Continuing Session, Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommends 32 Groups for Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council, Defers Action on 52
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations continued its resumed session today, recommending 32 groups for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and deferring action on 52 others.
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.
Action on a number of applications was postponed pending responses to various questions posed by Committee members. Those related, among other things, to the candidate organizations’ activities, partners, expenditures and sources of funding. In addition, the representative of China noted that the websites of several groups referred erroneously to Taiwan as a country, not as a province of China, and requested corrections.
In the afternoon, the Committee held an interactive dialogue with two non-governmental organizations — Shaik Taher Azzawi Charity Organization and Inimõiguste Instituut.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 23 May, to continue its resumed session.
Interactive Dialogue with Non-Governmental Organizations
As the Committee began its interactive session, a speaker from the Shaik Taher Azzawi Charity Organization said it works closely with the United Nations and other international organizations to provide food aid to displaced persons and others in distress in Libya. The group sets up schools and other formal support structures for young people, as well as basic sanitation, psychosocial services and other support. Regarding the group’s budget, he pointed out that organizational finances fluctuate with their changing needs and expenses and urged the Committee to take a comprehensive view of that matter.
The representative of Nicaragua requested more up-to-date information on the organization’s projects.
The representative of China asked the speaker to elaborate on the group’s participation in a recent interactive panel session on migration. Responding, the representative of the organization said a member of his group delivered a presentation at that panel about ongoing work in Libya.
The representative of Pakistan asked the speaker to explain his organization’s relationship with the International Council for Voluntary Agencies. To that question, the speaker responded that his organization engages with that group but does not work with it on any projects.
The Committee deferred its consideration of that organization’s application pending receipt of a detailed response.
A speaker from Inimõiguste Instituut, describing his group as one of the most prominent human rights organizations in Estonia, responded to an earlier question about an investigative project it carried out in 2013 which focused on the Estonian Defence Forces. Describing that study, he said a copy is available online in English.
The representative of the Russian Federation asked whether the organization works with any Governments other than those of Finland and Estonia.
Responding, the speaker said his organization works with a wide range of partners — including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and others — but noted that it does not cooperate with any other national Governments.
The representative of the Russian Federation then asked for the group’s more recent financial statements.
The Committee deferred its consideration of that organization’s application pending receipt of that response.
Requests for Special Consultative Status
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations postponed consideration of the following 52 groups:
Social Services Trust (India) — as the representative of India requested more information about the organization’s deployment of volunteers and the kinds of activities in which they are engaged;
Southern African AIDS Trust (South Africa) — as the representative of India asked the organization to provide updated financial statements and explain its budget deficit;
The Legal Center for Women’s Initiatives Sana Sezim (Kazakhstan) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested information about the organization’s projects carried out with support from the European Union, the United States, Norway, Germany and any other Governments apart from Kazakhstan;
The New Woman Foundation (Egypt) — as the representative of China requested an overview of activities planned for 2019;
The Public Association “Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law” (the Republican Status) (Kazakhstan) — as the representative of China asked which countries the group cooperates with and on what projects;
Transnational Anti-Organized Crime Intelligence Group Inc. (Philippines) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked the organization to clarify why its application for consultative status was previously rejected;
United National Organization of Human Rights (Egypt) — as the representative of China requested more information about the funding received by the organization from private sector entities;
Welfare Association Jared (Pakistan) — as the representative of India asked for details about the role of village organizations in the group’s work;
West Papua Interest Association (Indonesia) — as the representative of India asked the organization to provide more information about its training activities and support from United Nations Member States, while the representative of Mexico noted that the Committee’s consideration of that application illustrates the challenges faced by indigenous peoples in engaging in the United Nations work;
Women Information Network (Nigeria) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked for more information about a two-month project carried out by the organization in 2016;
Association Québécoise des Organismes de Coopération Internationale (Canada) — as the representative of China asked how the organization maintains its independence while receiving more than 90 per cent of its income from the Governments of Canada and Quebec;
Association pour la défense des droits de l’homme et des revendications démocratiques/culturelles du peuple Azerbaidjanais-Iran (France) — as the representative of Cuba asked the group to clarify what percentage of its 2018 budget was used for projects;
Centre Zagros pour les Droits de l’Homme (Switzerland) — as the representative of Pakistan asked whether the organization receives any contributions from members outside Switzerland;
Centre international pour la paix et les droits de l’homme (Switzerland) — as the representative of China asked for more information about the organization’s high administrative costs;
Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of Cuba asked for details about the organization’s “documentation project”, carried out in 2017 with funding from the Netherlands;
Coptic Solidarity (United States) — as the representative of Pakistan requested more information about the group’s work in Egypt, as well as the sources of funding for such work;
Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked why the organization failed to respond to questions from the Committee in 2012, leading to the closure of its application;
Democracy Reporting International gGmbH (Germany) — as the representative of China noted that the group erroneously refers to Taiwan as a country on its website and requested a correction;
Electronic Frontier Foundation, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China requested more information about the organization’s stated plans to convene community networks and host events in cities and towns of the United States, while the representative of Mexico asked whether the group plans to include the concept of rapid technological change in its work;
Eri-Platform (Belgium) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked the organization to provide information about its stated plans to contribute to the upcoming universal review of human rights, and the representative of Cuba asked for a list of the issues and regions discussed in its online seminars;
Ethiopian Genocide Committee 1935-1941, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Cuba asked for more information on the organization’s projects and their financing;
Family Planning NSW (Australia) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested information about the organization’s planned projects in various regions;
