URL = http://www.igc.apc.org/habitat/ngo-rev/e1996l25.html
[Note: this text incorporates corrections to
para 32 (a) that were made in E/1996/L.25/Corr.1]
UNITED
NATIONS
Distr.
LIMITED
E/1996/L.25
17 July 1996
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
Substantive session of 1996
New York, 24 June-26 July 1996
Agenda item 10
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
Draft resolution submitted by the President of the Council
on the basis of informal consultations
Consultative relationship between the United Nations
and non-governmental organizations
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling Article 71 of the Charter of the United Nations,
Recalling its resolution 1993/80 of 30 July 1993, in which
it requested a general review of arrangements for consultation
with non-governmental organizations, with a view to updating,
if necessary, Council resolution 1296 (XLIV) of 23 May 1968,
as well as introducing coherence in the rules governing the
participation of non-governmental organizations in
international conferences convened by the United Nations, and
also an examination of ways and means of improving practical
arrangements for the work of the Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations and the Non-Governmental Organizations Section
of the Secretariat,
Recalling also its decision 1995/304 of 26 July 1995,
Confirming the need to take into account the full
diversity of the non-governmental organizations at the
national, regional and international levels,
Acknowledging the breadth of non-governmental
organizations' expertise and the capacity of non-governmental
organizations to support the work of the United Nations,
Taking into account the changes in the non-governmental
sector, including the emergence of a large number of national
and regional organizations,
Calling upon the governing bodies of the relevant
organizations, bodies and specialized agencies of the United
Nations system to examine the principles and practices
relating to their consultations with non-governmental
organizations and to take action, as appropriate, to promote
coherence in the light of the provisions of the present
resolution,
Approves the following update of the arrangements set out
in its resolution 1296 (XLIV) of 23 May 1968:
ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONSULTATION WITH
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
Part I
PRINCIPLES TO BE APPLIED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
CONSULTATIVE RELATIONS
The following principles shall be applied in establishing
consultative relations with non-governmental organizations:
1. The organization shall be concerned with matters falling
within the competence of the Economic and Social Council and
its subsidiary bodies.
2. The aims and purposes of the organization shall be in
conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles of the
Charter of the United Nations.
3. The organization shall undertake to support the work of
the United Nations and to promote knowledge of its principles
and activities, in accordance with its own aims and purposes
and the nature and scope of its competence and activities.
4. Except where expressly stated otherwise, the term
organization will refer to non-governmental organizations at
the national, subregional, regional or international levels.
5. Consultative relationships may be established with
international, regional, subregional and national
organizations, in conformity with the Charter of the United
Nations and the principles and criteria established under the
present resolution. The Committee, in considering
applications for consultative status, should ensure, to the
extent possible, participation of non-governmental
organizations from all regions, and particularly from
developing countries, in order to help achieve a just,
balanced, effective and genuine involvement of
non-governmental organizations from all regions and areas of
the world. The Committee shall also pay particular attention
to non-governmental organizations which have special expertise
or experience upon which the Council may wish to draw.
6. Greater participation of non-governmental organizations
from developing countries in international conferences
convened by the United Nations should be encouraged.
7. Greater involvement of non-governmental organizations from
countries with economies in transition should be encouraged.
8. Regional, subregional and national organizations,
including those affiliated to an international organization
already in status, may be admitted provided that they can
demonstrate that their programme of work is of direct
relevance to the aims and purposes of the United Nations and,
in the case of national organizations, after consultation with
the Member State concerned. The views expressed by the Member
State, if any, shall be communicated to the non-governmental
organization concerned, which shall have the opportunity to
respond to those views through the Committee on
Non-Governmental Organizations.
9. The organization shall be of recognized standing within
the particular field of its competence or of a representative
character. Where there exist a number of organizations with
similar objectives, interests and basic views in a given
field, they may, for the purposes of consultation with the
Council, form a joint committee or other body authorized to
carry on such consultation for the group as a whole.
10. The organization shall have an established headquarters,
with an executive officer. It shall have a democratically
adopted constitution, a copy of which shall be deposited with
the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and which shall
provide for the determination of policy by a conference,
congress or other representative body, and for an executive
organ responsible to the policy-making body.
