| United Nations | E/C.2/1995/2/Add.9 |
Economic and Social Council
Distr. GENERAL
13 December 1994
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
COMMITTEE ON NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
20-31 March 1995
Item 4 of the provisional agenda*
* E/C.2/1995/1.
QUADRENNIAL REPORTS ON THE ACTIVITIES OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS IN CONSULTATIVE STATUS WITH THE ECONOMIC
AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, CATEGORIES I AND II
Quadrennial reports, 1990-1993
Reports submitted through the Secretary-General pursuant
to Economic and Social Council resolution 1296 (XLIV) of
3 May 1968
Addendum
Note
In accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution
1296 (XLIV) on arrangements for consultation with non-governmental
organizations, organizations in consultative status in categories I
and II shall submit to the Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations, through the Secretary-General, every fourth year a
brief report of their activities, specifically as regards the support
they have given to the work of the United Nations. Based on findings
of the Committee's examination of the report and other relevant
information, the Committee may recommend to the Council any
reclassification in status of the organization concerned as it deems
appropriate.
At its 1981 session, the Committee decided that quadrennial
reports submitted by non-governmental organizations should be limited
to no more than two single-spaced pages. At its 1989 session, the
Committee stressed the need for non-governmental organizations
required to submit quadrennial reports to provide the Secretariat with
clear and timely information, including, inter alia, a brief
introductory statement recalling the aims and purposes of the
organization.
At its 1991 session, the Committee emphasized the need for
non-governmental organizations requested to submit quadrennial reports
to provide a clear picture of their activities as they related to the
United Nations. The Committee further noted that the reports should
conform to the guidelines elaborated by the Non-Governmental
Organizations Unit pursuant to the relevant decisions of the Committee
(see E/1991/20, para. 47). The Committee decided that only those
reports elaborated in conformity with the guidelines and submitted to
the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit no later than 1 June of the
year preceding the Committee's session would be transmitted to the
Committee for consideration. The Committee recalled that
organizations failing to submit adequate reports on time would be
subject to reclassification in status that the Committee might deem
appropriate, in conformity with paragraph 40 (b) of Council resolution
1296 (XLIV) (see E/1991/20, para. 48). Pursuant to these decisions,
the Secretariat, in December 1993, communicated to all relevant
organizations guidelines for the completion of quadrennial reports.
The material issued in the present series of documents
(E/C.2/1995/2 and addenda) has been reproduced as submitted and
therefore reflects the policies and terminology of the organizations
concerned. The designations employed do not imply the expression of
any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations Secretariat
concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or
of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or
boundaries.
Supplementary material, such as annual reports and samples of
publications, is available in the Non-Governmental Organizations
Section of the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable
Development of the United Nations Secretariat.
CONTENTS
Page
Note................................................................... 2
1. International Council of Environmental Law....................... 4
2. International Institute for Vital Registration and Statistics ....7
3. Law Association for Asia and the Pacific......................... 9
4. Salvation Army...................................................12
5. World Student Christian Federation...............................14
1. INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
(Category II)
Background
The International Council of Environmental Law (ICEL) was formed
in 1969 in New Delhi as a public interest organization with the aims
of encouraging advice and assistance, through its network, and of
fostering the exchange and dissemination of information on
environmental law and policy among its elected members. The current
membership comprises 377 individuals and 34 institutions.
ICEL is directed by a Board of Governors (international governors
and two regional governors, elected by each of the 10-membership
regions throughout the world). The Board elects two executive
governors as well as individuals and institutions proposed for
membership in ICEL.
As a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the
Economic and Social Council, ICEL has permanent representatives at
United Nations offices in New York, Geneva and Vienna.
ICEL is a member of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and
supports its Environmental Law Programme.
