Continuing its 2021 regular session, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 52 organizations for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, deferred action on the status of 68 others and recommended the reclassification of two groups.
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 many 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.
Also today, the Committee postponed to the next resumed session action on the complaints filed by Sudan against nine organizations, as well as discussion on Pakistan’s request for information from certain groups. The Committee received requests from the representatives of Estonia and Cuba to reopen the applications of two groups for technical reasons, but postponed consideration of these requests to a later date. It also took note of the withdrawal of one application.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 3 p.m. on Monday, 24 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:
The Zigen Fund Inc. (United States);
Tiqua e.V. (Germany);
Trees for the Future, Inc. (United States);
Trinity Girls Network Corporation (United States);
Trinity International Univer of Ambassadors Corporation (United States);
Trustees of Tufts College (United States);
Truth & Reconciliation Corner, Inc. (United States);
United Bible Societies Association (United Kingdom);
Ventura County Women’s Forum Collaborative (United States);
Vera Institute of Justice, Inc. (United States);
WEFA — Humanitäre Organisation e.V (Germany);
Wereld Esperanto — Jongeren Organisatie (Tutmonda Esperantista Junulara Organizo (“TEJO”)) (Netherland);
With My Own Two Hands Foundation (United States);
Workforce Solutions Group, Incorporated (United States);
World Education Services, Inc. (United States);
World Federation of Science Journalists (Canada);
World Indigenous Tourism Alliance Limited (New Zealand);
Zinthiya Ganeshpanchan Trust (United Kingdom);
Asia Centre Co., Ltd. (Thailand);
Consortium of Institutes on Family in the Asian Region Limited (China);
Grassland Cultural Protection and Development Foundation of Inner Mongolia (China);
International Commission of Jurists, Kenya Section (Kenya);
Macao Youth Federation (China);
O.N.G. Derechos Digitales (Chile);
SHEILD (Lebanon);
Actis — Rusfeltets Samarbeidsorgan (Norway);
Ass Culturale “Global Action” (Italy);
Centralized Religious Organization Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia (Russian Federation);
Comunicación e Información de la Mujer AC (Mexico);
Institute for Ecological Civilization (United States);
Institute for Human Rights (Georgia);
Invisible Girl Project Incorporated (United States);
Japan Platform (Japan);
African Projects for Peace and Love Initiatives Inc. (Nigeria);
Anciens Esclaves Nouveaux Citoyens (Mauritania);
Asociacion Conciencia — Asociacion Civil (Argentina);
Association against Women Export (AAWE) (Nigeria);
Association culturelle pour le développement social (A.C.D.S.) (Chad);
Association mauritanienne d’appui aux nécessiteux (Mauritania);
Atwar Organization for Research and Community Development (Libya);
Aula Abierta (Venezuela);
Cairo Foundation for Development and Law (Egypt);
Centre Mauritanien des Droits de l’Homme (Mauritania);
Ciudadano Inteligente (Chile);
Comité de lutte et d’orientation sur les conséquences du divorce (Mauritania);
Dr B R Ambedkar Sports Foundation (India);
Dr. Kalam Smriti International (India);
Empowering Humanity (India);
Fields of Green for All NPC (South Africa); and
Grupo de Análisis para el Desarrollo (Peru).