11. The organization shall have authority to speak for its
members through its authorized representatives. Evidence of
this authority shall be presented, if requested.
12. The organization shall have a representative structure and
possess appropriate mechanisms of accountability to its
members, who shall exercise effective control over its
policies and actions through the exercise of voting rights or
other appropriate democratic and transparent decision-making
processes. Any such organization which is not established by
a governmental entity or intergovernmental agreement shall be
considered as a non-governmental organization for the purpose
of these arrangements, including organizations which accept
members designated by governmental authorities, provided that
such membership does not interfere with the free expression of
views of the organization.
13. The basic resources of the organization shall be derived
in the main part from contributions of the national affiliates
or other components or from individual members. Where
voluntary contributions have been received, their amounts and
donors shall be faithfully revealed to the Council Committee
on Non-Governmental Organizations. Where, however, the above
criterion is not fulfilled and an organization is financed
from other sources, it must explain to the satisfaction of the
Committee its reasons for not meeting the requirements laid
down in this paragraph. Any financial contribution or other
support, direct or indirect, from a Government to the
organization shall be openly declared to the Committee through
the Secretary-General and fully recorded in the financial and
other records of the organization and shall be devoted to
purposes in accordance with the aims of the United Nations.
14. In considering the establishment of consultative relations
with a non-governmental organization, the Council will take
into account whether the field of activity of the organization
is wholly or mainly within the field of a specialized agency,
and whether or not it could be admitted when it has, or may
have, a consultative arrangement with a specialized agency.
15. The granting, suspension and withdrawal of consultative
status, as well as the interpretation of norms and decisions
relating to this matter, are the prerogative of Member States
exercised through the Economic and Social Council and its
Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations. A
non-governmental organization applying for general or special
consultative status or a listing on the Roster shall have the
opportunity to respond to any objections being raised in the
Committee before the Committee takes its decision.
16. The provisions of the present resolution shall apply to
the United Nations regional commissions and their subsidiary
bodies mutatis mutandis.
17. In recognizing the evolving relationship between the
United Nations and non-governmental organizations, the
Economic and Social Council, in consultation with the
Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, will consider
reviewing the consultative arrangements as and when necessary
to facilitate, in the most effective manner possible, the
contributions of non-governmental organizations to the work of
the United Nations.
Part II
PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE NATURE OF THE
CONSULTATIVE ARRANGEMENTS
18. A clear distinction is drawn in the Charter of the United
Nations between participation without vote in the
deliberations of the Council and the arrangements for
consultation. Under Articles 69 and 70, participation is
provided for only in the case of States not members of the
Council, and of specialized agencies. Article 71, applying to
non-governmental organizations, provides for suitable
arrangements for consultation. This distinction, deliberately
made in the Charter, is fundamental and the arrangements for
consultation should not be such as to accord to
non-governmental organizations the same rights of
participation as are accorded to States not members of the
Council and to the specialized agencies brought into
relationship with the United Nations.
19. The arrangements should not be such as to overburden the
Council or transform it from a body for coordination of policy
and action, as contemplated in the Charter, into a general
forum for discussion.
20. Decisions on arrangements for consultation should be
guided by the principle that consultative arrangements are to
be made, on the one hand, for the purpose of enabling the
Council or one of its bodies to secure expert information or
advice from organizations having special competence in the
subjects for which consultative arrangements are made, and, on
the other hand, to enable international, regional, subregional
and national organizations which represent important elements
of public opinion to express their views. Therefore, the
arrangements for consultation made with each organization
should relate to the subjects for which that organization has
a special competence or in which it has a special interest.
The organizations given consultative status should be limited
to those whose activities in fields set out in paragraph 1
above qualify them to make a significant contribution to the
work of the Council and should, in sum, as far as possible
reflect in a balanced way the major viewpoints or interests in
these fields in all areas and regions of the world.
Part III
ESTABLISHMENT OF CONSULTATIVE RELATIONSHIPS
21. In establishing consultative relationships with each
organization, regard shall be had to the nature and scope of
its activities and to the assistance it may be expected to
give to the Council or its subsidiary bodies in carrying out
the functions set out in Chapters IX and X of the Charter of
the United Nations.