Information monitoring and dissemination
ICEL, in partnership with the IUCN Environmental Law Centre,
maintains what may be the world's most extensive collection of
documents on environmental law and policy (international treaties,
supra-national instruments, national legislation, soft law, literature
and documents of international organizations, especially the United
Nations system). Material from all countries and in all languages is
collected, in order to maintain as broad a coverage as possible.
References to the documents are entered into the computerized data
bank ELIS (Environmental Law Information System). ELIS is a special
sectoral source for the UNEP information referral service INFOTERRA.
Upon request, it also assists the United Nations and its specialized
agencies.
Publications
ICEL's Journal Environmental Policy and Law highlights current
developments in international environmental law. It monitors
international developments and regional and national affairs. A
special section covers the activities of the United Nations system and
reprints important resolutions and decisions. Twenty-four issues were
published in the period considered.
In 1992, ICEL began publication of the loose-leaf collection
International Environmental Soft Law. One supplement appeared in the
period considered.
In cooperation with the IUCN Environmental Law Centre, ICEL
continued the publication of the bibliography ICEL References, which
lists references to literature on environmental law and policy
acquired by the ICEL library. Sixteen issues appeared in the period
considered.
As a service of UNEP in cooperation with the Inter-Parliamentary
Union, ICEL produces the monthly Environmental Notes for
Parliamentarians, a newsletter designed to provide parliamentarians
around the world with brief but regular references to current
developments in environmental policy.
Elisabeth Haub Prize
Since 1973, ICEL, together with the Free University of Brussels,
has awarded the Elisabeth Haub Prize for exceptional accomplishments
in the field of environmental law. During the period considered, the
following persons were awarded the prize: Dr. Andronico O. Adede,
Kenya (1990), Prof. Hubert Bocken, Belgium (1991),
Prof. Nicholas A. Robinson, United States of America (1992),
Ambassador Wilfried Lang, Austria (1993).
Contributions to conferences of and negotiations within
the United Nations system
As an NGO with consultative status with the Economic and Social
Council, ICEL contributed to the fullest extent to the preparatory
process for the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development and to the Conference itself. ICEL has contributed to all
United Nations General Assemblies and to the sessions of the UNEP
Governing Council and the Commission on Sustainable Development. ICEL
has also been represented at meetings of ECE, ECA and ESCAP and of the
ILO and other specialized agencies. In addition, ICEL has contributed
to the conferences of the Parties to various environmental
Conventions, with special attention to developments regarding the Law
of the Sea. The scope of this report does not permit a listing of the
contributions and submissions to the various conferences.
Contributions to the United Nations Decade
of International Law
Protection of the environment in times of armed conflict
ICEL has addressed itself to the issue of the use of harm to the
environment as a weapon in times of armed conflict. In 1991 and 1992,
in collaboration with the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law,
consultations were held with legal experts on the law concerning the
protection of the environment in times of armed conflict. Existing
international law was examined in order to explore the possibilities
of further strengthening and developing the law, and the drafting
process for a new international instrument was initiated.
Draft covenant on environment and development
ICEL is cooperating with the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law
on a project to draft an international covenant on environment and
development. The project aims to consolidate major existing and
emerging legal principles relating to environmental conservation and
sustainable development in an internationally binding legal instrument
and to contribute to the progressive development of international
environmental law. A working group session of high-ranking
international experts resulted in a fourth draft, which was submitted
by the Government of Iceland to the Preparatory Committee of the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and appeared
as document A/CONF.151/PC/WG.III/4. Work on the fifth draft
progressed steadily during the remainder of the period under
consideration.
2. INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR VITAL REGISTRATION
AND STATISTICS
(Category II)
Background
The International Institute for Vital Registration and Statistics
(IIVRS) is a non-profit association comprised of government officials
responsible for the registration of vital events (births, deaths,
marriages, divorces etc.) and for the national compilation of vital
statistics based on these registered documents. The 1993 membership
of IIVRS included 413 members in 157 countries, and 27 members in
international agencies. There has been a significant increase in
membership since the last quadrennium.