The Committee postponed action on the applications of the following organizations:
United for Human Rights (Switzerland) — as the representative of China requested a list of the “collective members” referred to in its application;
Vithu Trust Fund (United Kingdom) — as the representative of China sought details of its projects, on which it spends all its income, and their outcomes;
Women of Vision (United States) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked for more information about its funds recovery plans, and whether those funds would come from the private sector or from other organizations;
Women’s Centers International (United States) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested more details about the funding it provides to other groups;
Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China asked that it use the correct terminology for Taiwan Province, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macau Special Administrative Region on its website; in the same vein, the representative of Greece asked that it use the correct terminology for North Macedonia;
WomenOne, Ltd (United States) — as the representative of Nicaragua sought more details about its finances;
World Yoga Community Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China requested that it use the correct terminology for Taiwan Province on its website;
Yesilay — Bulgaria Association (Bulgaria) — as representative of Greece requested details about the funding it receives from other NGOs;
Arab Media Union (Egypt) — as the representative of Pakistan requested clarification of its website claim that it has consultative status with the Economic and Social Council; she also asked that it elaborate on its “unique and creative media vision” for achieving Vision 2030;
Asociación Campaña Colombiana contra Minas CCCM (Colombia) — as the representative of Cuba, noting that it receives 79 per cent of its income, or $3.4 million, from countries in which it has agreements, requested details of those countries, their specific contributions and how those funds are used;
Association Tous pour l’integration des migrants au Maroc (Morocco) — as representative of Nicaragua requested information about its participation in United Nations conferences;
Association assalam pour le développement social (Morocco) — as the representative of Cuba requested an update on the projects it carried out in 2020 and those it is planning for 2021;
Association des marocains victimes d’expulsion arbitraire de l’Algérie (Morocco) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested details about its representatives in Europe and in which countries they operate;
Aurat Publication and Information Service Foundation Lahore (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan requested more details about its finances, including a breakdown of its foreign funding;
Incentive Care Foundation (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan requested information on the projects it undertook for poverty eradication, and their outcomes, from 2018 to 2020;
International Foundation Witnesses Ashoora (Iran) — as the representative of Israel requested details about its meetings and interactions with other countries and organizations;
Medical Support Association for Underprivileged Iranian Patients (Iran) — as the representative of Israel, noting that the organization provides no background information or a link to a website, asked for details about its recent activities;
Sinergia (Venezuela) — as the representative of Cuba, noting that the organization says in its application that it would contribute the work of the NGO Committee, asked for details on how it intends to do so; he also asked for information about its funding, noting that the €450,000 it says it received from the European Union is 22 times its declared budget;
The Gulmit Educational and Social Welfare Society, Hunza Gilgit (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan requested details about its education projects, including expenditures;
The Individual Initiative for Human Rights (Lebanon) — as the representative of Israel asked that it explain how it would contribute to the Council’s work, given that it states in its application that it has no planned activities or projects;
The International Humanitarian Society for Development without Borders (Lebanon) — as the representative of Israel sought details about its stated partnerships with United Nations agencies and the nature of those partnerships;
United Global Organization of Development (U-GOOD) (Pakistan) — as the representative of Pakistan requested a breakdown of its foreign funding and how those funds are used, including project details;
de Centre Idriss El Fakhouri des Etudes et de Recherches en Sciences Juridiques Oujda (Morocco) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested more information about the selection of its leadership;
ALQST Human Rights (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Pakistan requested details of its activities, projects and programmes from 2014 to 2017 and the representative of Bahrain sought its financial reports for the last five years, outlining clearly the sources of its financial contributions;
Association Sphere (Switzerland) — as the representative of Cuba, noting that its expenditures exceed income by $100,000, asked for details on how it operates under such a deficit;
Associazione Luca Coscioni per la libertà di ricerca scientifica (Italy) — as the representative of Cuba requested details about other organizations which facilitated its participation in United Nations events; noting that its members are all Italian nationals, he also asked whether the NGO is open to non-Italians resident in Italy;
Bell Global Justice Institute (United States) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked how its “quite modest budget” of less than $200 allows it to reach its stated goals;
