Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommends 132 Groups for Status, Defers Action on 49 Others, as Regular Session Continues
Continuing its 2021 regular session, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 132 organizations for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and deferred action on the status of 49 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 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 several applications was postponed because Committee members requested further information from the candidates about, among other items, details of their respective organizations’ activities, partners, expenditures and sources of funding.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 20 May, to continue its session.
Special Consultative Status
The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the following organizations:
Nigerian Women Trust Fund LTD/GTE (Nigeria);
Nobre Ordem para Excelencia Humana — NOHE (Brazil);
ONG Malachie (Gabon);
ONG — Sonagnon (Benin);
Omnyati (Tunisia);
Open Dreams Organization Inc. (Cameroon);
Organisation Apposition et Engagement Civiques “OABC” (Tunisia);
Organisation Futur Rayonnant (Mauritania);
Organisation Internationale pour le Développement Economique Social et Humanitaire (Côte d’Ivoire);
Organização das Mulheres Maritimas Africanas — WIMAFRICA (Nigeria);
Ostoegenesis Imperfecta Foundation Nigeria (OIFN) (Nigeria);
Paradise Mission for Widows & Teenage Girls (Nigeria);
Peace One Day Mali (Mali);
People Forum for Human Rights (People Forum) (Nepal);
Plateforme des Organisations de Femmes Haitiennes pour le Développement (Haiti);
Platform for Youth Integration and Volunteerism (Cameroon);
Pompiers humanitaires (Benin);
Qendra per Nisma Ligjore Qytetare, QNL (Albania);
Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation (Nigeria);
Reseau Ensemble contre la torture en Mauritanie (Mauritania);
Royal Health Awareness Society (Jordan);
Réseau 2 Congo genre et développement (Democratic Republic of the Congo);
Réseau Progrès et développement humanitaire du Niger (REPRODEVH) (Niger);
SEDARVP Ghana (Ghana);
Sepehr Cultural Development Foundation (Iran);
Sigaw ng Kabataan Coalition (Philippines);
Silver Lining for the Needy Initiative (Nigeria);
Smiles Africa International (Nigeria);
Social Economic Development Society (Bangladesh);
Solidariedade Na Mokili (Democratic Republic of the Congo);
Strength in Diversity Development Centre (Nigeria);
Sure Smiles Women and Children Advocacy Initiative (Nigeria);
Tafawuq Consulting Center for Development (Bahrain);
Tanzania Bora Initiative (United Republic of Tanzania);
Tanzania Green Crescent Community (United Republic of Tanzania);
The Islamic Welfare Association Group (Lebanon);
Tunisie pôle mondial de la Bonne santé et du bien être pour tous (Tunisia);
Ugo’s Touch of Life Foundation (Nigeria);
Union pour la protection, la défense des droits humains et de l’environnement dans la région des Grands Lac (Democratic Republic of the Congo);
União Nacional das Organizações Cooperativistas Solidárias (Brazil);
Voice of Women Organization (Afghanistan);
Women Economic and Leadership Transformation Initiatives (Nigeria);
Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (Nigeria);
Working Fingers International Initiative (Nigeria);
World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (China);
Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support Inc. (Brazil);
Yerima Balla International Education Limited (Nigeria);
Young Professional Development Society Nepal (Nepal);
Youth Advocates Ghana (YAG) (Ghana);
Youth Competence Center (Nigeria);
Youths Employment Service (YES Cameroon) (Cameroon);
Zərərli vərdişlərə qarşı ictimai birliyi (Azerbaijan);
APF France Handicap (France);
Accept International (Japan);
Action Learning, Action Research Association Ltd. (Australia);
African Foundation for Development (AFFORD) (United Kingdom);
Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders, Inc. (United States);
American Automotive Policy Council, Inc. (United States);
American Museum of Natural History (United States);
Amonuriel Sanctuary Inc. (United States);
Animal People Inc. (United States);
Aspen International Mountain Foundation (United States);
Association African Foundation for Migration and Development in Switzerland (Switzerland);
Association CHS Alliance (Switzerland);
Association Geneva Action Platform for Engaging, Learning and Information (Switzerland);
Association Initiative Assurance Qualité Humanitaire (Switzerland);
Association Jesuit Worldwide Learning — Higher Education at the Margins (Switzerland);
Association Marocaine de Toronto (Canada);
Associazione Rondine Cittadella Della Pace (Italy);
Australian Medical Students’ Association Limited;
Autonomous Non-profit Organization for the Development of Information, Industry and International Cooperation “Integration” (Russian Federation);
Avnei Derech La'Haim (RA) (Israel);
Avtonomnaya Nekommercheskaya Organizatsiya Tsentr Razvitiya Innovatsionnykh Sotsialnykh Uslug “Partnyorstvo Kazhdomu Rebyonku”(Russian Federation);
Big Ocean Women (United States);
Bright Light Projects (United States);
Brighter Green Inc (United States);
Build Change (United States);
Canadian International Chaplaincy Association;
Center for Global Development (United States);
Center for Innovative and Pragmatic Development Initiative (CIPDI) (United States);
Centre d'études juridiques africaines (CEJA) (Switzerland);
Citoyens en action pour la démocratie et le développement (Switzerland);
Collegiate Congress (United States);
Comitato Europeo per la Formazione e l’Agricoltura (Italy);
Confederación Española de Personas con Discapacidad Física y Orgánica (COCEMFE) (Spain);
Conori Consults, Inc. (United States);
Coordinadora Europea de Familias Numerosas (Spain);
Coralive.org (Switzerland);
Cyber Institute (United States);
D4DInsights, LLC (United States);
Data & Society Research Institute Inc. (United States);
De Montfort University (United Kingdom);
Development Gateway, Inc. (United States);
Development Initiatives Poverty Research Limited (United Kingdom);
Die Internationale Vereinigung fur Sport fur Alle (Germany);
EAT Foundation (Norway);
Ecomom Korea (Republic of Korea);
Education Relief Foundation (Switzerland);
Energies 2050 (France);
European Federation for UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations (Romania);
European Forum for Restorative Justice (Belgium);
FEDE — Federation for Education in Europe (France);
FPI Fair Pay Innovation Lab gGmbH (Germany);
Fondation Botnar (Switzerland);
Fondation la France s'engage;
Forest Love and Mountain Love (Republic of Korea);
Fortify, Inc. (United States);
Forum 21 Institute (United States);
Forum delle Donne del Mediterraneo (Italy);
Frauen ohne Grenzen — Women without Borders/SAVE — Sisters Against Violent Extremism, gemeinnütziger Verein (Austria);
Fundación Profuturo (Spain);
Future Generations (United States);
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (Switzerland);
Fédération Interntionale “Militia Santae Mariae” (France);
GEMS Development Foundation (United States);
G_foundation Social Cooperative Union (Republic of Korea);
Global Deaf Muslim Federation (United States);
Global Life Savers Inc (United States);
Go Global Foundation (United States);
GongGam Human Rights Law Foundation (Republic of Korea);
Green Crescent Australia;
Green Hope Foundation (Canada);
Gypsy Council, Inc. (United States);
Harlan Group for Civil Rights Inc. (United States);
Hawau Eniola Foundation (United Kingdom);
HelpAge USA;
Hope for a Healthier Humanity Foundation, Inc. (United States);
Humanity Development Initiative a NJ Nonprofit Corporation (United States);
Hungarian Helsinki Committee;
I Belong Israel (Masa Israeli) — Journey of Discovery and Connection; and
ILAR, INC. (United States).