The mission of IIVRS is to promote the improvement of national
civil registration and vital statistics systems by the exchange of
technical information, stimulating activities and programmes, and by
giving publicity among its members to the relevant activities of the
United Nations and its specialized agencies and the regional
commissions. IIVRS carries out its mission by publishing a periodic
newsletter and a series of technical papers. It also organizes expert
committees to work on specific problems.
The following are the activities undertaken in the past four years
in connection with the United Nations and its specialized agencies:
International Program for the Accelerated Improvement
of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CR/VS)
Although the Program is being held in abeyance pending
availability of funds, preparatory work was started. One of the
requirements for the participation of countries in the Program is a
self-assessment of the country CR/VS systems and the preparation of a
report on the national organization of the CR/VS systems with an
evaluation of the existing system and a statement of current problems.
In 1990, a draft of the questionnaire for assessment of the country
system and a draft outline of the country report prepared by the
Statistical Division of the United Nations Secretariat were reviewed
and suggestions for revision were made.
In 1992, IIVRS undertook to monitor for the Statistical Division a
feasibility study for the improvement of CR/VS in the Philippines.
Arrangements were made with the officials of the National Census and
Statistics Office to conduct the feasibility study. A review and
revision of the draft study report is under way.
IIVRS participated in the Western Asia Workshop on Strategies for
Accelerating the Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital
Statistics Systems held 20-24 June 1993 in Damascus, Syrian Arab
Republic, sponsored jointly by the Statistical Division, WHO and
IIVRS. The workshop was attended by participants from the following
countries or areas: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman,
Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab
Emirates and Yemen.
The East and South Asian Workshop on Strategies for Accelerating
the Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems was
held from 29 November to 3 December in Beijing, China. The workshop
was attended by 26 participants from the following countries:
Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan,
Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri
Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam.
IIVRS prepared and presented papers at both of the Asian
workshops.
Liaison and promotion activities
In 1991, IIVRS participated in a number of activities with other
organizations as a means of promoting the improvement of CR/VS
systems. One such important activity was participation in the
twenty-sixth session of the Statistical Commission in February. In
addition to preparing for the session a conference room paper entitled
"Urgently needed reforms in the CR/VS systems of developing
countries", IIVRS staff cooperated with the staff of the Statistical
Division in their preparation of the main conference document for the
agenda item dealing with a review of vital statistics and civil
registration systems, and as an NGO participated in the discussion of
that item. The Statistical Commission gave unanimous support to the
International Program for Accelerating the Improvement of CR/VS
Systems.
IIVRS participated in the May meeting of the Coordinating
Committee of the International Program for Accelerating the
Improvement of CR/VS Systems. The main topic discussed was the
preparation for the workshop held in Buenos Aires in December.
An IIVRS staff member presented a seminar to the staff of the
Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat during the
period of the Statistical Commission session on the subject of the
uses of civil registration records and vital statistics data in
population and public health research and programmes.
The Latin American Workshop on Strategies for the Improvement of
Civil Registration and Vital Statistics was held in Buenos Aires from
2 to 6 December 1991. The workshop was sponsored by the United
Nations, the World Health Organization and the International Institute
for Vital Registration and Statistics.
3. LAW ASSOCIATION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (LAWASIA)
(Category II)
Background
Formed in 1966, LAWASIA is a professional, non-governmental
association of lawyers, judges and law teachers. Although membership
is open world wide, most members come from the Asia and Pacific
region, the same geographical area as that of the Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Membership is made up of
individual members, member organizations, corporations and law firms.
LAWASIA now has approximately 2,000 individual members world wide
and 52 member organizations in 22 countries throughout the region.
LAWASIA's objectives include: promoting the administration of
justice; the protection of human rights and the maintenance of the
rule of law and the independence of the judiciary; advancing legal
education; diffusing knowledge of the law of member countries;
promoting development of the law and uniformity, where appropriate;
furthering international understanding and goodwill; fostering
relations and intercourse between lawyers in the region; upholding and
advancing the status of the legal profession in the region. LAWASIA's
governing bodies are the General Conference and the Council, composed
of elected members from each affiliated country, which in turn elects
the President and the Executive Committee from among its members.
