Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommends 87 Groups for Consultative Status, Defers Action on 40 Others
Continuing its 2020 regular session, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 87 organizations for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and deferred action on the status of 40 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. Also, the representative of China noted that several organizations, in their applications or on their website, referred erroneously to Taiwan as a country, not as a province of China, and requested corrections.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 22 January, to continue its session.
Special Consultative Status
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to the following entities:
Hope Outreach Foundation (Cameroon);
Hope for Life Initiative (Nigeria);
Initiative for African Youth Advancement Advocacy and Empowerment (Nigeria);
Innovating Health International (Haiti);
Institute of Informatics and Development (Bangladesh);
International Charitable Initiative for Girl Child and Women Development Foundation (Nigeria);
International Transformation Foundation (Kenya);
J'ai Rêvé Foundation (Central African Republic);
Jyothirgamya Foundation (India);
KAFA (Enough) Violence & Exploitation (Lebanon);
King Saud Foundation (Saudi Arabia);
Knowledge Mill International Foundation (Nigeria);
Kobia (Togo);
Ladli Foundation Trust (India);
Lantuun Dohio (Mongolia);
Law Explorer Development & Assistance Initiative (Nigeria);
Lesotho National Federation of Organisations of the Disabled;
Libyan Diplomats Organization;
Life Crown Foundation (Nigeria);
Magdalene Iyamu Cancer Foundation (Nigeria);
Mali Action Solidarité (Mali);
Motus Health Initiative (Nigeria);
NAMA Foundation (Malaysia);
National Association of Women Entrepreneurs (Iran);
National Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights (Egypt);
Ndingicam Equity (Ndicameq) (Cameroon);
No Borders Humanity Organization (Iraq);
Nor Luyce Mentoring Center for Youth (Armenia);
Nusroto Al-Anashid Association (Lebanon);
PRATYEK (India);
Partnership for Peace and Security (PFPS) (Kenya);
Pertubuhan Bulan Sabit Hijau Malaysia (Green Crescent) (Malaysia);
Pleasant Gathering Club of Nigeria;
Positive Youth Development Association (Cameroon);
Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia;
Reproductive Advocate Health Education Ghana (Ghana);
Romeo and Zainab Boudib Foundation (Nigeria);
Setu (Bangladesh);
Social Empowerment for Economic Development (S.E.E.D) (South Africa);
Society Educational Awareness Research Consultancy and Health Organization (Afghanistan);
Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (India);
Steps Towards Development (Bangladesh);
Stroke Association Support Network — Ghana;
The African Centre for Human Advancement, Social and Community Development Kuduru Bwari Abuja (Nigeria);
The Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India University, Sikkim (India);
The Jordan Anti Drugs Society (Jordan);
The Regional Center for the Welfare of Ageing Persons in Cameroon;
The Secure Aid Relief Foundation (Nigeria);
Tony-May Foundation (Nigeria);
Touch A Heart Social and Economic Rights Initiative (Nigeria);
Udruzenje gradjana Zeleni polumjesec u Bosni i Hercegovini (Bosnia and Herzegovina);
Uganda Green Crescent Society (Uganda);
Volontaires Pour La Paix (Togo);
Women Law and Development Centre, Nigeria;
Women and Youth Awareness Empowerment Network (Nigeria);
Women, Infants and Children Care Initiative (Nigeria);
Yiaga Africa Initiative (Nigeria);
Youth Alive Ltd. (By Guarantee) (Uganda);
Youth for Better Kenya;
Youth in Technology and Arts Network (YOTAN) (Liberia);
“Association de protection et de promotion des intérêts des familles en perils” (APPIFAPE) (Cameroon);
‘Aha Pūnana Leo (United States);
3Strands Global Foundation (United States);
A Leg to Stand On (United States);
APRE! — Associação de Aposentados Pensionistas e Reformados (Portugal);
Advocates for the Environment, Inc. (United States);
Africans in America for Restitution and Repatriation, Inc. (United States);
Agência Piaget para o Desenvolvimento (Portugal);
Anderson Center International (United States);
Asian Dignity Initiative (Republic of Korea);
Association Européenne des véhicules électriques à batteries, hybrides et à Piles à combustible (Belgium);
Association François-Xavier Bagnoud — FXB International (Switzerland);
Associazione Gruppo Arteam Jobel Teatro (Italy);
Associazione La Società della Ragione (Italy);
Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (United States);
Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy and Ethics Incorporated (United States);
Centre International d’Investissement (Switzerland);
Children and Youth International (United Kingdom);
Children’s HeartLink (United States);
Coalition Digitale (France);
Coordinadora Latinoamericana de Cine y Comunicación de los Pueblos Indígenas México;
Council for International Cooperation — Ontario (Canada);
Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen e.V. (Germany);
Energy Vision (United States);
European Centre for Development Policy Management (Netherlands); and
European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Switzerland).