Federal Bar Association (United States) — as the representative of China asked the organization to provide more information on how it plans to carry out awareness-raising activities;
Fundación Alianza por los Derechos, la Igualdad y la Solidaridad Internacional (Spain) — as the representative of China asked how the organization maintains its independence while receiving most of its funding from the Government of Spain and from the European Union;
Fundacja Otwarty Dialog (Poland) — as the representative of India asked the organization to explain its budget deficit and requested its latest financial statement;
Global One 2015 (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Libya asked the organization to elaborate on various projects, including those relating to girls’ education and health, as well as on its programmes carried out in Syria;
Gulf Centre for Human Rights Limited (Ireland) — as the representative of Cuba asked whether the organization has participated in United Nations conferences since 2015, and if so which ones;
Humanitarian Tracker (United States) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested a full list of the places — including Syria, Turkey and parts of Europe and Latin America — where the organization’s volunteers carry out work;
International Action Network for Gender Equity and Law (United States) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked how the organization manages to work in different countries without engaging with their Governments;
International Association of Genocide Scholars, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of India asked what role the organization’s advisory committee plays in convening its annual conference or publishing its journal;
International Child Rights Center (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of China asked about the organization’s stated plans to monitor the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in Asia, and whether it has any local partners in the region for that purpose;
International Civil Society Action Network, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Turkey asked for more information on the group’s relationship with the Office of Counter-Terrorism;
International Council on Monuments and Sites (France) — as the representative of China asked the organization to correct an erroneous reference to Taiwan as a country on its website, and while the representative of Libya requested clarifications on the group’s engagement with the Victoria Falls Fund and its interaction with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in various countries;
International Medical Corps (United States) — as the representative of China asked the organization to correct an erroneous reference to Taiwan;
International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights Ltd. (United Kingdom) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked whether the group carries out activities in any countries other than France, Germany, Sweden and Denmark;
Interregional non-governmental human rights organization “Man and Law” (Russian Federation) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked the group to elaborate on its work on peacebuilding in his country;
Jerusalem Institute of Justice (Israel) — as the representative of Pakistan requested more information on what the organization described in its application as first-hand testimony of those suffering, as well as local sources;
Le Collectif de la Paix au Sri Lanka (France) — as the representative of India asked whether the organization’s members are active in their respective countries and requested a comprehensive list of such activities;
Mangfoldhuset (Norway) — as the representative of Turkey asked for more information on the organization’s expenditures;
Mother Helpage (UK) (United Kingdom) — as the representative of India asked the organization to provide more information about its members, as well as about its prior application for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council;
Muslim Hands (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Israel asked for more details about a project being carried out by the organization at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, including a list of its partners;
National Committee on American Foreign Policy, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China said the organization used erroneous references to Taiwan in various materials, and the representative of Cuba asked whether it carries out work in Latin America;
NAUH (Now Action & Unity for Human Rights) (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked for more detailed information about the organization’s decision-making processes;
NK Watch (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of Cuba asked for more information on the organization’s projects funded by the National Endowment for Democracy;
Partners for Peace and Prosperity, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Burundi asked the organization to provide details about two meetings in which it participated, namely a civil society policy forum in 2015 and a similar event focused on South Africa in 2016;
Partners for Progressive Israel (United States) — as the representative of China asked for more information about a scholarship mentioned in the organization’s application;
Peace Brigades International (United Kingdom) — as the representative of China asked the organization to provide details about its partnerships with two groups in Indonesia and Nepal, as well as any other groups in Asia;
Peace Without Limits (PWL) International Organization, Inc. (Switzerland) — as the representative of Turkey asked for details about the group’s project to use smart devices to monitor human rights violations;
Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Nicaragua pointed out that the organization stated it has engaged in sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council and requested more details on that work;
Sex & Samfund (Denmark) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for a list of partner organizations in Africa and Asia, as well as descriptions of the projects they are engaged with and their funding sources;
Shaik Taher Azzawi Charity Organization (Libya); and
Inimõiguste Instituut (Estonia).
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the following 32 entities:
- Society for Union of Muslims And Empowerment (SUMAE) Foundation (Uganda);
- Stichting Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport Foundation (China);
- Talent Incubator (Benin);
- The FW de Klerk Foundation Trust (South Africa);
- Union des peuples autochtones pour le réveil au développement (Burundi);
- Voluntary Integration for Education and Welfare of Society (India);
- Wynad Social Service Society (India);
- YOUTHLEAD (Jeunes Leaders) (Togo);
- Yayasan Kota Kita Surakarta (Indonesia);
- YouChange China Social Entrepreneur Foundation (China);
- A New Dawn — Bedouin Jewish Centre in the Negev for Equality and Accessibility in Education, Research, Peace and Welfare Services (Israel);
- Aleh Jerusalem Centres (Israel);
- Broad National Movement (BNM) Ltd. (United Kingdom);
- Care 2 give, Inc. (United States);
- Catholic Relief Services — United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (United States);
- Centro Mujeres A.C. (Mexico);
- Cruelty Free International (United Kingdom);
- Darfur Women Action Group (United States);
- GSM Association (Switzerland);
- Grace Leadership Foundation Inc. (United States);
- Great Enlightenment Lotus Society Inc. (United States);
- Health Limited (United Kingdom);
- International Convocation of Unitarian Universalist Women (United States);
- International Council for Small Business (United States);
- International Programme on the State of the Ocean (United Kingdom);
- Kaleidoscope Human Rights Foundation Ltd. (Australia);
- Les femmes, la force du changement (France);
- Occupational Knowledge International (United States);
- OneMama Incorporated (United States);
- Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, Inc. (P-FOX) (United States);
- Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans Society (Canada); and
- Peaceever TV International Media Group Inc. (United States).