LAWASIA is structured into several sections and standing
committees covering a very broad field of activities of direct
relevance to the United Nations goals, inter alia: international
trade law, comparative constitutional law, criminal law, environmental
law, labour law, legal aid, legal education, women in the law, family
law, the Judicial Section and the Human Rights Standing Committee.
Participation in the Economic and Social Council,
its subsidiary bodies and conferences
LAWASIA's representatives have actively participated every year in
the Commission on Human Rights and its Subcommission. They have
presented oral statements on various items, inter alia: regional
arrangements on human rights, independence of the judiciary,
detention, and children's rights.
Furthermore, LAWASIA representatives participated actively in each
session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Conference on Human
Rights and in the Bangkok regional Asian preparatory meeting.
At the World Conference in Vienna (1993) LAWASIA representatives
took part both in the NGO Forum and the Conference proper. They made
several oral statements on the programmes of LAWASIA in the plenary,
the General Committee and the Meetings of Chairmen of Treaty Bodies.
LAWASIA organized a workshop on regional coordination among Asian
NGOs.
At the preceding United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, LAWASIA was likewise actively present.
From May to July 1994, LAWASIA participated in New York in the
UNCITRAL Working Group on Review of NGO Status and in the regular
session of the Economic and Social Council.
Cooperation with United Nations programmes, bodies and
specialized agencies
LAWASIA cooperates actively with several United Nations programmes
and the programmes of specialized agencies, inter alia:
Human rights education
LAWASIA has considerable experience in legal education for human
rights and it intends to contribute fully to the forthcoming
International Decade for Human Rights Education. It has had several
consultations on this subject with the Centre for Human Rights and the
Human Rights Division of UNESCO. It participated and made oral
statements at the UNESCO World Congress on Human Rights Education in
Montreal in 1993. LAWASIA would envisage organizing various
subregional seminars on the subject during the Decade, in cooperation
and with the assistance of the United Nations and UNESCO.
Regional human rights arrangements for Asia and the Pacific
In accordance with United Nations resolutions on this subject,
LAWASIA has been promoting for many years a draft Pacific charter on
human rights as a draft treaty open to Pacific countries, with
international implementation procedures and bodies. In July 1992, a
LAWASIA delegation visited several Pacific countries to promote a
governmental meeting to discuss the process towards the eventual
adoption of the Charter. The Centre for Human Rights is being kept
informed of progress in this regard.
Rights of the Child
The Family Law Section of LAWASIA held a successful international
conference on this subject in Sydney in 1992 where a special NGO fund
to help implement the Convention in Asia was created.
The Human Rights Standing Committee of LAWASIA is monitoring
implementation of the recommendations of an NGO Regional Seminar on
Child Exploitation, held in Lahore in February 1988.
Indigenous populations and minorities
LAWASIA's Human Rights Committee published research on minorities
and indigenous populations in Asia in 1990.
Refugees
From 25 to 28 October 1992, LAWASIA's Human Rights Standing
Committee sponsored a colloquium in Manila to prepare a comprehensive
plan of action concerning Vietnamese migrants in South-East Asia, and
it also published a report in 1990 entitled "International law and
refugees in South-East Asia". UNHCR plus the United Nations
Information Centre were kept informed of these activities.
Administrative detention
In accordance with United Nations resolutions on this subject,
LAWASIA, through its Human Rights Committee, launched research on
administrative detention practices in the region, starting with the
Philippines as a first-case study. A seminar was held on this subject
in Manila in May 1994. The aim is to develop an investigation
methodology to study systematically the practices throughout the
region.
