Continuing Regular Session, Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Takes Note of 74 Quadrennial Reports, Postpones Action on 59 Entities, Recommends 4
Entering the second week of its 2020 regular session, the Committee on Non‑Governmental Organizations today recommended 4 entities for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, deferred action on 59 others and took note of 74 quadrennial reports.
The 19-member Committee considers applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification submitted by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Once an application has been reviewed and approved by the Committee it is considered recommended for consultative status. Organizations which 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.
The Committee deferred action on numerous applications pending responses to requests for further information from the candidates about activities, partnerships, expenditures and sources of funding.
The Committee also took note that Mother Helpage (UK) (United Kingdom) withdrew its application and recommended that the consultative status is maintained regarding a merger of the Social Service Agency of the Protestant Church of Germany, which obtained special consultative status in 2004, with the Protestant Development Service.
During the day, the representative of Armenia raised a concern that the delegation of Turkey was stalling the process by asking unnecessary questions about a particular entity’s application.
The Committee Chair, responding to a request for clarification from Turkey’s delegate, recalled that the request by Armenia’s delegation had been made during the meeting on 24 January, but had to be restated to follow protocol during today’s proceedings.
In the afternoon, the Committee held an interactive dialogue with representatives of Mwatana Organization for Human Rights (Yemen), Alliance des Femmes pour l'Egalité et le Genre en Guinée (Guinea), Federal Bar Association (United States), Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness) (Lebanon), The Union of Non-governmental Associations “The International Non-governmental Organization “The World Union of Cossack Atamans” (Kazakhstan), Inimõiguste Instituut (Estonia), National Committee on BRICS Research (Russian Federation), Feekr Organization for Dialogue and Human Rights Defense (Yemen) and the League of Arab People Organization (Egypt).
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 28 January, to continue its session.
Special Consultative Status
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the following entities:
Peace Brigades International (United Kingdom);
Peace Now (United States);
The Committee postponed consideration of the following organizations:
Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of China asked for details on activities related to refugees in 2019;
Diakonia (Sweden) — as the representative of China requested more information about where the entity obtains its funding, and the representative of India asked about financing and monitoring criteria it uses to select partners;
Electronic Frontier Foundation, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China asked for details on planned activities in 2020;
Emberi Méltóság Központ (Hungary) — as the representative of Israel asked for clarification on online activities that run counter to a Human Rights Council resolution related to cyberprivacy and cybersecurity;
Ensar Vakfı (Turkey) — as the representative of Greece reiterated a request for details on private sector funding;
European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom (EIFRF) (France) — as the representative of China asked for more information on 2019 activities;
Global Rights for Women (United States) — as the representative of Cuba asked for details on funds received from the Government of the United States;
Hokok Coalición Internacional Contra la Impunidad (Spain) — as the representative of Pakistan requested further details on affiliations and activities, and the representative of Israel asked about the functionality of the entity’s website;
IFEX (Canada) — as the representative of Cuba requested more details on the entity’s planned conference on biennial strategies and on financing received from Governments for this event;
Inimõiguste Instituut (Estonia) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked for details on activities with partner foundations;
International Action Network for Gender Equity and Law (United States) — as the representative of Pakistan requested further information about its partnerships in his country;
International Association of Genocide Scholars, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Cuba asked for details on the entity’s activities in 2019;
International Dalit Solidarity Network (Denmark) — as the representative of India requested details on the entity’s new strategy, which was due to be released in 2019, and asked for a list of United Nations activities undertaken in 2019 and information on partners;
International Medical Corps (United States) — as the representative of India requested further details on cooperative agreements the entity has with Governments in countries in which it operates;
International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights Ltd (United Kingdom) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked for details on the entity’s status when it participated in international conferences;
Interregional Non-governmental Organization “Committee against Torture” (Russian Federation) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked for detailed financial reports from 2018 and 2019;
Interregional non-governmental human rights organization “Man and Law” (Russian Federation) — as the representative of Libya asked for details about the entity’s social and humanitarian projects;
Jerusalem Institute of Justice (Israel) — as the representative of Bahrain asked for details on projects and expected outcomes in 2020;
Khmer M’Chas Srok (KMS) (France) — as the representative of India asked for details on radio broadcast activities and on project-related travel;
Le Collectif de la Paix au Sri Lanka (France) — as the representative of India asked for clarification on the entity’s registration in countries where it has an active membership and for details on categories of membership;