22. Organizations which are concerned with most of the
activities of the Council and its subsidiary bodies and can
demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Council that they have
substantive and sustained contributions to make to the
achievement of the objectives of the United Nations in the
fields as set out in paragraph 1 above, and are closely
involved with the economic and social life of the peoples of
the areas they represent and whose membership, which should be
considerable, is broadly representative of major segments of
society in a large number of countries in different regions of
the world shall be known as organizations in general
consultative status.
23. Organizations which have a special competence in, and are
concerned specifically with, only a few of the fields of
activity covered by the Council and its subsidiary bodies, and
which are known within the fields for which they have or seek
consultative status shall be known as organizations in special
consultative status.
24. Other organizations which do not have general or special
consultative status but which the Council, or the
Secretary-General of the United Nations in consultation with
the Council or its Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations, considers can make occasional and useful
contributions to the work of the Council or its subsidiary
bodies or other United Nations bodies within their competence
shall be included in a list (to be known as the Roster). This
list may also include organizations in consultative status or
similar relationship with a specialized agency or a United
Nations body. These organizations shall be available for
consultation at the request of the Council or its subsidiary
bodies. The fact that an organization is on the Roster shall
not in itself be regarded as a qualification for general or
special consultative status should an organization seek such
status.
25. Organizations to be accorded special consultative status
because of their interest in the field of human rights should
pursue the goals of promotion and protection of human rights
in accordance with the spirit of the Charter of the United
Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.
26. Major organizations one of whose primary purposes is to
promote the aims, objectives and purposes of the United
Nations and a furtherance of the understanding of its work may
be accorded consultative status.
Part IV
CONSULTATION WITH THE COUNCIL
Provisional agenda
27. The provisional agenda of the Council shall be
communicated to organizations in general consultative status
and special consultative status and to those on the Roster.
28. Organizations in general consultative status may propose
to the Council Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations
that the Committee request the Secretary-General to place
items of special interest to the organizations on the
provisional agenda of the Council.
Attendance at meetings
29. Organizations in general consultative status and special
consultative status may designate authorized representatives
to sit as observers at public meetings of the Council and its
subsidiary bodies. Those on the Roster may have
representatives present at such meetings concerned with
matters within their field of competence. These attendance
arrangements may be supplemented to include other modalities
of participation.
Written statements
30. Written statements relevant to the work of the Council may
be submitted by organizations in general consultative status
and special consultative status on subjects in which these
organizations have a special competence. Such statements
shall be circulated by the Secretary-General of the United
Nations to the members of the Council, except those statements
which have become obsolete, for example, those dealing with
matters already disposed of and those which had already been
circulated in some other form.
31. The following conditions shall be observed regarding the
submission and circulation of such statements:
(a) The written statement shall be submitted in one of
the official languages.
(b) It shall be submitted in sufficient time for
appropriate consultation to take place between the
Secretary-General and the organization before
circulation.
(c) The organization shall give due consideration to
any comments which the Secretary-General may make
in the course of such consultation before
transmitting the statement in final form.
(d) A written statement submitted by an organization
in general consultative status will be circulated
in full if it does not exceed 2,000 words. Where
a statement is in excess of 2,000 words, the
organizations shall submit a summary which will be
circulated or shall supply sufficient copies of
the full text in the working languages for
distribution. A statement will also be circulated
in full, however, upon a specific request of the
Council or its Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations.
(e) A written statement submitted by an organization
in special consultative status or on the Roster
will be circulated in full if it does not exceed
500 words. Where a statement is in excess of 500
words, the organization shall submit a summary
which will be circulated; such statements will be
circulated in full, however, upon a specific
request of the Council or its Committee on
Non-Governmental Organizations.
(f) The Secretary-General, in consultation with the
President of the Council, or the Council or its
Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, may
invite organizations on the Roster to submit
written statements. The provisions of
subparagraphs (a), (b), (c) and (e) above shall
apply to such statements.
(g) A written statement or summary, as the case may
be, will be circulated by the Secretary-General in
the working languages, and, upon the request of a
member of the Council, in any of the official
languages.