Other relevant activities
LAWASIA organizes and sponsors a number of seminars and expert
meetings throughout the region on various topics of relevance to
United Nations programmes, including (in addition to those mentioned
above) a forthcoming December 1994 seminar on comparative
constitutional law, in Kathmandu, Nepal; a meeting on labour law, in
Beijing in October 1994; and several meetings on family law and
women's rights.
LAWASIA has an ongoing programme of observer missions at trials
with human rights implications, including (16-26 May 1992) the trial
of East Timorese students in Indonesia. It sends representatives, as
appropriate, to Governments on human rights and judiciary issues.
LAWASIA, through its Human Rights Committee and Legal Aid Standing
Committee, has considerable experience in legal education and helping
disadvantaged groups in litigation and understanding their legal
rights. These are actively pursued, especially concerning the urban
poor and remote rural communities.
LAWASIA publishes reports of its meetings, especially its biennial
conferences. It also publishes several bulletins on human rights,
constitutional law, family law, etc.
4. SALVATION ARMY
(Category II)
Background
The Salvation Army is an international Christian movement with
consultative status (category II), which is engaged in religious and
humanitarian work with medical, educational and many other
humanitarian dimensions. Since the last quadrennial report was
submitted to the United Nations, the Salvation Army has extended its
work further and is now active in 98 countries. During the period
1989-1994 relationships with United Nations offices and units in New
York, Geneva and Vienna have been maintained and developed, the work
in these three centres being coordinated in London, England.
The Commissioner, assisted by three regional representatives,
directed, from the Salvation Army's international headquarters in
London, the organization's involvement in the United Nations Year of
the Family. The Army was represented at meetings held in Vienna with
regard to the Year.
The Salvation Army has attended the Congress of NGOs held at
Geneva in October 1991.
Geneva activities
The Salvation Army was represented at the CONGO board meetings and
NGO meetings and briefings in connection with UNHCR and human rights
conferences, as well as at NGO meetings concerned with the World
Summit for Children, organized by UNICEF.
The organization was particularly active in the special NGO
Committee on Development and also took part in meetings concerned with
the International Day of Peace and the International Day for the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Vienna International Centre
In Vienna the Salvation Army has been represented at meetings of
the Committee on Narcotic Drugs where various Salvation Army reports
have been submitted; one was distributed to every committee member.
A short report on social concerns was presented in Moscow where
the Salvation Army has recently recommenced its work and also
submitted a report concerning projects in Budapest. The Salvation
Army was represented at the second session of the Commission on Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Vienna in April 1993.
Among United Nations activities in New York, the Salvation Army
was represented in meetings of the NGO Committees on the Family, the
Ageing, Human Rights, Crime and Drugs.
In addition the Army attended meetings of the Working Group on
AIDS and discussions regarding the International Day of Peace.
Important single events
The Salvation Army could not accept the invitation to attend the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, but
attention was given to the ongoing process following UNCED. The
Salvation Army's publication "The Christian Church and the Environment
Question", the work of an Australian salvationist, was circulated in
1991 to officers in top executive positions around the world.
In November 1993 a representative of the Salvation Army attended
the United Nations NGO conference in Guatemala on advancing the rights
of children. A comprehensive report was prepared by the
representative. A copy was made available to the Salvation Army's
International Secretary for the Americas.
The Salvation Army values its opportunity to work with other NGOs
within the framework of the United Nations.
5. WORLD STUDENT CHRISTIAN FEDERATION
(Category II)
Background
The World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) is a federation
(usually called Student Christian Movement, or SCM) of national
ecumenical student organizations which are found in 80 countries in
different parts of the world. It is mainly organized in universities
for and by students, and in some countries - particularly in Africa -
it can also be found in secondary schools. WSCF is one of the oldest,
if not the oldest, international student organizations. It was
established in 1985, in Vadstena, Sweden. It has its origins in the
missionary movement of the late nineteenth century and played an
important role in the formation of the World Council of Churches in
1948. Aside from its international headquarters in Geneva, WSCF
operates through its regional offices in Hong Kong, Ecuador, Kenya,
the Netherlands and Lebanon. Its regionalized structure was a
response to the clamour for democracy and self-determination of
movements, particularly those in the South, in the late 1960s and of
the need for contextualization of its theology and its programmes.
