UNBISnet
 
UNBIS Guidelines for Specific Types of UN Documents and Publications


F.   NGO written statements

Summary notes for NGO communications concerning human rights situations

Subject terms for NGO communications concerning human rights situations: geographic linkage



Sessional or conference documentation of UN bodies may include written statements, communications or contributions by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on subjects of interest or concern to them, submitted in conformity with the applicable rules of procedure.

The document symbols for NGO written statements in some document series include the acronym NGO.

Assign the Content Code B21 to NGO communications or statements issued as individual documents, and to documents compiling communications from non-governmental organizations. Do not assign the code B21 to applications for NGO consultative status.

Assign Content Code A20 in addition to code B21 when NGO written statements transmit text of adopted declarations, and assign the topical subject (tag 650) DECLARATIONS (TEXT). Uniform title authority records are not systematically established for declarations of non-governmental organizations, but they are generally established for declarations with distinctive titles adopted at conferences or seminars.

If the fact that a document contains an NGO communication is not evident in the document title (tag 245), add a note (tag 520) identifying the organization responsible for the document contents (see example 2).

Phrases concerning the consultative status category of organizations are generally omitted from statements of responsibility transcribed in tag 245 subfield $c, by customary UNBIS practice (see examples 3 and 4).

Do not assign the topical subject (tag 650) NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS when non-governmental organizations are the authors, but not the subjects, of documents.


Example 1: Compilation of NGO communications

089 $b B21
191 $a CAT/C/GC/2/CRP.1/Add.4 $b CAT/C/
245 10 $a Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment : $b general comment no. 2 : compilation of comments / $c submitted by non-governmental organizations
630 07 $a Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984)
650 17 $a TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT
650 17 $a TORTURE PREVENTION
650 17 $a TREATIES
650 17 $a INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS
650 17 $a TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT
650 27 $a DEROGATION
650 27 $a INTERNATIONAL LAW
710 2_ $a Amnesty International
710 2_ $a Association for the Prevention of Torture (Geneva)
710 2_ $a Human Rights Law Resource Centre (Melbourne, Australia)
710 2_ $a International Women's Human Rights Law Clinic
etc.

 
Example 2: Single NGO communication

089 $b B21
191 $a E/C.19/2004/6 $b E/CN.19/ $c 3
245 10 $a Information received from non-governmental organizations : $b note / $c by the Secretariat
520 $a Transmits statement received from Franciscans International regarding indigenous women.
650 17 $a INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
650 17 $a WOMEN
650 17 $a GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
650 17 $a DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
650 27 $a TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
710 2_ $a UN. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Secretariat
710 2_ $a Franciscans International

In Example 2, the indexer's note identifies the non-governmental organization transmitting the written statement, since it is not specified in the document title.

 

Example 3: Single NGO communication

089 $b B21
191 $a A/HRC/1/NGO/7 $b A/HRC/ $c 1
245 10 $a Aplicación de la resolución 60/251 de la Asamblea General, de 15 de marzo de 2006, titulada "Consejo de Derechos Humanos" : $b escrita / $c presentada por la Asociación Americana de Juristas
520 $a Concerns the draft International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Forced Disappearance.
546 $a Spanish only.
630 07 $a International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (2006)
650 17 $a DISAPPEARANCE OF PERSONS
650 17 $a TREATIES
710 2_ $a American Association of Jurists
991 $a A/HRC/1/1 $b 4 $c Implementation of General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006 entitled "Human Rights Council".

In Example 3, statement of responsibility appears on document as: Exposición escrita presentada por la Asociación Americana de Juristas, organización no gubernamental reconocida como entidad consultiva especial. The phrase concerning consultative status of the organization is omitted from 245 $c.
Transcribe agenda item titles in the title field (tag 245$a) as they appear on NGO statements of the Commission on Human Rights and Human Rights Council, as well as in the agenda item field (tag 991).

 

Example 4: NGO communication transmitting a declaration

089 $b B21
089 $b A20
191 $a E/2008/NGO/1 $b E/ $c 2008-S
245 10 $a Statement / $c submitted by Sulabh International
520 $a Transmits "Delhi Declaration on Sanitation" adopted at the World Toilet Summit held in New Delhi, 2007.
630 07 $a Delhi Declaration on Sanitation (2007)
650 17 $a SANITATION
650 17 $a DECLARATIONS (TEXT)
710 2_ $a Sulabh International
711 2_ $a World Toilet Summit (2007 : New Delhi)
991 $a E/2008/100 $b 2c $c Annual ministerial review : implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to sustainable development. $d SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT--MINISTERIAL REVIEW $z I0196822

In Example 4, statement of responsibility appears on document as: Statement submitted by Sulabh International, a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. The phrase concerning consultative status of the organization is omitted from 245 $c.
Agenda item titles are not transcribed in the title field (tag 245$a) of NGO written statements of the Economic and Social Council, but only in the agenda item field (tag 991).

 

Example 5: Applications for NGO consultative status

089 $b B19
191 $a E/C.2/2004/R.2/Add.6 $b E/C.2/ $c 2004
245 10 $a New applications for consultative status : $b memorandum / $c by the Secretary-General
610 27 $a UN. Economic and Social Council
610 27 $a FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society
610 27 $a International Electric Research Exchange
etc.
650 17 $a CONSULTATIVE STATUS
650 17 $a NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
710 2_ $a UN. Secretary-General

In Example 5, non-governmental organizations are subjects but not authors of the document.