Oral presentations during meetings
32. (a) The Council Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations shall make recommendations to the
Council as to which organizations in general
consultative status should make an oral
presentation to the Council and on which items
they should be heard. Such organizations shall be
entitled to make one statement to the Council,
subject to the approval of the Council. In the
absence of a subsidiary body of the Council with
jurisdiction in a major field of interest to the
Council and to organizations in special
consultative status, the Committee may recommend
that organizations in special consultative status
be heard by the Council on the subject in its
field of interest.
(b) Whenever the Council discusses the substance of an
item proposed by a non-governmental organization
in general consultative status and included in the
agenda of the Council, such an organization shall
be entitled to present orally to the Council, as
appropriate, an introductory statement of an
expository nature. Such an organization may be
invited by the President of the Council, with the
consent of the relevant body, to make, in the
course of the discussion of the item before the
Council, an additional statement for purposes of
clarification.
Part V
CONSULTATION WITH COMMISSIONS AND OTHER SUBSIDIARY ORGANS
OF THE COUNCIL
Provisional agenda
33. The provisional agenda of sessions of commissions and
other subsidiary organs of the Council shall be communicated
to organizations in general consultative status and special
consultative status and those on the Roster.
34. Organizations in general consultative status may propose
items for the provisional agenda of commissions, subject to
the following conditions:
(a) An organization which intends to propose such an
item shall inform the Secretary-General of the
United Nations at least sixty-three days before
the commencement of the session and before
formally proposing an item shall give due
consideration to any comments the Secretary-
General may make.
(b) The proposal shall be formally submitted with the
relevant basic documentation not later than
forty-nine days before the commencement of the
session. The item shall be included in the agenda
of the commission if it is adopted by a two thirds
majority of those present and voting.
Attendance at meetings
35. Organizations in general consultative status and special
consultative status may designate authorized representatives
to sit as observers at public meetings of the commissions and
other subsidiary organs of the Council. Organizations on the
Roster may have representatives present at such meetings which
are concerned with matters within their field of competence.
These attendance arrangements may be supplemented to include
other modalities of participation.
Written statements
36. Written statements relevant to the work of the commissions
or other subsidiary organs may be submitted by organizations
in general consultative status and special consultative status
on subjects for which these organizations have a special
competence. Such statements shall be circulated by the
Secretary-General to members of the commission or other
subsidiary organs, except those statements which have become
obsolete, for example, those dealing with matters already
disposed of and those which have already been circulated in
some other form to members of the commission or other
subsidiary organs.
37. The following conditions shall be observed regarding the
submission and circulation of such written statements:
(a) The written statement shall be submitted in one of
the official languages.
(b) It shall be submitted in sufficient time for
appropriate consultation to take place between the
Secretary-General and the organization before
circulation.
(c) The organization shall give due consideration to
any comments which the Secretary-General may make
in the course of such consultation before
transmitting the statement in final form.
(d) A written statement submitted by an organization
in general consultative status will be circulated
in full if it does not exceed 2,000 words. Where
a statement is in excess of 2,000 words, the
organization shall submit a summary, which will be
circulated, or shall supply sufficient copies of
the full text in the working languages for
distribution. A statement will also be circulated
in full, however, upon the specific request of the
commission or other subsidiary organs.
(e) A written statement submitted by an organization
in special consultative status will be circulated
in full if it does not exceed 1,500 words. Where
a statement is in excess of 1,500 words, the
organization shall submit a summary, which will be
circulated, or shall supply sufficient copies of
the full text in the working languages for
distribution. A statement will also be circulated
in full, however, upon the specific request of the
commission or other subsidiary organs.
(f) The Secretary-General, in consultation with the
Chairman of the relevant commission or other
subsidiary organ, or the commission or other
subsidiary organ itself, may invite organizations
on the Roster to submit written statements. The
provisions in subparagraphs (a), (b), (c) and (e)
above shall apply to such statements.
(g) A written statement or summary, as the case may
be, will be circulated by the Secretary-General in
the working languages and, upon the request of a
member of the commission or other subsidiary
organ, in any of the official languages.
