IDSN and 257 other NGOs issued a statement for the meeting between the ECOSOC NGO Committee and accredited NGOS, raising concern over the “practices of the Committee that have inappropriately blocked the participation of some NGOs, in particular human rights NGOs, through procedural tactics including perpetual and repetitive questioning of applicants.  In addition, we are deeply concerned by the Committee having acted in direct contradiction of the procedural rights of NGOs explicitly or implicitly required under resolution 1996/31 providing them with an opportunity to respond (as required under paragraph 56) to initiatives to close applications or withdraw accreditation.”

Please find the full statement below

Joint NGO statement for meeting between the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs and accredited NGOs        

(Delivered 22 June 2018 – New York)                                                                                                                                                                                        

Thank you Mr. Chair

I am delivering this statement in the name of 258 NGOs.  We welcome that the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs has convened this meeting with ECOSOC-accredited NGOs, and we look forward in the future to seeing a similar meeting take place before each session of the Committee, as required by paragraph 61(a) of resolution 1996/31.

We consider the relationship between the UN and NGOs to be one that should evolve in the direction of safeguarding and encouraging the right of NGOs to participate in UN processes.

The Committee on NGOs plays a vital role in ensuring NGOs that work in line with ‘the spirit, purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations’ have access to UN spaces.

However, we are concerned by practices of the Committee that have inappropriately blocked the participation of some NGOs, in particular human rights NGOs, through procedural tactics including perpetual and repetitive questioning of applicants.  In addition, we are deeply concerned by the Committee having acted in direct contradiction of the procedural rights of NGOs explicitly or implicitly required under resolution 1996/31 providing them with an opportunity to respond (as required under paragraph 56) to initiatives to close applications or withdraw accreditation. In recent times, the Committee has indefensibly denied some applicants and ECOSOC-accredited organisations the opportunity to defend themselves against accusations of terrorist sympathies.  Indeed, certain actions of the Committee have been characterized by some States, UN officials and NGOs as constituting a form of reprisal against NGOs seeking to cooperate with the UN.

We encourage the Committee on NGOs to consider the following changes to ensure that NGO applications for ECOSOC accreditation and other matters are considered in an objective, fair and expeditious manner:

The Committee should provide guidelines explaining the grounds on which applications for accreditation are assessed.  These would assist both Committee members in the questioning of applicants and applicants in understanding Committee processes.  The process of developing such guidance or guidelines should be open to all interested stakeholders including representatives of civil society, the High Commissioner for Human Rights and relevant Special Procedures.

 

Member States of the NGO Committee should ensure that NGOs always have the opportunity to respond to any objection to their obtaining consultative status, as explicitly required by resolution 1996/31, paragraph 15, and similarly to respond to any intention to suspend or withdraw status.

 

The Committee should allow applicants the right to participate in the daily Q&A sessions via videoconferencing, thus providing the opportunity for immediate responses to members’ concerns and speeding up the process of accreditation.

The Committee should allow one or more NGO speakers to make a general statement to the Committee on NGOs at the start of every open session, as per many historical precedents including most recently in June 2016.

In addition, Observer States should attend NGO Committee sessions and engage actively on behalf of NGO applicants, including in making statements.

Thank you Mr. Chair.

 

ECOSOC-accredited NGOs:

 

Access Now

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

ADC Memorial

African Hope Committee Inc.

African Trade Center

African Views

Agricultural Missions, Inc.

Al-Haq

Alkarama Foundation

Alliance for Democracy in Laos

Al Mezan Center For Human Rights

Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS)

Amis des Etrangers au Togo (ADET)

Amnesty International

Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI)

Article 19

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development

Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC)
Asociación Española para el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos
Associação Projecto Criar

Association Congolaise des Femmes Diplomées des Universités Association de Solidarité d’Aide et Action Enfance Mali – Jiguiya Ton

Association du developpement et de la promotion de Droit de l’Homme

Association for Progressive Communications (APC)

Association for the Prevention of Torture

Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID)

Association of War Affected Women

Association of World Citizens

Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health Inc.