Muslim Hands (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Israel asked if the entity has a local office in the Gaza Strip and requested details on projects being undertaken there;
National Committee on American Foreign Policy, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China said the entity’s answers indicated that using United Nations terminology runs counter to its work. If the entity believes it cannot use United Nations terminology, then it should not be granted consultative status, he said, encouraging the organization to use the correct terminology. The representative of the United States rejected the notion that NGOs who mention Taiwan, Tibet and Macau are violating the principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
National Committee on BRICS Research (Russian Federation) — as the representative of the United States asked for details on convening forums;
Organisation Suisse d'aide aux réfugiés (Switzerland) — as the representative of Cuba asked for details on activities in Latin America and the Caribbean;
Partners for Peace and Prosperity, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China requested details on projects in Africa in 2019;
Partners for Progressive Israel (United States) — as the representative of China asked for details on the recipients of activities in 2019;
Peace Research Institute Oslo (Norway) — as the representative of Cuba asked for details on projects and partners in Latin America and the Caribbean;
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Cuba asked for a list of Latin American and Caribbean countries in which the entity operates;
RüstungsInformationsBüro e.V. (Germany) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked for a full list of projects and the countries in which they are implemented;
Social Progress Imperative, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Cuba asked for details on donations and their sources;
Society of Social Psychiatry and Mental Health (Greece) — as the representative of Turkey asked for details on the entity’s provision of services to refugees in partnership with Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR);
Solidarites International (France) — as the representative of China asked for details of activities in sub-Saharan Africa;
Stichting Pro Papua (Netherlands) — as the representative of India asked for information on the entity’s expenditures, a breakdown of sources of donations and a list of meetings and seminars it has participated in since 2018;
Su Politikaları Derneği (Turkey) — as the representative of Greece asked for further information on projects intended for the Middle East region;
The Andrey Rylkov Foundation for Health and Social Justice (Russian Federation) — as the representative of China asked for further information on the financial support the entity receives;
The Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (United States) — as the representative of Turkey requested clarification on projects in the Mediterranean region;
The Bar Human Rights Committee (United Kingdom) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested further details on the entity’s participation in the General Assembly, including its status and any related financial assistance it received;
The Center for Bioethics and Culture (United States) — as the representative of China requested details on the entity’s activities in relation to an event held by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women;
The Global Initiative to End all Corporal Punishment of Children Limited (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Cuba asked for details on projects in Latin America and the Caribbean region, and the representative of China reminded the entity that it should not use “Republic of China”; it should use “Taiwan, China”;
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) (United States) — as the representative of Libya asked if any projects were being implemented in his country, and the representative of the Russian Federation asked for details on branches around the world and whether or not they are registered with the respective Governments. The representative of Cuba requested clarification on whether any members had been expelled from a country for other than fiscal violations;
Tom Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice (United States) — as the representative of China asked for details on the countries of recipients who receive donations;
Treatment Action Group (United States) — as the representative of Cuba asked for details on projects and partners in Latin America and the Caribbean;
Turkiye Diyanet Vakfi (Turkey) — as the representative of Greece asked for details on education and sanitation projects;
Türk Kadınlar Birliği Derneği (Turkey) — as the representative of Greece requested further information on work with Governments on the issue of gender equality;
Uluslararası Mülteci Hakları Derneği (Turkey) — as the representative of China asked for details on projects in Lebanon, Sudan and Syria;
United Sikhs (United States) — as the representative of India asked for details on activities in the last two years;
Vang Pao Peace Institute (United States) — as the representative of China requested more information on the entity’s local activities and partners;
Všį “Žmogaus teisių apsauga” (Lithuania) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested that the entity explain on its website that it has consultative status and provides an update on its financial status, and the representative of Estonia asked for clarification on the entity’s contact details, which appears to include a phone number located in his country;
Women’s Refugee Commission, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Cuba asked for details on projects in Latin America and the Caribbean and for more information on funding sources;
World Without Genocide (United States) — as the representative of China requested more information about the group’s activities;
İslam Dünyası Sivil Toplum Kuruluşları Birliği (Turkey) — as the representative of India asked for details on a youth meeting and its outcome; and
Alliance des Femmes pour l’Egalité et le Genre en Guinée (Guinea) — as the representative of Cuba asked about funding sources.
Reclassification
The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council reclassify the status of the following organization:
Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (Philippines) — from special to general.