Brussels International Center for Research and Human Rights (Belgium) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested more details about the manner in which it elects its leadership, including the selection criteria for candidates for its governing body, and as the representative of China asked that it used the correct terminology for Taiwan Province on its website;
Eurazijos žalos mažinimo asociacija (Lithuania) — as the representative of Russian Federation asked for more details about its relationship with the Open Society Foundation;
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Switzerland) — as the representative of Libya requested details about the outcome of its research into human rights violations in his country and how it managed to deploy 60 researchers without the recognition of local authorities;
European Foundation for South Asian Studies (Netherlands) — as the representative of China requested details about the meetings and research it plans in the area of radicalization and terrorism, and to explain how those efforts would contribute to the Council’s work;
Every Casualty Worldwide (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Israel sought more information about the methods it uses to collect data and how it ensures the accuracy of that data;
Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (United States) — as the representative of China requested that it use the correct terminology for Taiwan Province and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on its website;
Human Concern International (HCI) (Canada) — as the representative of Israel, noting that the NGO, according to its website, maintains a local presence in Gaza in other conflict zones, requested information about its local partnerships and steps taken to ensure that its activities do not support terrorist organizations;
Human Rights Solidarity Organization (Switzerland) — as the representative of Libya requested a list of the more than 45 local organizations with which the NGO says it has working relationships in his country;
Humanium (Switzerland) — as the representative of Cuba, pointing to the NGO’s interactive map about the situation of children and their rights, asked how it guarantees that the underlying information is accurate and up to date;
InterPride (United States) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested a breakdown of the organizations from which it receives funding;
International Human Rights Commission La Commission Internationale des Droits de l’homme Mezinárodní komise pro lidská práva — nadacní fond, ve zkrácené forme IHRC — nadacní fond (Czech Republic) — as the representative of Estonia asked that the NGO explain the work of its so-called “diplomatic missions” referred to in its application;
Inti Raymi Fund, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Israel, noting that the NGO seems to receive all its income from its managing director, asked how such a situation ensures the independence of its board of directors and its decision-making; he also sought details on the funding of its 12 to 15 projects;
Intl. WeLoveU Foundation (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested details about its project in Ukraine;
Jeju Olle Foundation (Republic of Korea) — as the representative of China requested that it use the correct terminology for Taiwan Province on its website;
Kvinnors Nätverk (Sweden) – as the representative of Israel sought more up-to-date information about its activities;
Me´decins du Monde — Dokters van de Wereld (Belgium) — as the representative of Israel requested the NGO to clarify where it is active, including those places where it keeps a permanent presence and where it operates on a temporary basis;
SKT Welfare (United Kingdom) — as the representative of China asked that it explain how it carries out projects and activities in so many countries with limited resources;
The International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (United States) — as the representative of Cuba requested details about its activities, its goals and the impact of its projects, and as the representative of Nicaragua asked about the Latin American countries in which it has a permanent presence, its partners, and its planned projects and activities for 2021 and 2022;
Uluslararasi Ogrenci dernekleri Federasyonu (Turkey) — as the representative of Israel requested a detailed breakdown of its various sources of income;
Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights (United States) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested a breakdown of its funding sources, and the representative of the Russian Federation asked for details about its activities in his country, together with a list of its implementing partners;
WO=MEN, Dutch Gender Platform (Netherlands) — as the representative of Nicaragua requested its financial statements for 2019 and 2020;
World Learning Inc. (United States) — as the representative of Cuba requested details about all the countries in which it operates, its programmes, and the manner in which it decides those programmes, as well as information about how it selects in which countries it will operate and the entities with which it operates on the ground;
Òmnium Cultural (Spain) — as the representative of Israel requested a detailed breakdown of its 1,792 member organizations;
Action contre les Violations des Droits des Personnes Vulnerables (the Democratic Republic of the Congo) — as the representative of Cuba pointed out that the group’s three projects each account for 50 per cent of its expenditure, asking for an explanation of this discrepancy;
Al-Shafa’a Humanitarian Organization (Iraq) — as the representative of India sought more information about the group’s activities in the field of health care, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic;