Oral presentations during meetings
38. (a) The commission or other subsidiary organs may
consult with organizations in general consultative
status and special consultative status either
directly or through a committee or committees
established for the purpose. In all cases, such
consultations may be arranged on the request of
the organization.
(b) On the recommendation of the Secretary-General and
at the request of the commission or other
subsidiary organs, organizations on the Roster may
also be heard by the commission or other
subsidiary organs.
Special studies
39. Subject to the relevant rules of procedure on financial
implications, a commission or other subsidiary organ may
recommend that an organization which has special competence in
a particular field should undertake specific studies or
investigations or prepare specific papers for the commission.
The limitations of paragraphs 37 (d) and (e) above shall not
apply in this case.
Part VI
CONSULTATIONS WITH AD HOC COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL
40. The arrangements for consultation between ad hoc
committees of the Council authorized to meet between sessions
of the Council and organizations in general consultative
status and special consultative status and on the Roster shall
follow those approved for commissions of the Council, unless
the Council or the committee decides otherwise.
Part VII
PARTICIPATION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS IN
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES CONVENED BY THE
UNITED
NATIONS AND THEIR PREPARATORY PROCESS
41. Where non-governmental organizations have been invited to
participate in an international conference convened by the
United Nations, their accreditation is the prerogative of
Member States, exercised through the respective preparatory
committee. Such accreditation should be preceded by an
appropriate process to determine their eligibility.
42. Non-governmental organizations in general consultative
status, special consultative status and on the Roster, which
express their wish to attend the relevant international
conferences convened by the United Nations and the meetings of
the preparatory bodies of the said conferences, shall as a
rule be accredited for participation. Other non-governmental
organizations wishing to be accredited may apply to the
secretariat of the conference for this purpose in accordance
with the following requirements.
43. The secretariat of the conference shall be responsible for
the receipt and preliminary evaluation of requests from
non-governmental organizations for accreditation to the
conference and its preparatory process. In the discharge of
its functions, the secretariat of the conference shall work in
close cooperation and coordination with the Non-Governmental
Organizations Section of the Secretariat, and shall be guided
by the relevant provisions of Council resolution 1296 (XLIV)
as updated.
44. All such applications must be accompanied by information
on the competence of the organization and the relevance of its
activities to the work of the conference and its preparatory
committee, with an indication of the particular areas of the
conference agenda and preparations to which such competence
and relevance pertain, and should include, inter alia, the
following information:
(a) The purpose of the organization;
(b) Information as to the programmes and activities of
the organization in areas relevant to the
conference and its preparatory process and the
country or countries in which they are carried
out. Non-governmental organizations seeking
accreditation shall be asked to confirm their
interest in the goals and objectives of the
conference;
(c) Confirmation of the activities of the organization
at the national, regional or international level;
(d) Copies of the annual or other reports of the
organization with financial statements, and a list
of financial sources and contributions, including
governmental contributions;
(e) A list of members of the governing body of the
organization and their countries of nationality;
(f) A description of the membership of the
organization, indicating the total number of
members, the names of organizations which are
members and their geographical distribution;
(g) A copy of the constitution and/or by-laws of the
organization.
45. In the evaluation of the relevance of applications of
non-governmental organizations for accreditation to the
conference and its preparatory process, it is agreed that a
determination will be made based on their background and
involvement in the subject areas of the conference.
46. The secretariat shall publish and disseminate to Member
States on a periodic basis the updated list of applications
received. Member States may submit comments on any of the
applications on the list fourteen days from receipt of the
above-mentioned list by Member States. The comments of Member
States shall be communicated to the non-governmental
organization concerned, which shall have the opportunity to
respond.
47. In cases where the secretariat believes, on the basis of
the information provided in accordance with the present
resolution, that the organization has established its
competence and the relevance of its activities to the work of
the preparatory committee, it will recommend to the
preparatory committee that the organization be accredited. In
cases where the secretariat does not recommend the granting of
accreditation, it will make available to the preparatory
committee its reasons for not doing so. The secretariat
should ensure that its recommendations are available to
members of the preparatory committee at least one week prior
to the start of each session. The secretariat must notify
such applicants of the reasons for non-recommendation and
provide an opportunity to respond to objections and furnish
additional information as may be required.