The Committee postponed action on the application of the following organizations:
Nikan Mammut Charity Foundation (Iran) — as the representative of the United States requested that it provide details of its activities, including funds allocated, outcomes and partnerships with Governments or other organizations;
Objective — TV and broadcasting company (Azerbaijan) — as the representative of Turkey, noting its particular interest in the work of the Commission on the Status of Women and the promotion of gender equality, asked that it provide details and specific examples;
Pesticide Action Network India (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked what initiatives it has taken for pest control and awareness-raising among farmers, their deliverables and outcomes;
Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute (India) — as the representative of Pakistan requested more information on its projects to improve access to health in rural areas in the last five years, their deliverables and outcomes;
Plant Trust (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked that it share details of its projects in the last five years to mitigate the impact of climate change and pollution control as well as their outcomes;
Protsahan India Foundation (India) — as the representative of Pakistan sought information about the States and regions in which it works, as well as its programmes to prevent the sexual exploitation of children and their outcomes;
Rawsam Human Development Center (Iraq) — as the representative of Libya asked how its contribution to the Council’s work could lead to perceptible action in stabilizing the economic and social situation of women and helping the homeless and poor;
Relief Human Rights Organization (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan sought more information about the areas and regions in which it works, as well as its projects in each of those places;
Rwanga Foundation — RF (Iraq) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested more information about its activities;
SFLC.in — Software Freedom Law Center (India) — as the representative of Pakistan requested information about awareness raising campaigns it has undertaken to promote freedom of expression and access to information regarding digital formats and online sources, as per its mandate;
Sargakshetra Charitable Trust (India) — as the representative of Pakistan requested information about the projects it undertakes for underprivileged and marginalized communities;
Senaapathy Kangayam Cattle Research Foundation (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked to know more about its programmes for the preservation of unique species, as per its mandate;
Serve Happiness Foundation (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked to know in which States and regions in works, as well as details and outcomes of its projects aimed at providing livelihoods to women in rural areas;
Sheikha Al Thani for Underprivileged Children (Egypt) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested that it indicate its planned activities for 2022;
Shree Maruti Gram Vikash Trust (India) — as the representative of Pakistan, noting that the Government of India appears to be its largest source of funding, asked to explain the reasons for that, together with a breakdown of its overall funding and how the funds are used in terms of projects and programmes;
Skills and Empowerment Foundation (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked that it share information about the projects it has undertaken to advance the empowerment of tribal women in the last five years;
Solidarité des jeunes filles pour l'éducation et l'intégration socioprofessionnelle «SOJFEP» (Democratic Republic of the Congo) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested more information about its participation in the regional African meeting to prepare for the “Beijing+25” conference and the second regional conference on indigenous women;
Solidarité féminine pour la paix et le développement integral (Democratic Republic of the Congo) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested updated information about its spending, particularly for projects in 2019 and 2020;
Somali Green Crescent Society (Somalia) — as the representative of the United States requested details on grants it has received from the Turkish Green Crescent Society, as well as the number of youth clubs it has established or is planning to establish;
Sri Lanka Press Institute (Sri Lanka) — as the representative of China requested details about the international organizations from which it received funds, and whether those funds are for specific projects or the organization’s general work;
The World Community Service Centre (India) — as the representative of Pakistan requested details about the activities and programmes it undertakes for peace advocacy;
Themis — Gender, Justice and Human Rights (Brazil) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked for more details about its participation in the three United Nations conferences that it refers to in its application;
Women for Peace and Democracy — Nepal (Nepal) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked that it indicate from which international organizations it received funding from 2009 to 2020;
Youth of United Nations Association of Tanzania (United Republic of Tanzania) — as the representative of Turkey requested examples of workshops and other activities it says that it carries out at the international level;
Zeleni Polumjesec (Green Crescent) (Montenegro) — as the representative of Greece requested details about its funding sources;
African Heritage Women in Education and Empowerment (United States) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested updated information about its projects and expenditures in 2019 and 2020;
Al-Rafah Welfare Association in Kafr Bara (R/A) (Israel) — as the representative of Israel asked which of its activities are supported by public donations;
Allianz für Demokratie in Laos (ADL) e.V. (Germany) — as the representative of China asked for details about the consulting work that it says it has done for the Department of State of the United States and other Governments. In the same vein, the representative of Cuba requested further information on the objective and scope of its role as a consultant, even if it says it has received no Government funds in recent years. He also requested details on how the 94 per cent of funding it receives as donations is used;
Asociatia Romanian Women's Lobby (Romania) — as the representative of Turkey, noting that it is a member of the European Women’s Lobby, which has special consultative status with the Council, asked whether it has contributed to United Nations processes or events through that organization. She also asked if it could provide the date when it joined the European Women’s Lobby;