Arab Organization for Arabization and Communication (Morocco) — as the representative of Bahrain asked for further details of the NGO’s activities conducted with other organizations at the regional level;
Arab Program for Human Rights Activists (Egypt) — as the representative of Pakistan sought details of the group’s activities undertaken for refugees;
Asamblea Permanente por los Derechos Humanos La Matanza (Argentina) — as the representative of Turkey sought clarification and details about funding from members and human rights activists;
Centre for Environmental Justice (Guarantee) Limited (Sri Lanka) — as the representative of Pakistan asked the group to provide the sources of its funding, including donor organizations;
China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation — as the representative of the Russian Federation sought detailed information about the group’s activities in 2020;
Confederation of NGOs of Rural India — as the representative of Pakistan asked the group to provide details of its activities in 2020, their outcomes and expenditures on each programme;
Denis Miki Foundation (Cameroon) — as the representative of Nicaragua sought submission of the group’s financial statements for 2018, 2019 and 2020;
Dialogue & Development Forum (Yemen) — as the representative of China asked for an update on the NGO’s planned activities;
Dimdim Humanitarian Relief Foundation (Iraq) — as the representative of Libya asked the group to explain whether “official” sources of its funding meant money received from the Government;
Drug Policy Network South East Europe (Serbia) — as the representative of the Russian Federation asked about the grant received from the European Union, including how it is spent;
Feekr Organization for Dialogue and Human Rights Defense (Yemen) — as the representative of China asked the group to provide information about its membership in China, including nationality and status of residency;
GIN SSOGIE NPC (South Africa) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked the group to explain how its participation in United Nations activities generates outcomes;
Generations for Peace (Jordan) — as the representative of Cuba sought details about the group’s income and its independence from the Government, which accounts for 50 per cent of its funding; and
Green Voice International (India) — as the representative of Pakistan requested information about the group’s programmes on the right to information and the outcomes of these activities.
Requests for Reclassification
The Committee then recommended the reclassification of the following organizations:
African Network of Young Leaders for Peace and Sustainable Development (Cameroon) — from special consultative status to general consultative status; and
International Association of University Professors and Lecturers (France) — from roster status to special consultative status.
Withdrawal
The Committee took note that HUJRA Village Support Organization (Pakistan) withdrew its application for a special consultative status.
Interactive Discussion
During a question-and-answer session in the afternoon, NGO representatives faced questions from Committee members.
The representative of World Yoga Community Inc. (United States) said his organization carries out social and cultural activities and plans to expand into Argentina. It conducts weekly yoga classes for healthy soul and body, as well as dialogues on the Sustainable Development Goals.
The representative of China asked if the Committee’s question was communicated to the NGO, to which a Secretariat official replied that it has not yet been transmitted and then read out the question regarding a reference to “Taiwan” on the group’s website.
The NGO’s representative said that “Taiwan” was removed from its website.
The representative of China welcomed that response and asked the group to use United Nations terminology in the future.
The Committee then granted special consultative status to World Yoga Community Inc.
The representative of Mwatana Organization for Human Rights (Yemen) said the group was established in 2007 and its work increased after the conflict began in Yemen in 2014. It documents human rights abuses and violations by the warring parties. It works with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the European Union and Open Society Foundation, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The representative of Bahrain requested details of several projects it conducts with international organizations, pointing out that its 2019 financial statement could have been submitted ahead of its 2020 financial statement.
The Committee then postponed action on this application.
The representative of Rotarian Action Group Addiction Prevention (Belgium) said its goal is to engage the private sector in local addiction prevention programmes. Its activities are aimed at protecting children and youth from alcoholism and drug addiction.
The Committee then granted special consultative status to the group.
The representative of Intl. WeLoveU Foundation (Republic of Korea) said that her group’s mission is to spread motherly love. It carries out humanitarian work around the world to address the pressing needs of communities, in partnership with many other organizations.
The Secretariat then read out a question asked by the Committee regarding its activities in Ukraine.
The NGO’s representative said her organization partnered with Kiev City Center in an anti-terrorist operation to aid veterans of the Ukraine war.
The representative of the Russian Federation asked for details on the cost of that project, the list of partners, and whether the project was initiated by the group or the partner.
The NGO’s representative said she was not privy to the background of that project.
The Committee postponed action on this group’s application, as the representative of the Russian Federation requested answers in writing.
Source: United Nations