Continuing Its 2022 Resumed Session, Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommends 3 Groups for Consultative Status, Defers Action on 85 Others
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations continued its 2022 session today, recommending 3 entities for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and deferring action on 85 others, pending their response to additional questions posed by Committee members.
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 which were 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.
Action on many applications was postponed because Committee members requested further information from the candidates about, among other items, details of their organizations’ activities, partners, expenditures and sources of funding.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 7 September, to continue its session.
Special Consultative Status
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the following groups:
Legal Analysis and Research Public Union (Azerbaijan);
AlterContacts (Netherlands); and
The Assembly of Representatives of the Peoples Living on the Territory of the Republic of Tatarstan” Regional Public Organization (Russian Federation).
The Committee postponed action on the applications of the following organizations:
All India Council of Human Rights Liberties & Social Justice (India) — as China’s representative asked about the members’ decision-making procedure, and for details on election rules;
Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (Fiji) — as China’s representative requested how it has become an operational partner for the network;
Green Camel Bell (China) — as the representative of the United States asked if the organization can provide a written list of projects to protect women and indigenous people and its funding;
Human Rights Initiative (India) — as Pakistan’s representative requested information on a discrepancy in its financial statement on membership fees;
Mediterranean Youth Foundation for Development “MYF” (Egypt) — as Bahrain’s representative asked for clarification on the scope, mission, outcome and financing for Mediterranean projects;
PAY-W Clinic (India) — as Pakistan’s representative requested information on concrete actions of contributing to the Economic and Social Council;
Parlamento Internacional para los Derechos Humanos (PIDH) (Venezuela) — as Cuba’s representative asked for clarification on its dialogue with country Governments, and Nicaragua’s representative asked for a list of projects undertaken over the past three years, as well as financing and persons involved;
Supportive Homeland Association for Development (SHAD) (Egypt) — as India’s representative requested clarification about how 0 per cent of expenditures are for administration;
Working Women Welfare Trust (Pakistan) — as Pakistan’s representative requested information about a specific project and if the organization directly engages in business activities;
Yadam Institute of Research (India) — as Pakistan’s representative asked for details on activities in South Asian countries;
All Survivors Project Foundation (Liechtenstein) — as India’s representative requested info on its independence given that its financing is from Government sources;
Asociatia Geyc (Romania) — as China’s representative asked for the organization to refer to Taiwan as a province of China;
Associazione Nazionale Volontarie Telefono Rosa - Centro di Orientamento per i Diritti della Donna – ONLUS (Italy) — as the representative of Türkiye requested information on how it gathers data and uses it;
Corporate Counsel Women of Color Inc (United States) — as China’s representative requested the organization refer to Taiwan as a province of China;
Dalit Solidarity, Inc. (United States) — as India’s representative asked for latest audited financial statement;
Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China requested information on its global youth wings and how they are organized;
New York University (United States) — as China’s representative noted that the organization’s website has not been updated;
Rick Hansen Foundation (Canada) — as the representative of China requested that the organization refer to Taiwan as a province of China;
Stichting Deltares (Netherlands) — as China’s shared a screenshot from the organization’s reference to Taiwan;
Girija Prasad Koirala Foundation for Democracy Peace and Development (Nepal) — as the representative of India requested details on coordinators, as well as activities undertaken by it United States chapter;
Den Norske Helsingforskomité (Norway) — as Cuba’s representative asked for information on all the countries where the organization currently operates;
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (Denmark) — as Nicaragua’s representative requested information on the nature of its projects and results obtained;
Fn-Sambandet i Norge (Norway) — as Türkiye’s representative asked about a lecture on worker’s rights, which educational institutions are selected to participate and how lecturers are selected;
Human Rights Activists (United States) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked how it verifies information received from volunteers;
Uluslararası Yardımlaşma ve Kalkındırma Derneği (Türkiye) — as Israel’s representative asked for information on projects in the Middle East, and details by country;
Aliança Nacional LGBTI (Brazil) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked for a full list of its projects, along with related financial expenditures, for 2021 and 2022;
Arab Organization for Arabization and Communication (Morocco) — as the representative of Bahrain asked for a list of its projects over the last two years;
Asociación Civil Grupo SURES (Venezuela) — as the representative of the United States asked for information regarding its work to provide legal assistance to returnees during the COVID-19 pandemic;
