Continuing its 2023 Resumed Session, Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommends 69 Groups for Consultative Status, Defers Action on 87 Others

Continuing its 2023 Resumed Session, Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommends 69 Groups for Consultative Status, Defers Action on 87 Others

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations continued its 2023 session today, recommending 69 organizations for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and deferring action on 87 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 organizations' activities, partners, expenditures and sources of funding.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 25 January, to continue its session.

Special Consultative Status

The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to 69 organizations:

Gwangju Young Men's Christian Association (Republic of Korea);

Inclusion Canada (Canada);

Incorporated Association BYSOnanummaul (Republic of Korea);

Insamlingsstiftelsen 2022 Initiative Foundation (Sweden);

Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (United Kingdom);

International Federation of Accountants (United States);

International Road Victims' Partnership Company Limited by Guarantee (Ireland);

International Student Surgical Network (Belgium);

International Visitors Utah Council (United States);

Korea Women's Hot-Line (Republic of Korea);

Le Conseil International Pour Les Droits De L'homme (France);

Le conseil universel des droits de l'homme (France);

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (Canada);

Nationaal Papoea Vereniging '95/West Nieuw Guinea (Netherlands);

Nerds Rule Inc. (United States);

OM Vishwa Guru Deep Hindu Mandir Mahaprabhuji a Világmindenség Guruja Hindu Vallási Közösség és Szellemi Iskola (Hungary);

Organization of World Leaders Inc. (United States);

Rapha House International, Inc. (United States);

Research-Aid Networks (United States);

Reseau de Formation et de Recherche sur les Migrations Africaines (Switzerland);

RightsTech Women (Switzerland);

Roots of Peace (United States);

Sasakawa Health Foundation (Japan);

Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers (Sweden);

SciTech DiploHub Association - Science and Technology Diplomatic Hub Assoc. (Spain);

Sintrata (Mexico);

Solidarité Numérique dans le Domaine de l'Education et de la Santé Castres (France);

Sozialhelden e.V. (Germany);

Street Business School (United States);

Sustainable Ocean Alliance Inc. (United States);

Tamil-Style (France);

The Inclusivity Project, Inc. (United States);

The Vegan-Organic Network (United Kingdom);

Umu-Okpu Ngwa Association USA and Diaspora, Inc. (United States);

WOMENVAI - Women and Men in Environment and Artificial Intelligence (France);

We Are All Human Foundation (United States);

WealthyGen, Inc. (United States);

Women in Nuclear Canada Inc. (Canada);

World Cultural Arts Organization (United States);

World Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection and Development Foundation, Inc. (United States);

Y30 (Switzerland);

Yemeni Observatory for Human Rights (Yemen);

Fondation Secours Humanitaire (Switzerland);

AKAHATÁ Equipo de Trabajo en Sexualidad y Géneros Asociación Civil (Argentina);

Aliança Nacional LGBTI (Brazil);

Asia Pacific Transgender Network (Thailand);

Association Green Crescent (Croissant Vert-Mali) de Sikasso (Mali);

Dr M. Chandrasekhar International Foundation (India);

Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialogue (Egypt);

Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (India);

Grs Universe Social Welfare Trust (India);

Humanitarian Aid International (India);

India Youth for Society (India);

Institute for Integrated Rural Development (India);

Jan Lok Kalyan Parishad (India);

Life Maker Meeting Place Organization USA (Yemen);

Mediterranean Youth Foundation for Development "MYF" (Egypt);

Mitraniketan (India);

Mumbai Smiles Foundation (India);

Nagrik Foundation (India);

National Solar Energy Federation of India (India);

Parlamento Internacional para los Derechos Humanos (PIDH) (Venezuela);

Populous Education Foundation (India);

Prashanthi Balamandira Trust (India);

Pro Rural (India);

Supportive Homeland Association for Development (SHAD) (Egypt);

Wathiqun Foundation for Development (Yemen); and

West Papua Interest Association (Indonesia).