SCM as an ecumenical student organization
Being ecumenical and university-based are two facets of SCM's
identity. Its ecumenical character gathers students of different
church and denominational backgrounds. In some instances, it also
reaches out to include students of other faiths on the basis of a much
broader definition of ecumenism, which means "the whole inhabited
earth".
As a student organization, SCM takes up social issues as they
affect students, including the growing majority who are poor and
marginalized. It does not confine itself to tackling student and
educational issues but sees these as linked very closely to the
problems of the larger society. It therefore tries to examine the
link between, for example, the violation of student rights and those
of workers, or the increasing privatization of education, the decrease
in government subsidy and the economic recession plaguing much of the
world and the growing indebtedness of most countries in the South.
The starting-point of its work and commitment is the liberating
message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It does not limit itself to a
particular ideology but only to the realization of the Kingdom of God
where justice and peace prevail. This commitment to social
transformation as an imperative of the Gospel necessitates the
integration and not the dichotomization of faith and political
commitment.
Sources of funding, membership
There has been no substantial change in funding sources. WSCF
gets its funds from churches and ecumenical partners in Europe, North
America, Australia and New Zealand. Membership fees from affiliated
and associated movements provide very minimal income to the overall
budget. In 1990, WSCF launched a Centennial Fund Campaign in response
to the shrinking amount of resources that are available from the
churches. The campaign hopes to raise US$ 1 million by 1995.
At its 1990 General Assembly, the WSCF approved the affiliation of
the movements in Taiwan (Province of China), South Africa,
El Salvador, the Netherlands and Senegal. It also granted associated
status to the Student Leaders' Forum of the United Methodist Church in
the United States of America.
Participation in the Economic and Social Council
and other United Nations bodies
Given time and financial availability, WSCF endeavours to
participate in UNESCO meetings in Paris. The Co-Secretary-General
participated in the meeting held in Beijing in 1992. The regional
offices in Ecuador and Nairobi try their best to be present at UNESCO
meetings in the two regions. The affiliated movement in El Salvador
has a very strong interest in maintaining links with the UNESCO
headquarters in that country.
WSCF sent two representatives, from Norway and Taiwan Province to
the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in
1992 in Rio de Janeiro. It had planned on sending one representative
to the World Conference on Human Rights, but could not.
WSCF has consistently attended the sessions of the Commission on
Human Rights and its Subcommission. It consistently delivers oral
interventions under agenda items 10 and 12.
In view of forthcoming world meetings, such as the World Summit
for Social Development and the Fourth World Conference on Women, WSCF
has been part of various initiatives being organized by NGOs aimed at
providing both the United Nations and Governments with information and
analysis of the issues which will be dealt with by the Summit and the
Fourth World Conference.
Other relevant activities
In April 1991, WSCF organized an international consultation on the
role of the churches and international organizations in the changing
world order, in New York. A significant part of the consultation
consisted of statements delivered by invited governmental
representatives to the United Nations on the emerging role of the
Security Council, the peace process in El Salvador, the prospects of
peace in the Middle East etc.
The international office of WSCF in Geneva has attempted to
maximize the impact of the Federation since 1991, given limitations in
finances and personnel. Its international human rights programme
focuses on WSCF's participation at the meetings of the Commission and
its Subcommission. A WSCF Consultation on Education and Contemporary
Social Issues is being planned, to be held prior to the Summit, in
March 1995. The WSCF is a member of a preparatory committee composed
of international youth and student NGOs, led by the World Assembly of
Youth (WAY), which is organizing a pre-Summit youth event in
Copenhagen in March 1995.
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