Association Green Crescent (Croissant Vert-Mali) de Sikasso (Mali) — as the representative of Greece asked for information regarding its strategy to include women in its decision-making process;
Association de la femme saharienne pour le développement intégré (Morocco) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked for information regarding the Government entities with which it cooperates;
Association des marocains victimes d'expulsion arbitraire de l'Algérie (Morocco) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked what state of accreditation allowed it to participate in several United Nations activities, along with information regarding its contribution to the same, and the representative of China asked in which United Nations activities it participated during 2019-2020;
Association for Social Solidarity and Empowerment Training Trust (ASSET) (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked to which Economic and Social Council processes it wishes to contribute, and how it intends to do so;
Baghbaan (Pakistan) — as the representative of India asked for information regarding its planned activities for 2023, along with its latest audited financial statement;
Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (China) — as the representative of the United States asked for a breakdown of its funding by project;
Belarusian Fund of Peace (Belarus) — as the representative of Estonia asked for information regarding the election process for its executive board;
Dialogue & Development Forum (Yemen) — as the representative of Bahrain asked for information regarding its sources of financial support, along with details of its income-generating activities;
Fondacioni “Yesilay” (Albania) — as the representative of Greece asked for further details on certain projects;
Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialogue (Egypt) — as the representative of Türkiye asked what benefits the applicant attains from its membership in certain international organizations;
General Union of Arab Experts (Morocco) — as the representative of India asked for details regarding the projects it undertakes in partnership with the private sector;
Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for the terms and conditions under which certain perks are made available to its executive members;
Humanitarian Aid International (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for a list of the applicant’s member organizations;
India Youth for Society (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for clarification regarding its membership fees;
Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPD) (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for details regarding its gender-equality projects;
Jan Lok Kalyan Parishad (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for details regarding its “membership contributions”;
Lahore Educational and Welfare Society (Pakistan) — as the representative of India asked for the content of its standard operating procedures, along with details on its “comprehensive school-safety projects”;
Pak Special Persons Welfare Society (Pakistan) — as the representative of India asked for details on its member organizations;
Pakistan Press Foundation (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan asked which projects the organization carried out using funding from certain sources;
Populous Education Foundation (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for information regarding its projects relating to rural development and environmental awareness;
Public Association “Regional Consumer Protection Society” (Belarus) — as the representative of Estonia asked for examples of projects it undertook in 2021;
The Gulmit Educational and Social Welfare Society, Hunza Gilgit (Pakistan) — as the representative of India asked for a list of its activities in 2021 and 2022, along with an audited financial statement;
Welfare Association Jared (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for a list of the applicant’s member organizations;
West Papua Interest Association (Indonesia) — as the representative of China asked for a detailed financial report for 2020 and 2021;
Y S Makhdoomi Memorial Educational Trust (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for details regarding certain projects, including those to purchase land;
Y4D Foundation (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for its latest audited financial statement;
Youth for Human Rights Pakistan (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for its latest balance sheets and complete, audited financial statements;
Youth love Egypt foundation (Egypt) — as the representative of China asked for a detailed financial breakdown of its sources of funding;
Vishwa manavadhikar parishad (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for its latest audited financial statements;
"Garmoniya" Samara Center for Youth Employment, Socialization and Cultural Development Autonomous Non-profit Organization (Russian Federation) — as the representative of Estonia asked for an audited financial statement for 2021;
ARCS Arci Culture Solidali APS (Italy) — as the representative of Türkiye asked for information on its activities to combat discrimination in Europe;
Allianz für Demokratie in Laos (ADL) e.V. (Germany) — as the representative of Cuba asked the organization to respond to the question previously posed by the Committee;
Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna (Italy) — as the representative of Türkiye asked whether a certain centre was inaugurated and, if so, for details on the same;
American Medical Women’s Association, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China asked what rules and procedures govern the selection of its board of directors;
Arabian Rights Watch Association (United States) — as the representative of China asked for details regarding its work in several States in the Persian Gulf region;
