Economic and Social Council: Meetings Coverage

Continuing its resumed 2012 session, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended the reclassification of two national organizations — from Pakistan and the United States, dealing, respectively, with poverty eradication and health care — from special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council to general consultative status, meaning they not only can attend meetings of the Council, but they can also address them.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended four entities for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and postponed its consideration of nine applications. It also took note of 137 quadrennial reports submitted by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in consultative status with the Council, while deferring consideration of 14.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 19 entities for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and 1 for roster status, but postponed consideration of 35 other applications as it continued consideration of applications deferred from previous sessions during its resumed 2012 session.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today voted to block the proposed closure of the application for consultative status of an organization alleged to have terrorist ties — including financial links to Osama bin Laden and the Al-Qaida network — as delegates felt the organization should be given a chance to respond to those allegations before such “abrupt” action was taken.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 26 entities for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and postponed consideration of 26 more — as well as of one request for reclassification of status — pending responses to questions posed by Committee members, as it continued its resumed 2012 session.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 35 entities for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and postponed consideration of 10 applications, as it resumed its 2012 session.

Lamenting the enduring manifestations of the “Doctrine of Discovery” and other morally condemnable, socially unjust and racist policies used for centuries by colonizers as legal justification to disenfranchise indigenous peoples and seize their lands, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues today urged the rejection of such “nefarious” dogmas, and encouraged measures that would redefine relations between native and aboriginal peoples and the State based on justice.

The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, in a brief meeting this afternoon, considered the draft agenda for its twelfth session, which, if approved, would be held at Headquarters from 20 to 31 May 2013.

Hailing the adoption in 2007 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a “landmark” achievement borne of unprecedented cooperation among indigenous civil society groups and Governments, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this morning urged the entire international community to bolster support for native peoples and ensure that their rights, languages and cultural heritage was protected.

Meeting to consider a range of matters related to its working methods, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues today heard its members present the results of several reports that aimed to assist the body in better fulfilling its mandate, including through enhancing implementation of its recommendations and improving data collection on challenges, best practices and emerging issues. .