly of Youth Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan (NaYORA).
Regarding Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, Inc. and Mennonite Central Committee, the representative of China requested that, on their websites, they use the correct United Nations terminology when referring to Taiwan.
Regarding Medico International, the representative of Turkey requested more details about its partnerships and joint projects.
Report E/C.2/2019/CRP.25: 15 non-governmental organizations: National Association for Resource Improvement; National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples Limited; National Federation of International Immigrant Women Associations; National Rehabilitation and Development Center (NRDC); National Rural Support Programme; Native American Rights Fund; Natural Justice; Nazra for Feminist Studies; Neighbour Organization Nepal (NEO‑Nepal); Network "Earth Village"; New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council; New South Wales council for Civil Liberties; Non-Governmental Organization Federation of Nepal; North Indian Educational Trust; and OIPA — Organizzazione Internazionale Protezione Animali.
Regarding Natural Justice, the representative of China requested that it use the correct United Nations terminology when referring to Taiwan.