Autonomous Non-Profit Organization "Research Center "Minority Report" (Russian Federation) — as the representative of the United States asked for more details on a certain project from 2016;
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights (United Kingdom) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked why its charter is dated two years prior to its registration;
Center for Military Human Rights Korea (CMHRK) (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked for a list of projects implemented in 2021 and 2022;
Coppieters Foundation (Belgium) — as the representative of Türkiye asked for information regarding the major studies published and conferences organized by the applicant over the last three years;
Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of China asked for more details on its project to create a settlement support system for refugees;
Eiropas demokrātijas attīstības centrs (Latvia) — as the representative of Estonia asked for a list of events it organized in 2021;
European Network of Migrant Women (Belgium) — as the representative of Türkiye asked for its post-2021 strategy;
Global Alumni Alliance (Russian Federation) — as Estonia’s representative requested that the organization had not replied to the question previously posed about membership organizations;
International Funders for Indigenous Peoples Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China asked for information on details of its international conferences;
InterPride (United States) — as the Russian Federation’s representative noted a submitted strategic plan for 2022-2024 including fighting racism and colonialism, and asked for activities in that area;
International Society of Criminology (United States) — as China’s representative asked about collaboration with other academic institutions;
Luftbrücke Irak e.V. (Germany) — as the representative of Türkiye asked how its professional medical and psychological staff members are recruited and their work monitored;
Magistrats Europeens pour la Democratie et les Libertes (MEDEL) (Germany) — as Türkiye’s representative requested how it cooperates with its 23 member organizations from 16 different countries;
NTC-Hands off Cain (Italy) — as Pakistan’s representative requested specific information on its members in 2021 and their countries;
Peace Without Limits (PWL) International Organization, Inc. (Switzerland) — as Türkiye’s representative asked if the organization is in partnership with the United Nations Global Compact;
Secours Islamique France (France) — as Pakistan’s representative requested information on its activities with United Nations entities;
Su Politikaları Derneği (Türkiye) — as Greece’s representative requested information on the involvement of Greek authorities or organizations in its project;
The Center for Justice and Accountability (United States) — as the representative of China asked about its working structure and civil parties in various countries;
The Global Energy Association on Development of International Research and Projects in the Field of Energy (Russian Federation) — as the representative of the United States asked for names and credentials of the organization’s international members, and if it has collaborated with United Nations entities;
Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV) (Türkiye) — as Greece’s representative asked how the current political situation in the Black Sea region has impacted its activities;
Türkiye Gençlik Vakfi (Tügva) (Türkiye) — as Greece’s representative asked about responsibilities undertaken by its volunteers, especially of an administrative of financial nature; and
Verein Euro Mea (Switzerland) — as Cuba’s representative requested information on its international work.
The representative of the United States then asked to reopen consideration of the application of the Assembly of Representatives of the Peoples Living on the Territory of the Republic of Tatarstan” Regional Public Organization in order to pose a question to the organization. The representative of the Russian Federation, emphasizing that a decision has already been taken, opposed resuming consideration of this organization so that this does not become future practice for the Committee.
The representative of the United States, recalling instances when delegations asked for additional time to which her country did not object, asked the Committee for indulgence in this instance. The representative of the Russian Federation pointed out that such requests for additional time occurred before a decision was taken, and that no delegation impeded the United States asking for additional time.
The representative of the United States recalled a situation in May in which the Committee discussed what was final and what was not, emphasizing that decisions are not necessarily final until the very end of the subsidiary body’s session. The representative of Cuba, spotlighting a pattern of these types of discussions occurring at the end of meetings because delegations do not exercise their rights in a timely manner, stressed that this would create a bad precedent. The representative of the Russian Federation, recalling the United States delegate’s position that supposedly nothing is adopted in the Committee until the report is adopted, said that he does not support this view. The Chief of the NGO Branch said that the Committee’s practice is to not return to cases after they are decided, but that some flexibility has been permitted in cases of technical difficulty or informal agreement.
The Chair, noting that there does not seem to be agreement to reopen this decision, proposed that the decision remains as is. The representative of the United States, deferring to the Chair on the orderly running of the session, noted her motion and said she may raise it in the next meeting.
The Committee also took note that the following organizations withdrew their applications for special consultative status:
China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (China); and
Humanium (Switzerland).