The Committee deferred consideration of reclassification of the following organizations:
Widows for Peace through Democracy (United Kingdom) — from roster to special — as the representative of China asked for further financial details about the entity;
Institute of Noahide Code (United States) — from special to general — as the representative of Cuba asked if the entity received funding from other organizations; and
The Fishermen (United States) — from special to general — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested details on income from contributions, including three donations from charity funds.
Merger
The Committee then recommended that the consultative status is maintained regarding a merger of the Social Service Agency of the Protestant Church of Germany, which obtained special consultative status in 2004, with the Protestant Development Service to form the entity Protestant Agency for Diakonie and Development.
Review of Quadrennial Reports
The Committee then took note of new quadrennial reports for the period 2015 to 2018 containing submissions by the following non-governmental organizations:
Report E/C.2/2020/2: 15 non-governmental organizations: Action sensibilisation sur les nouvelles technologies de l’information et de la communication; Action solidaire pour le développement communautaire; Actions pour l’environnement et le développement durable; ADJMOR; Agence pour les droits de l’homme; Aide internationale pour l’enfance; Association “Paix” pour la lutte contre la contrainte et l’injustice; Association Africa; Association burkinabé pour la survie de l’enfance; Association de la jeunesse congolaise pour le développement; Association des femmes peules autochtones du Tchad; Association des ressortissants et amis d’Éséka; Association femmes solidaires au Togo; Association marocaine des droits humains; and Association mauritanienne pour la promotion du droit.
Report E/C.2/2020/2/Add.1: 15 non-governmental organizations: Association nationale de coopération pour le développement du Cameroun; Association pour le développement économique, social, environnemental du nord; Association pour les victimes du monde; Aube nouvelle pour la femme et le développement; Centre d’accompagnement des autochtones pygmées et minoritaires vulnérables; Centre d’accueil et de volontariat pour orphelins, abandonnés et handicapés du Cameroun; Centre d’encadrement et développement des anciens combattants; Centre de vulgarisation de l’outil informatique; Centre européen de recherche et de prospective politique; Centre international de droit comparé de l’environnement; Chant du guépard dans le désert; Comité français pour l’Afrique du Sud; Commission africaine des promoteurs de la santé et des droits de l’homme; Conseil de jeunesse pluriculturelle; and Coordination Immigrés du Sud du Monde.
Report E/C.2/2020/2/Add.2: 15 non-governmental organizations: Coup de pouce; Dignité Impact/Impact Dignity; Du pain pour chaque enfant; Association pour l’éducation, la santé et la promotion des femmes et des enfants au Cameroun “ESOFE”; Fondation Congo Assistance; Fondation Institut de recherche pour le développement durable et les relations internationales; Forum Azzahrae pour la femme marocaine; Forum réfugiés — Cosi; Gic technologies nouvelles au Cameroun; Groupe d’action pour la promotion socioculturelle et l’alphabétisation: nouvelle énergie; Handicap International; Human Rights National Circle; Inter-action globale; International Association of Soldiers for Peace; and International Confederation of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Report E/C.2/2020/2/Add.3: 11 non-governmental organizations: International Federation of Associations of the Elderly; International Institute for the Rights of the Child; Fondation de la progéniture Denis Lomela Ifangwa; Ligue internationale contre le racisme et l’antisémitisme; Ligue marocaine de la citoyenneté et des droits de l’homme; Mouvement national des jeunes patriotes du Mali; Nouveaux droits de l’homme; Organisation nationale des donneurs de sang bénévoles; and Organisation pour la prévention et l’intervention contre les risques et contingences, with the exception of International Federation of ACAT and Observatoire mauritanien des droits de l’homme et de la démocratie.
The representative of Nicaragua asked for more details on activities of the Observatoire mauritanien des droits de l’homme et de la démocratie, and the representative of China requested more detailed information on the International Federation of ACAT, which had increased its activities.
Report E/C.2/2020/2/Add.4: 5 non-governmental organizations: African Association of Education for Development; Espace Afrique international; Univers de solidarité et de développement; Villages unis; and Woïyo Kondeye.
Report E/C.2/2020/CRP.8: 15 non-governmental organizations: “All-Russian Society of the Deaf”; “Children of the World”; “Dialogue of Cultures — United World”; AARP; AGE Platform Europe; AIDS Foundation East-West; AIESEC International; ALDET Centre-Saint Lucia; Abibimman Foundation; Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia; Academy for Future Science; Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences; Action Health Incorporated; ActionAid; and Africa and Middle East Refugee Assistance — AMERA.