The Committee postponed consideration of the following 87 organizations:

Humanity Diaspo (France) - as the representative of China asked the organization to expand on its participation in the Equality Conference in Mexico, as well as the outcomes and achievements of that participation;

International Cultural Diversity Organization (Austria) - as the representative of Algeria asked the organization to clarify the nature of its relationship with two private sector companies listed in its financial statement;

International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (United States) - as the representative of Nicaragua requested updated financial information for 2020 and 2021;

Khalsa Aid International (United Kingdom) - as the representative of Pakistan asked the group to provide more information about a project carried out in support of Yazidi women returning from enslavement in Islamic State camps;

Kite Oxford (United Kingdom) - as the representative of Algeria requested more information about the organization's fundraising strategies;

Mamanet Mothers' Cachibol League in Kfar Saba - For the Community (Israel) - as the representative of Algeria posed questions about the organization's volunteers;

Moscow Helsinki Group (Russian Federation) - as the representative of Cuba pointed out that the organization states that it receives 80 per cent of its funding from another group, and asked what those contributions are spent on, as well as how the organization preserves its independence;

Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Hindu Tempel (Netherlands) - as the representative of India asked the organization to elaborate on its very limited income, and to expand on its activities and their sources of funding;

Oeuvre d'Orient (France) - as the representative of Eritrea asked the group to elaborate on its mission and activities;

Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute (United States) - as the representative of Nicaragua asked for a list of projects implemented by the organization in 2021 and 2022;

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (United Kingdom) - as the representative of Eritrea asked whether the group cooperates with any Governments, and how its work is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals;

Southern Poverty Law Center, Inc. (United States) - as the representative of China asked for more information regarding the organization's income sources;

Stichting Mideast Youth (Netherlands) - as the representative of Algeria asked the group to clarify its relationships with other non-governmental organizations contributing funding to it;

Stichting Volunteer Activists (Netherlands) - as the representative of Türkïye asked for details about the organization's projects related to women's rights activists in Iran;

Stichting White Helmets Foundation (Netherlands) - as the representative of Cuba requested more information about the organization's funding, noting that a large amount of its financing comes from a single Government;

TMG Research gGmbH (Germany) - as the representative of Nicaragua asked for updated information about the group's finances for 2021 and 2022, including whether it receives income from any Government sources;

The Global Imams Council (Australia) - as the representative of Algeria asked the organization to provide more details on the sustainability of its funding;

The Global Initiative - Verein gegen transnationale organisierte Kriminalität (Austria) - as the representative of China pointed out that 85 per cent of the group's funding comes from Government sources, requested more information and asked for expenditure reports on each of its projects;

The VII Foundation Inc. (United States) - as the representative of Cuba noted that the organization has declared no administrative expenses in its application, and asked it to clarify how it is able to do so;

Time to Help UK (United Kingdom) - as the representative of China asked whether the organization has any offices abroad or any international partners;

VIDEA a BC-Based International Development Education Association (Canada) - as the representative of China noted that the organization has listed Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau under countries in its application, and requested that it make a correction and use the proper terminology;

World Humanitarian Drive (United Kingdom) - as the representative of China asked for details about the group's participation in a March 2021 partnership event during the annual Commission on the Status of Women;

Youth4Nature Foundation (Canada) - as the representative of Israel asked for a full list of the foundations and other non-governmental groups that contribute to the organization's funding, and how the latter's work contributes to that of the Economic and Social Council;

Öz Gida Sanayi Ve Yardimci İşçileri Sendikasi (Turkiye) - as the representative of Armenia asked about the group's stated "bilateral cooperation agreements with different countries around the world", and for more information about its work;

Al-Quds University (State of Palestine) - as the representative of Israel asked the organization to clarify its stated intention to contribute to the Economic and Social Council's work on the status of women;

Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue (Iraq) - as the representative of Israel noted that 100 per cent of the group's expenditures were listed as going towards the Al-Rafidian Forum, and asked whether that is indeed its only activity;

Colegio Colombiano de Psicólogos (Colombia) - as the representative of China said the group had listed Taiwan and Hong Kong as countries, and said those should be corrected to indicate provinces of China;

Leaders club de développement des compétences de la vie (Morocco) - as the representative of Algeria raised questions about the organization's high administrative expenditures;

Taraqee Foundation (Pakistan) - as the representative of Pakistan requested a list of the group's donors, as well as more clarity about its statement to the effect that it has no individual or organizational members;

