United Nations Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations

The United Nations Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations is responsible for accrediting non-governmental organizations with consultative status at the United Nations. Established in 1946, it reports directly to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).[1]

Membership

The committee comprises 19 members who are elected based on the principle of equitable geographic distribution as follows:

Members are elected to serve four year terms.

The current membership of the committee (2015-2019) includes: Azerbaijan, Burundi, China, Cuba, Greece, Guinea, India, Iran, Israel, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russian Federation, South Africa, Sudan, Turkey, United States of America, Uruguay and Venezuela.[1]

Application procedure

An NGO that wishes to obtain consultative status at the United Nations must first submit an application online at the NGO Branch of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the UN Secretariat. After the application is screened by the NGO Branch, it is reviewed by the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs. The Committee decides to recommend, or not recommend, granting status to the NGO. The final decision is taken by the ECOSOC at its annual Substantive session.[2]

Although the review made by the NGO Committee is theoretically a technical one, it is sometimes quite politicized. Human rights NGOs that are critical of specific member states have sometimes had difficulties getting consultative status.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 NGO Branch Department of Economic and Social Affairs, What is the Committee on NGOs?, Accessed 02-21-2016.
  2. ↑ Working with the ECOSOC An NGOs Guide to Consultative Status http://csonet.org/content/documents/Brochure.pdf
  3. ↑ Bostrom 2011: Controversial Issues in the NGO Committee
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