The Committee postponed consideration of the following organizations:
Hope Inspired Foundation for Women and Youth (Nigeria) — as the representative of Nigeria requested to clarify the terms and conditions, if any, relating to funding it receives from the United States Department of State;
Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum — Uganda (HRAPF) Limited (by Guarantee) — as the representative of Pakistan asked that it explain how it maintains the viability of its projects when its financial statement indicates that it is running a budget deficit;
Institute for Integrated Rural Development (India) — as the representative of India requested information about its financial model, including how it generates revenues to service and pays back the long-term loans it has taken out to finance its projects;
Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPD) (Pakistan) — as the representative of India requested details about the activities it has undertaken under a memorandum of understanding it signed with the United Nations Information Centre in 2015 and how they were funded;
International Anti Terrorism Movement (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked that it explain how it is working in 29 states in India and more than 100 other countries with a total reported income of $159;
International Foundation for Sustainable Development (India) — as the representative of India, noting that its application refers to activities in 2010, 2011 and 2012, requested information about its current and future activities;
Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal — as the representative of China requested that it use the correct terminology for Taiwan province on its website;
Janmitra Nyas (India) — as the representative of India requested details about the funds it has received from international organizations over the last two years;
Kafka Welfare Organization (Pakistan) — as the representative of India requested more details about its sports-based health interventions, the scope of their programmes in that regard and the outcomes achieved;
Keen and Care Initiative Ltd/Gte (Nigeria) — as the representative of Nigeria asked if it has any certificate of incorporation, and, if not, would it take steps to remedy that situation;
League of Arab People Organization (Egypt) — as the representative of India requested a list of its member organizations;
Mentor Amiable Professional Society (Pakistan) — as the representative of India requested more details about the scope, purposes and funding of its projects as well as the expected outcomes;
Mwatana Organization for Human Rights (Yemen) — as the representatives of India asked how it intends to use the $700,000 that it reported as unspent income, and as the representative of Cuba requested that it provide a detailed budget and clarify those projects it carries out with the Open Society Foundations;
National Association of Seadogs (Nigeria) — as the representative of the United States requested more details about the activities it carried out under the Save Darfur initiative and the outcomes achieved;
New Barrackpore Samaj Bandhu Welfare Organization (India) — as the representative of India asked how it plans to sustain its activities given its limited resources;
Organisation EL INSANIYA (Mauritania) — as the representative of Libya asked whether it has an updated and active website;
Pakistan Press Foundation — as the representative of India, noting that it receives all of its funding from international organizations, requested a breakdown of its funding sources and a list of projects undertaken with those funds over the last two years;
Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (Al-Mar’a Al-Amelah Al-Felstinia Lel-Tanmia) (State of Palestine) — as the representative of Israel requested more up-to-date information about its activities and partners in the last two years;
Raad Al-Ghadir Charity Institute (Iran) — as the representative of Bahrain requested details about the services it says it provided to generate income;
Sawa for Development Association (Lebanon) — as the representative of Cuba requested a detailed breakdown of the donations and subscriptions that account for all of its income;
Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation (China) — as the representative of the United States asked whether it received start-up funding from any other sources besides the People’s Government of Shenzhen Municipality;
Society for Cognition of Science and Art for Quality Welfare, Sustainance, Livelyhood and Economic Development of the Poor (SCOSAQ) (India) — as the representative of India requested that it clarify the number of its member organizations and the roles that they play in its activities;
Southeast Asia Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Caucus (ASC), Inc. (Philippines) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested a full list of countries in which it carries out its activities;
The YP Foundation (India) — as the representative of Nicaragua asked for details about the outcomes of its projects;
Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) (Singapore) — as the representative of China noted that a report on its website does not use the correct terminology for Taiwan province;
United World Against Diabetes (India) — as the representative of Pakistan asked how it plans to maintain the viability of its future projects, given its budget deficit;
Women for a Change, Cameroon — as the representative of Nicaragua asked if it could provide a link to an active website;
World Organization for Human Rights (WOHR) (Iraq) — as the representative of India requested details about its goodwill ambassadors;
Y4D Foundation (India) — as the representative of Pakistan requested details about its school digitization activities;
Young League Pakistan — as the representative of India asked whether its four overseas chapters are registered in the countries in which they are located, what their functions are and what contribution they make to the work of the main body;
General Union of Arab Experts (Morocco) — as the representative of India requested a list of its consultancy activities during the last two years, including their scope, funding and outcomes;
Vishwa Manavadhikar Parishad (India) — as the representative of India requested elaboratation on the school fees that represent its largest source of income;
ACEH Les compagnons solidaires Action terre d'Afrique (ACEH Association de Coopération et d'Entraide Humanitaire) (France) — as the representative of Burundi requested the names of the international organizations that finance it;
ACTAsia (United Kingdom) — as the representative of Pakistan asked for details of its private project in 2019 in Sindh province and whether it plans further activities in Pakistan, and the representative of China requested that it use correct terminology for Taiwan province on its website;
AKIM Israel — National Organization for People with Intellectual Disabilities and their families (Registered Association) — as the representative of Libya requested details about income derived from “other sources”, and the representative of Pakistan requested clarification of the donations that it receives for its advocacy work;
Arabian Rights Watch Association (United States) — as the representative of Bahrain requested clarification about the financing of its projects, and the representative of Cuba asked for details about its income;
Ashinaga (Japan) — as the representative of China requested that it use the correct terminology for Taiwan province on its website;
Avocats sans frontieres France — as the representative of Cuba requested more information about its activities in Latin America, including its partners;
Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation (Netherlands) — as the representative of the Russian Federation requested details about its activities in Syria;
Eagle Vision Charity, Inc. (United States) — as the representative of China asked how, given its finances, it can undertake its activities.