The Trustees of Global Peace Mission Trust Foundation (Malaysia) - as the representative of Algeria asked the organization to elaborate on the nature of its relationship with local groups that are financial contributors to its work;

Asociacion Psicoanalitica De Madrid (Spain) - as the representative of China said the organization had listed Taiwan as a country on its website, and asked for the appropriate correction to be made;

Center for Human Rights Defender Association (France) - as the representative of Israel asked about a discrepancy between its income and expenditure, and requested more information about its Swiss and Dutch contributions;

Fagrådet - Rusfeltets hovedorganisasjon (Norway) - as the representative of China noted that the group listed no expenditures apart from administrative ones, and asked how it is able to conduct its work;

Foundation of the National Council of YMCAs of Korea (Republic of Korea) - as the representative of China asked for more details on the organization's stated aim of "building networks among youth around the world" on the global climate crisis;

Hayrat Humanitarian Aid Association (Turkiye) - as the representative of Armenia asked for more information about the organization's projects;

L.E.S. Musulmans (France) - as the representative of China noted that the group's financial statement lists a very low percentage of expenditures allocated to projects, and requested more information;

MENA Rights Group (Switzerland) - as the representative of Algeria asked for details about the organization's expenditures and funding;

Protection International (Belgium) - as the representative of Cuba requested more detailed information about the group's revenue sources, including those received from Governments;

Stichting InterNations Exchange (Netherlands) - as the representative of China asked about the organization's international work, noting that most of its listed projects are based only in Somalia;

Suomalaiset kehitysjärjestöt - Finnish Development NGOs Fingo ry (Finland) - as the representative of Israel asked what steps the organization is taking towards its stated aim of supporting the implementation and review of the Sustainable Development Goals;

"The Awakening" A Society for Social & Cultural Development (Pakistan) - as the representative of Pakistan asked the organization to provide details on its projects to prevent violence against women;

Arab Organization for Arabization and Communication (Morocco) - as the representative of Bahrain asked the organization to provide a justification of its name and mission change in 2019;

Asociación Civil Grupo SURES (Venezuela) - as the representative of the United States asked the organization to specify which United Nations meetings, bodies and conference it expects to participate in, and what contributions it hope to make, if granted consultative status;

Association Achbal Maroc culturelle et artistique (Morocco) - as the representative of Algeria asked the organization to provide a members' list of its executive bodies;

Association de la femme saharienne pour le développement intégré (Morocco) - as the representative of Algeria requested more detailed information about the group's expenditures and the financing of its projects;

Association des marocains victimes d'expulsion arbitraire de l'Algérie (Morocco) - as the representative of Algeria asked the organization to provide more information about its finances and expenditures;

Association for Social Solidarity and Empowerment Training Trust (India) - as the representative of India noted that the group had not yet fully responded to questions previously posed by the Committee, namely those regarding how it will contribute to the Economic and Social Council's work;

Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (China) - as the representative of the United States requested the group to provide a breakdown of funding, and for a list of projects and funders;

Belarusian Fund of Peace (Belarus) - as the representative of the United States asked the organization to provide more information on its proposed work;

Bonyad Jahadi Mehr Alreza Utility (Iran) - as the representative of the United States said his delegation had not responded to a previous question posed regarding its potential contributions to the work of the Economic and Social Council;

Centre for Participatory Democracy (India) - as the representative of India requested details of its ground-level activities and the rationale for not including the organization's address on its website;

Chanan Development Association (Pakistan) - as the representatives of India requested information regarding its specific initiatives;

Child Nurture and Relief Kashmir (Jammu and Kashmir) - as the representatives of India requested information regarding foreign funding received. He also asked for a procedural clarification regarding skipping non-governmental organizations on the list;

Dialogue & Development Forum (Yemen) - as the representative of Eritrea requested information regarding its income and expenditure;

Direct Focus Community Aid (Pakistan) - as the representative of India requested information regarding its future activities;

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation (India) - as the representative of China asked for a list of donors;

Fundación Ciudadanía y Desarrollo (Ecuador) - as the representative of Cuba asked for information regarding the beneficiaries of the organization's activities;