Baptist World Alliance

Barnabas Charity Outreach

Brot für die Welt: Bread for the World

Bytes For All, Pakistan

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network

Casa Generalizia della Societa del Sacro Cuore

Center of Civil Initiatives Support

Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR)

Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy

Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS)

Child Rights Connect

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)

CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation

COC Netherlands

Collectif Sénégalais des Africaines pour la Promotion de l’Education Relative à l’Environnement

Community Legal Centres Queensland

Concepts of Truth, Inc.

Conectas Direitos Humanos

Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO)

Congregation of the Mission

Congregations of St. Joseph

CREDO ACTION

DefendDefenders (the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project)

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Dianova International

Diligent Care for Creative Intelligence Development (DICIDE)

Ecoforum of NGOs of Uzbekistan

Edmund Rice International

Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc.

Families of the Missing

Federatie van Nederlandse Verenigingen tot Integratie van Homoseksualiteit (COC Nederland)

Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas, Inc.

FIACAT (International Federation of Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture)

Freedom House

Freedom Now

Forum for Women and Development (FOKUS)

Front Line Defenders

Fundacion Estudio e Investigacion de la Mujer

Geneva for Human Rights

Girls Education Mission International

Global Aid Hand

Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Global Welfare Association (GLOWA)

Graduate Women International

Gray Panthers

Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Council of North and South America

GROoTs

Human Rights Advocates

Human Rights Council of Australia

Human Rights House Foundation

Human Rights Now

Human Rights Sanrakshan Sansthaa

Humanists UK

IDHEAS Litigio Estratégico en Derechos Humanos

Instituto Qualivida

International Alliance of Women

International Commission of Jurists

International Council of Jewish Women (ICJW)

International Council of Women

International Federation for Home Economics

International Federation of Business and Professional Women

International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers

International Federation on Ageing

International Federation of Women Lawyers, Nigeria

International Humanist and Ethical Union

International Institute for Child Protection

Institut Jules-Destrée (The Destree Institute)

International Justice Resource Center

International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA)

International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR)

International Movement for Advancement of Education Culture Social & Economic Development (IMAECSED)

International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA)

International Organisation of Good Templars

International Partnership for Human Rights

International Planned Parenthood Federation South Asia Region (SAR)

International Presentation Association

International Service for Human Rights

International Society of Doctors for the Environment

Inwelle Study and Resource Centre

Irene Menakaya Schools

Jammu Kashmir Welfare Alliance

JANASADHANA

Jubilee Campaign USA

Katahati Institute

Labrique

Le Projet Imagine

Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (LSVD)

The Light Millennium

Ligue pour la solidarité congolaise

Manhattan Multicultural Counseling, Inc.

Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria

Medical Women’s International Association

MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society International Solidarity Committee

The Mongolian Gender Equality Center

Moremi Initiative for Women’s Leadership in Africa

Mother of Hope Cameroon

Muslims for Progressive Values

Nazra for Feminist Studies
National Council of Women of the United States, Inc.

National Space Society

Network of Rural Women Producers Trinidad and Tobago

New Future Foundation Inc.

Norwegian Human Rights Fund

Ohaha Family Foundation

Okogun Odigie Safewomb International Foundation

Omega Research Foundation

OSMTH Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem

Pacific Women’s Watch (New Zealand)

Pan Pacific and Southeast Asia Women’s Association (PPSEAWA)

Peace Brigades International Switzerland

Project 1948

RAFUDESC, Benin

Red Educación Popular entre Mujeres America Latina y el Caribe (REPEM)
Refugee Council of Australia

Regional Public Foundation Assistance for the Elderly “Dobroe Delo”

Réseau International des Droits Humains (RIDH)