Association Voix Libres (Switzerland) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested more information about the nature of the contracts from which it says it receives income;
Association of Lawyers of Russia — as the representative of the United States sought details about each of its commissions;
Association pour la promotion des droits humains(APDH)(Switzerland) — as the representative of Libya asked that the NGO provides details about 300 interviews it conducted;
Autonomous Non-Profit Organization of promotion the development of international relations in the framework of the BRICS group “International Alliance of BRICS Strategic Projects” (Russian Federation) — as the representative of Estonia sought more information about its projects;
Autonomous non-profit organization humanitarian programs organization “Russian Humanitarian Mission” — as the representative of Estonia asked that the entity provide more information about its activities in his country;
Canadian Women’s Foundation/Fondation canadienne des femmes — as the representative of Nicaragua asked that the entity explains how it operates when it has a major deficit;
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights (United Kingdom) — as the representative of the Russian Federation sought details about this organization’s projects in Syria;
Center for Military Human Rights Korea (CMHRK) (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of Cuba asked for details about income received from the private sector and its expenditure;
Centro Studi ed Iniziative Culturali Pio La Torre (Italy) — as the representative of China asked the entity to explain how it maintains its independence from the Government, which provides it with substantial funding;
Coppieters Foundation (Belgium) — as the representative of Turkey asked the entity to specify which eight countries its 17 members are in;
Dynamique Gender ONGD International (Canada) — as the representative of Nicaragua sought information about its projects planned for 2021 and 2022;
Eiropas demokrātijas attīstības centrs (Latvia) — as the representative of Estonia sought clarification of the entity’s work in European countries, as well as about the sources of its funding and how its funding is used;
European network on cultural management and policy (Belgium) — as the representative of China asked the entity to clarify its position on Taiwan since it receives funding from that province of his country;
Girl Vow, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of the Russian Federation sought its 2020 financial record;
Global Alumni Alliance (Russian Federation) — as the representative of Estonia sought more information about its activities in the former Soviet Union States.
Global Minorities Alliance (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Turkey sought more specific examples of the entity’s emergency disaster relief activities;
Hestia Hellas MAKE (Greece) — as the representative of Turkey asked the NGO to provide more details about its affiliation with organizations listed in its application; and
Human Rights at Sea (United Kingdom) — as the representative of China sought an update on the entity’s work on developing the international instrument for human rights at sea.
Interactive Discussion
During a question-and-answer session in the afternoon, NGO representatives faced questions from Committee members.
The representative of The Fyera Foundation (United States) said her organization provides training for emotional response to stress and trauma, contributing to peacebuilding. Among its projects, it works with women from Israel and Palestine, teaching them necessary skills. One young woman, who used to be a suicide bomber, now believes in making peace and works in a hospital.
The Committee granted special consultative status to this NGO.
The representative of Girl Vow, Inc. (United States) said her organization offers a mentoring programme for girls of color in the juvenile justice system. Once these girls with criminal records complete the programme, they can become “Youth Ambassadors” who teach girls how to navigate the system.
The representative of the Russian Federation asked the NGO to elaborate its activities, also noting that there is a discrepancy in the financial information contained in its application. He therefore asked that its 2020 financial statement be submitted to the Committee.
The NGO representative said that the financial information has not been updated because the application was prepared six years ago.
The representative of the Russian Federation asked how this case is treated as a new application, if it was prepared six years ago. The Secretariat said the application was received in May 2019.
The Committee deferred action on the application of this organization.
The representative of Ilankai Thamil Sangam, Inc. (United States) said her organization has supported the Thamil people in Sri Lanka and abroad since 1977. It holds general meetings and cultural events for the community in the United States, including those who were displaced. Funding comes from donations from its members.
The representative of China asked the entity to explain its work on children’s rights and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The representative of Pakistan sought detailed information about its funding and asked whether it receives funding from any Government.
The NGO representative said her organization does not receive any Government funding, and fundraising activities take place during cultural events. Among other projects, it helped children in the aftermath of flooding.
The representative of Pakistan sought more detailed financial information and the outcome of projects in writing.
The Committee deferred action on the application of this organization.
The representative of Non-Governmental Organization «Association of Wives and Mothers of Soldiers Participating In Ato» (Ukraine) said her organization brings together women who lost their husbands and children in armed conflict. It has expertise in drafting social protection policy. It has 2,000 women members in 15 regions across the country.
The representative of the Russian Federation asked the NGO to explain its relationship with the Government and Parliament, to which the NGO representative replied that it implements State projects jointly.
The Russian Federation’s delegate pointed out that 43 per cent of its income derives from Government sources and asked the NGO if its charter or statute guarantees independence from the Government.
The NGO representative said independence is enshrined in its statute.
The Russian Federation’s delegate asked for written responses, including the list of projects and the amount of money spent on their implementation.
The Committee then deferred action on the application of this organization.