Fundación Venezolana por el Derecho a la Vivienda (Venezuela) - as the representative of the United States asked for information regarding its staffing;

General Union of Arab Experts (Morocco) - as the representative of Bahrain asked for information regarding its membership and location of members;

Girija Prasad Koirala Foundation for Democracy Peace and Development (Nepal) - as the representative of Eritrea asked about its non-governmental status given that all its funding comes from the Government;

Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (China) - as the representative of the United States asked for information regarding its administrative costs;

Gulf International Center for Legal Business Solutions (Bahrain) - as the representative of Algeria asked for agreements with partner organizations in other countries;

Human Environmental Association for Development - HEAD (Lebanon) - as the representative of United States asked for details on its projects that are in alignment with the Economic and Social Council;

Human Rights Initiative (India) - as the representative of China requested details regarding specific projects;

Human Rights Protection Group and MFP Federation (India) - as the representative of India requested information about the organization's designation as a company in its certificate of registration. The Secretary clarified that the organization could be designated as a company. The representative of India then asked for information regarding the record of calls received by the organization.

Human Rights Protection Organization (Pakistan) - as the representative of Pakistan asked for information about projects undertaken, costs incurred and sources of funding;

Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPD) (Pakistan) - as the representative of India requested its latest publications;

International Anti Terrorism Movement (India) - as the representative of Nicaragua asked for an update regarding its annual income from member contributions;

International Human Right Organization (Pakistan) - as the representative of Pakistan requested information regarding its affiliation with United Nations entities;

Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation (Pakistan) - as the representative of India requested information regarding nationality details of its members;

Mam Humanitarian Foundation/MHF (Iraq) - as the representative of Türkiye asked the organization to clarify its lack of administrative expenses;

Non-Governmental Organization Association of Wives and Mothers of Soldiers Participating in ATO (Ukraine) - as the representative of China requested detailed information on its 19 branches;

ONG L'Ange Gardien (Benin) - as the representative of Algeria asked for more information about the organization's school-building activities;

Organisation Tamaynut (Morocco) - as the representative of India requested a list of projects it undertook in the last two years;

Organization of female conscience renewal (Morocco) - as the representative of India requested information about the Government agencies it gets funding from and if it can still be considered non-Governmental with a majority of its funding coming from the Government;

PAY-W Clinic (India) - as the representative of India requested clarification regarding the financial summary of the organization;

Pakistan Press Foundation (Pakistan) - as the representative of India requested details regarding the organization's foreign contributions and approval for them;

Peace Justice Humanity and Relief Foundation (India) - as the representative of India requested information regarding the organization's study of the successes and failures of United Nations entities;

Public Association "Regional Consumer Protection Society" (PA "Regional Consumer Protection Society") (Belarus) - as the representative of the United States requested detailed information regarding its income and expenditure;

Solidariteit / Solidarity (South Africa) - as the representative of Algeria requested information on donations and role of donors;

Syrian Youth Council (Syria) - as the representative of the United States asked it to clarify its relationship with a Government official;

Tamdeen Youth Foundation (Yemen) - as the representative of India requested a list of activities and sources of funding;

The New Woman Foundation (Egypt) - as the representative of Bahrain requested a better financial statement;

The Voice Society (Pakistan) - as the representative of India asked about its activities to ensure equality for minority communities;

Transnational Anti-Organized Crime Intelligence Group Inc.(TAOC-IG) (Philippines) - as the representative of Bahrain asked for complete financial statements; and

Welfare Association Jared (Pakistan) - as the representative of India requested information regarding its ongoing projects and sources of funding.

In terms of the NGO Legal Research and Service Center, Shanghai (China), the representative of Nicaragua asked for information regarding the countries that have run training and capacity-building activities. The Committee Secretary clarified that this organization had withdrawn its application.

Interactive Dialogue

Also postponed was Zam Zam Foundation. A speaker from that organization, responding to a question that was asked on Monday, said it had seven individual members, in accordance with its by-laws. Noting that there was some confusion regarding individual and general membership that had led to an error in the application, she said that the organization has seven individual members and zero general members. The representative of Eritrea asked for the response to be presented in writing, to which the speaker agreed.

Non-governmental organizations