RFSL, the Swedish Federation for LGBTQ Rights

ROADDH/WAHRDN

Rwenzori Center for Research and Advocacy

Sahkar Social Welfare Association

Save Cambodia

Schools Without Borders

SERVITAS Cameroon

She Wins Mexico

Sisters of Charity Federation

Society for the Advancement of Global Understanding

Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries

Society to Heighten Awareness of Women and Children Abuse

Soroptimist International

The Southern Diaspora Research and Development Center (SDRDC)

South Sudanese Christian Women Mission for Peace

Stree Mukti Sanghatana

Syrian Network for Human rights (SNHR)

Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM)

Tabernacle Worship and Prayer Ministries

To Love Children Educational International Foundation

TRIAL International

Union of International Association

United Religions Initiative

United Methodist Church–General Board of Church and Society (UMC-GBCS)

Unitarian Universalist Association United Nations Office

Unspoken Smiles Foundation

USA Mali Charitable Association of NYC

Validity Foundation

Widows for Peace through Democracy

World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy

Women Federation for World Peace

Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)

Women’s Intercultural Network

Women’s International Zionist Organisation (WIZO)

World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)

World Union for Progressive Judaism

YWCA

 

 

 

Non-ECOSOC-accredited NGOs:

 

Academia Mexicana de Derecho Internacional

Action Based Leadership Empowerment (ABLE-NGO)

Action pour l’Education et la Promotion de la Femme

African Heritage Women In Education and Empowerment (AHWEE)

African Programme for the Economic and Social Development (PADES)

Akahata A.C.

Anchor of Hope, Inc.

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights

BDS

Black Women’s Blueprint

BlueLink Foundation

Centro de Justicia y Paz

CFC

CHESA Tanzania

Child Rights International Network (CRIN)

Coalition of African Lesbians

Community Empowerment for Rehabilitation and Development (CEFoRD-South Sudan)

Congo Action Now

Colonie des Pionniers du Développement (CPD)

Collectif des femmes pour la protection de l’environnement et de l’enfant

Danish Refugee Council

Darabbar Sahitya Sansad

DMARCO Organization

East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)

EMPOWERHOUSE

Facilitate Global

Family Empowerment and Youth Re-orientation Path-initiative (FEYReP)

Fontaine-ISOKO

Gender and Energy Network, Ghana

Global Bersih

Global Peace and Development Organization

Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)

Guyana RainBow Foundation

Helpline Foundation for the Needy Abuja

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Vanadzor

Immigrant Council of Ireland

Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights

International Association of World Peace Advocates

International Centre for Justice and Human Rights

International Dalit Solidarity Network

Jammu lashmir Human Rights Movement

Jerusalem Center for Women

Journalists and Writers Foundation

Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law

KULU-Women and Development, Denmark

Lulu Community Empowerment Project

Management Consultancy and Training Services (MCTS)

Migrantes

Moroccan Association for Women’s Rights

Movement of Women and Girls for Peace and Security in Burundi

Namibia Diverse Women’s Association (NDWA)

National Rural Women’s Coalition (Australia)

Nkomo Organization Inc.

Paramount Young Women Initiative

Peaceever TV International Media Group Inc.

Plataforma Internacional contra la Impunidad

Professional Women Empowered

Project on Organizing, Development, Education and Research (PODER)

Project Swarajya

Public Verdict Foundation, Russia

Oghoghon Global

Oyu Tolgoi Watch

Refugee Law Project

Sakhi Charchowghi Trust

Sexual Rights Initiative

Sijelei Women and Youth Empowerment

Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Solace Initiative

Steps Without Borders NGO

Sustainable Fish Farming Initiative (SFFI)

The Tibet Bureau

THOMI AFRICA

Transgender Europe

UgoSunday Foundation

Unión Latinoamericana de Mujeres (ULAM)

Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights

Women Advancement and Youth Research Foundation

The Voice of Libyan Women

Women4nonviolence in Peace+Conflict Zones
Women’s Freedom Forum, Inc.

World Council of Peoples for the United Nations

World Uyghur Congress

Yemen Organization For Defending Rights & Democratic Freedom

Youth Women for Action

Zimbabwe Election Support Network

Zonta International