Interactive Dialogue
During a question-and-answer period in the afternoon, several NGO representatives responded to queries posed by the Committee.
A representative of Mwatana Organization for Human Rights (Yemen) said that the NGO was established in 2007 and officially registered in 2013, working to promote the most fundamental values in Yemen. Today’s situation attests why such work is important. Regarding grants received from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Open Society Foundation, the entity mistakenly left out projects with them. He explained details of projects with them and how grants were spent.
The representative of Bahrain asked the entity to upload proof of renewal for its registration, which expired in December 2019.
The representative of Cuba demanded a comprehensive overview of budget information in writing.
The Committee deferred action on the application of the NGO.
A representative of Alliance des Femmes pour l'Egalité et le Genre en Guinée (Guinea) said that the NGO was established in 2007 and its statute was incorporated in 2009. Its objective is to promote women’s fundamental rights, including education and health care. It also fights for women’s representation in decision-making. In response to a question from the Committee, she said the NGO has not received any funding from the United States Embassy since 2012.
The representative of China asked whether the entity’s focus is to promote rights of women only in Guinea or in other countries, as well. The NGO representative said the entity only work domestically. The representative of China asked whether there was any work done in 2019. The NGO representative said it did not have any income and projects in 2019. The representative of China sought details of the surplus. The NGO representative said the surplus is allocated to such projects as training facilitators, who can train other women.
The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the NGO.
A representative of Federal Bar Association (United States) said the entity has 20,000 members, providing details about two affiliated organizations.
The representative of China asked whether the NGO carries out activities in China and outside the United States, and the NGO representative said “no”. The representative of Cuba asked for further clarification about the difference between “foundation” and “association”. Following further response from the NGO representative, the Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the group.
A representative of the Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness) (Lebanon) said that his entity came here for the third time and that it is working to enhance the rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. In response to a question from the Committee, he said the entity has no relationship with Hamas. The representative of Israel asked for a written answer about her delegation’s question about a research paper relating to Hamas members detained in Saudi Arabia.
The Committee then deferred action on the application of the NGO.
A representative of The Union of Non-governmental Associations “The International Non-governmental Organization “The World Union of Cossack Atamans” (Kazakhstan) said that his organization represents the interests of ethnic monitories in compliance with Charter of the United Nations and does not receive any financial assistance from State bodies. He provided details of the entity’s relationship with international organizations, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations.
The representative of the Russian Federation sought further details on the matter, also asking the entity to explain the discrepancy in its income section.
The Committee deferred action on the application of the NGO.
A representative of Inimõiguste Instituut (Estonia) said that the NGO does not receive any funding from the Open Estonia Foundation and had meetings with it from which “nothing came out”.
The representative of the Russian Federation asked for further details on its partnership and cooperation with that Foundation and on content of those meetings, also seeking a breakdown of sources of funding and a list of sponsors in writing.
The Committee deferred action on the application of the NGO.
A representative of National Committee on BRICS Research (Russian Federation) said his organization was created by experts and scholars, with the aim to supplement Government efforts.
The representative of the United States asked for more details about its work in the Russian Federation, wishing to know more about expert discussions on a 10-year review, including how experts are selected.
The Committee deferred action on the application of the NGO.
A representative of Feekr Organization for Dialogue and Human Rights Defense (Yemen) said the political elite of Yemen have not suffered, however the country’s ordinary people bear the brunt of war. The voices of laymen must be heard. The global nature of the NGO is due to the value of peace. As for a question from the Committee, he said he, as the chairman of the entity, personally covers the financial deficit.
The representative of Cuba sought further clarification while the representative of Pakistan asked for a full list of the organizations that are members of the NGO.
The representative of Cuba asked the entity to explain what it means by “opposing violent extremism and terrorism”.
The Committee deferred action on the application of the NGO.
A representative of the League of Arab People Organization (Egypt) said that the NGO provided necessary answers via the Committee’s portal, and it works for peace through fostering youth.
The representative of India asked whether the entity has members in India. The NGO representative said he views India as a role model in religious tolerance, as mosques and churches are located next to each other and hopes to start work in the country. The representative of Turkey sought further details about its contribution to the work of the United Nations, including projects.
The Committee deferred action on the application of the NGO.