Interactive Discussion
During a question-and-answer session in the afternoon, NGO representatives faced questions from Committee members.
A representative of the Institute for Integrated Rural Development (India), whose application had been deferred earlier in the day, said his organization is present in 22 states in India. He explained that the entity had taken out a bank loan to establish a self-sustainable flagship programme in rural village in India. Repayment of the loan is underway and should be completed within two years.
The representative of India requested an elaboration of its financial statement as well as a list of its member organizations.
He replied that those who take its services enrol themselves as members. He added that further details can be found on its website.
The representative of India expressed appreciation for the very impressive work that the entity is doing at the grassroots level and looked forward to its response in writing to the issues raised today.
The Committee then decided to defer the organization’s application.
A representative of the Feekr Organization for Dialogue and Human Rights Defense (Yemen), whose application had been deferred on 20 January (see Press Release NGO/900), said his entity aims to ensure the peaceful coexistence of people and to foster tolerance. It looks to strengthen those values to repair Yemen’s social fabric after years of armed conflict.
The representative of China asked whether it has projects in other countries.
He replied that it would have liked to have carried out projects in a number of cities, but it has a responsibility to carry out projects in Yemen. He also discussed the work that it has undertaken in Ibb Governorate, where there are hundreds of thousands of refugees.
The representative of Bahrain asked for more details about its financial situation.
He replied that he plugs the entity’s budgetary deficit through his own means as best he can.
The Committee then decided to defer the organization’s application.
A representative of the Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (China), whose application had also been deferred on 20 January, said it is an umbrella organization that promotes people to people friendship with international communities. She added that, following a request by the representative of the United States, it has submitted a list of the 220 organizations with which it has a cooperative relationship.
The representative of the United States, thanking the representative for the list, said that she wanted to better understand the relationships between the entity and other organizations.
The Association’s representative replied that the relationships involve joint events or arranging delegations for cultural, sporting and other exchanges.
The representative of the United States, asking a follow-up question, requested more details about the sources of its funding.
The Association’s representative replied that when it co-organizes events with global partners, it does not take money from them. Rather, its work is funded by its own members or contributions from enterprises. It is funded solely within China, she added, with much of its charity income coming from the China World Peace Foundation.
The representative of the United States went on to ask the entity to explain its cooperation with Governmental departments and whether it receives funding from them.
The Committee then decided to defer the organization’s application.
A representative of the League of Arab People’s Organisation (Egypt), whose application had been deferred earlier in the day, said it started in 2012 and 2013 to raise awareness among young people to reject violence and promote peace. Its membership is individual-based, he said, adding that it also exchanges views with about 14 or 15 different organizations in various countries.
The representative of India asked how its 1,200 members in various countries contribute to its work.
The League’s representative replied that membership is open not only to Arabs, but to everyone who wants to promote peace.
The representative of China asked whether the entity has a website. He also asked to know in what countries it has offices.
The League’s representative replied that it does have a website and provided its address. He added that its members around the world are mentioned in the information provided to the Committee.
The Committee then decided to defer the organization’s application.
A representative of the National Association of Seadogs (Nigeria), whose application had been deferred earlier in the day, said it advocates for a just and egalitarian society in which no one will experience discrimination. Its activities have included its participation in a peaceful demonstration in New York to mark the Global Day for Darfur as well as a candlelight vigil in London.
The representative of the United States asked to know more about its project called “Citizens Summit — Our Votes Count”, including how it was financed. She also asked why its administrative costs were so high.
The Association’s representative replied that it was undertaken in Nigeria, sending people to talk with the electorate to know the issues they face when they go to cast their ballots. With the statistics collected, it made a presentation to election monitors.
The Committee then decided to defer the organization’s application.
A representative of Humanity Unified International, Inc. (United States), whose application had been deferred on 20 May 2019 (see Press Release NGO/891), said it is committed to poverty alleviation. He discussed its farming projects in Rwanda, adding that it aims to develop projects that align with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Committee then decided to recommend the organization’s application.