WUNRN
CONCERNS OVER CIVIL SOCIETY/NGO UN
ACCESS & SUPPORT, WITH POTENTIALLY
MORE RESTRICTIVE STATES ON UN
COMMITTEE ON NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
What will this mean for NGO's
advocating on women's and girls' issues, rights?
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The
UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations is a standing committee of the
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It was established by Council resolution 3(II) on the 21st
of June 1946. The Committee reports directly to ECOSOC (rule 82 of its rules of
procedure) and its report includes draft resolutions on matters calling for
action by the Council.
The
main tasks of the Committee are:
· The consideration of
applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification
submitted by NGOs;
· The consideration of
quadrennial reports submitted by NGOs in General and Special categories;
· The implementation
of the provisions of Council resolution 1996/31 and the monitoring of the
consultative relationship;
· Any other issues
which the ECOSOC may request the Committee to consider.
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International Service for Human
Rights
CONCERNS OVER CIVIL SOCIETY UN
ACCESS & SUPPORT, WITH POTENTIALLY MORE RESTRICTIVE STATES ON UN COMMITTEE
ON NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
23.04.2014 - (New York) - Democratic States that value and respect a
vibrant civil society should do more to support non-governmental
organisations to have their voices heard at the United Nations, the
International Service for Human Rights said today.
The call comes after very few
such States stood for election to an important UN committee that regulates
civil society access to the UN, vacating the field for the election of a number
of repressive States whose intolerance for civil society at home looks set
to further restrict NGO access to the UN.
'The membership of the Committee
on NGOs, which already is dominated by member States that are not supportive of
civil society, is set to get worse in 2015,' said Michelle Evans of the
International Service for Human Rights.
States newly elected to the
19-member Committee on Non-governmental Organizations include the
repressive regimes of Iran, Mauritania, and Azerbaijan.
'The election of repressive
States to the Committee means that human rights NGOs will face further
obstacles in seeking to access and effectively participate in the Human Rights
Council and other UN processes,' Ms Evans said.
The Committee on NGOs makes recommendations
to the UN's Economic and Social Council about the accreditation of NGOs,
which is a requirement for their participation in many UN
meetings. This year the majority of candidates for election to the
Committee have very poor track records in respecting and supporting civil
society, non-governmental organisations and human rights defenders. Many of
them, including China, Russia and Sudan, have also shown a disturbing pattern
of attacks, intimidation and violence against NGOs who seek to cooperate with
the UN human rights mechanisms.
'The UN depends heavily on the
free and safe cooperation of human rights defenders for its effective
functioning,' said Ms Evans. 'It is completely incoherent that the
same States that seek to fracture this partnership should serve on a Committee
that governs civil society access to and participation in the UN.'
'Member States that sit on the
NGO Committee should be committed to a robust partnership between civil
society, the UN and Member States, not only because the legal
framework set out in the UN Charter and ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 requires it,
but because civil society has a crucial role to play in advising and enhancing
the accountability of the UN and its member States,' Ms Evans said.
Disappointingly, only a few such
member States - including Greece, Israel, South Africa, Uruguay and
the US - stood for election or re-election to the Committee on NGOs.
The dismal showing of
candidates occurred despite a campaign
by the International Service for Human Rights and others to urge moderate,
open and accountable democratic governments in all regions to run for a seat on
the Committee.
'It is deeply troubling that
more member States which profess support for civil society were not
prepared to translate this rhetoric into action by standing
for election,' said Ms Evans.
The membership composition also
means that democratic new members - such as Greece, which is replacing
Belgium - will need to be particularly active and vigilante on the
Committee.
'We welcome the strong support
that Belgium has given to civil society during its term on the Committee and
urge Greece to play a similar leadership role. It is imperative that
Greece continues Belgium’s outstanding work in protecting the right
to unhindered access for NGOs to the UN, and positively influencing the
Committee to fulfil its mandate of giving a voice to civil society at the
UN,' said Ms Evans.
It is crucial for public
confidence in the NGO Committee, the ECOSOC, and the UN itself that the
NGO Committee deal with applications for accreditation in a fair, transparent
and timely way.
'It discredits the UN as a
whole when the NGO Committee is seen to reject or unduly delay NGO applications
for accreditation just because some States oppose their views or disagree
with the content of their work,' Ms Evans said.
'Human rights defenders want to
and have the right to participate in the policy debates on issues that affect
them and the communities they represent. The more their human rights
concerns are marginalised or ignored, the more vital it is that those NGO
voices are heard.'
The States elected to the NGO Committee on 23 April are:
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