NGO written statements are often issued under an agenda item title that is more general than the specific topic of the written statement (see, for instance, example no. 3 above). Usually, neither a specific title for the written statement nor a summary appears on the document title page. In that case, the indexer should analyze the written statement and summarize the subject matter or describe the contents in a summary/annotation note (tag 520).  Since NGO written statements are usually issued unedited, and without summaries or specific titles, analysis of their contents is sometimes challenging; it is helpful to focus on introductory paragraphs and closing statements in determining the specific subject.

In some cases a specific title for the written statement may be provided by the submitting organization, as part of the submitted text. If the title of the written statement is precise and specific, the indexer may choose to quote it (preceded by an introductory phrase such as Transmits communication entitled "…") or reformulate it in the summary note. Titles of NGO statements are generally not recorded  in a Contents Note (tag 505) or variant title field (tag 246).

Formulating a clear summary/annotation note to describe the specific subject or contents of a written communication is helpful in selecting appropriate subject terms. As a general rule, the subject terms selected should reflect the summary/annotation note and not necessarily the more general agenda item title appearing on the title page.

Summary notes describing the contents of written statements commonly begin with the word Concerns but other introductory verbs are used if appropriate, e.g.:

Addresses, Affirms, Alleges that, Asserts that, Calls for, Calls upon, Charges that, Condemns, Discusses, Draws attention to, Expresses, Presents, Recommends, Requests, States that, Transmits, Urges, etc.

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Summary notes for NGO communications concerning human rights situations

In formulating summary notes for NGO written statements that concern human rights issues in specific countries, the indexer should use language that is as neutral as possible, especially since titles and contents of NGO communications may contain language that is strongly negative or critical. Accusations of human rights violations such as torture, summary or arbitrary executions, arbitrary detention, etc., should either be (a) referred to with neutral language in summary notes (prisoner treatment, treatment of detainees, human rights situation in…, situation of …., etc.; (b) qualified with terms or phrases such as alleged, allegedly, allegations of, reports of, reported cases of, issue of, problem of, question of, etc.; or (c) it should be clearly indicated that the language is that of the submitting NGO either by citing text between quotation marks or by using introductory phrases such as Asserts that…, States that…, Charges that…, etc.

The standard summary note for a written statement concerning a human rights situation in a country, without evident focus on a particular aspect or aspects, is:

520 $a Concerns human rights situation in [country].

When a written statement concerns a general human rights situation, but then focuses on a specific aspect, a useful formulation for summary notes is:

520 $a Concerns [general human rights issue], with particular reference to [specific aspect].


If a written communication transmits a statement bearing a distinctive title (e.g. Statement on…, Declaration on…) consider citing the transmitted statement between quotation marks instead of formulating a summary note.

Example: A/HRC/11/NGO/48

245 10 $a Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories : $b written statement
520 $a Transmits "Joint statement on Israeli war crimes in Gaza".
Instead of:
520 $a Concerns Israel's military offense in Gaza and requests the Human Rights Council to take action on the issue.

 
Examples of summary notes for NGO communications on human rights issues

520 $a Concerns human rights situation in Uzbekistan.

520 $a
Expresses deep concern over the situation of human rights and security in Darfur, Sudan.

520 $a Alleges that violent crimes are committed by state officials in Myanmar as a result of absence of rule of law.

520 $a Transmits communication entitled "Religious freedom and political prisoners in Tibet".

520 $a Concerns the right to housing in China, with particular reference to the human rights impact of forced evictions.

For more examples, please follow this link.

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Subject terms for NGO communications concerning human rights situations: geographic linkage

Since many NGO communications concern human rights situations in specific countries, indexers should refer to the UNBIS Guidelines for Analysis of UN Information Resources: Geographic linkage of subjects (tag 650) for guidance concerning linkage of primary subject terms (tag 650 first indicator 1) with geographic subject terms for countries.

In general, "negative" terms for human rights violations (HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT, SUMMARY EXECUTIONS, ARBITRARY EXECUTIONS, ARBITRARY DETENTION, RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, etc.) are not linked with geographic terms for countries.

"Neutral" terms are linked with geographic terms for countries: HUMAN RIGHTS, PRISONER TREATMENT, DETAINED PERSONS, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, ARMED INCIDENTS, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, RACE RELATIONS, etc.

Examples of geographic linkage:

650 17 $a PRISONER TREATMENT
650 17 $a DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
650 17 $a TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT 

 
650 17 $a MINORITIES
650 17 $a RELIGIOUS GROUPS
650 17 $a HUMAN RIGHTS
650 17 $a IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF)
650 17 $a HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
650 17 $a RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE

 
650 17 $a ARMED INCIDENTS
650 17 $a THAILAND
650 17 $a EXTRALEGAL EXECUTIONS

 
650 17 $a MILITARY ACTIVITY
650 17 $a BLOCKADE
650 17 $a ISRAEL
650 17 $a GAZA STRIP
650 17 $a HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
650 17 $a TERRITORIES OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL


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Last updated: 16 October 2009