48. The preparatory committee will decide on all
recommendations for accreditation within twenty-four hours
after the recommendations of the secretariat have been taken
up by the preparatory committee in plenary meeting. In the
event of a decision not being taken within this period,
interim accreditation shall be accorded until such time as a
decision is taken.
49. A non-governmental organization that has been granted
accreditation to attend a session of the preparatory
committee, including related preparatory meetings of regional
commissions, may attend all its future sessions, as well as
the conference itself.
50. In recognition of the intergovernmental nature of the
conference and its preparatory process, active participation
of non-governmental organizations therein, while welcome, does
not entail a negotiating role.
51. The non-governmental organizations accredited to the
international conference may be given, in accordance with
established United Nations practice and at the discretion of
the chairperson and the consent of the body concerned, an
opportunity to briefly address the preparatory committee and
the conference in plenary meetings and their subsidiary
bodies.
52. Non-governmental organizations accredited to the
conference may make written presentations during the
preparatory process in the official languages of the United
Nations as they deem appropriate. Those written presentations
will not be issued as official documents except in accordance
with United Nations rules of procedure.
53. Non-governmental organizations without consultative status
that participate in international conferences and wish to
obtain consultative status later on should apply through the
normal procedures established under Council resolution 1296
(XLIV) as updated. Recognizing the importance of the
participation of non-governmental organizations that attend a
conference in the follow-up process, the Committee on
Non-Governmental Organizations, in considering their
application, shall draw upon the documents already submitted
by that organization for accreditation to the conference and
any additional information submitted by the non-governmental
organization supporting its interest, relevance and capacity
to contribute to the implementation phase. The Committee
shall review such applications as expeditiously as possible so
as to allow participation of the respective organization in
the implementation phase of the conference. In the interim,
the Economic and Social Council shall decide on the
participation of non-governmental organizations accredited to
an international conference in the work of the relevant
functional commission on the follow-up to and implementation
of that conference.
54. The suspension and withdrawal of the accreditation of
non-governmental organizations to United Nations international
conferences at all stages shall be guided by the relevant
provisions of the present resolution.
Part VIII
SUSPENSION AND WITHDRAWAL OF CONSULTATIVE STATUS
55. Organizations granted consultative status by the Council
and those on the Roster shall conform at all times to the
principles governing the establishment and nature of their
consultative relations with the Council. In periodically
reviewing the activities of non-governmental organizations on
the basis of the reports submitted under paragraph 61 (c)
below and other relevant information, the Council Committee on
Non-Governmental Organizations shall determine the extent to
which the organizations have complied with the principles
governing consultative status and have contributed to the work
of the Council, and may recommend to the Council suspension or
exclusion from consultative status of organizations which have
not met the requirements for consultative status as set forth
in the present resolution.
56. In cases where the Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations has decided to recommend that the general or
special consultative status of a non-governmental organization
or its listing on the Roster be suspended or withdrawn, the
non-governmental organization concerned shall be given written
reasons for that decision and shall have an opportunity to
present its response for appropriate consideration by the
Committee as expeditiously as possible.
57. The consultative status of non-governmental organizations
with the Economic and Social Council and the listing of those
on the Roster shall be suspended up to three years or
withdrawn in the following cases:
(a) If an organization, either directly or through its
affiliates or representatives acting on its
behalf, clearly abuses its status by engaging in a
pattern of acts contrary to the purposes and
principles of the Charter of the United Nations
including unsubstantiated or politically motivated
acts against Member States of the United Nations
incompatible with those purposes and principles;
(b) If there exists substantiated evidence of
influence from proceeds resulting from
internationally recognized criminal activities
such as the illicit drugs trade, money laundering
or the illegal arms trade;
(c) If, within the preceding three years, an
organization had not made any positive or
effective contribution to the work of the United
Nations and, in particular, of the Council or its
commissions or other subsidiary organs.
58. The consultative status of organizations in general
consultative status and special consultative status and the
listing of those on the Roster will be suspended or withdrawn
by the decision of the Economic and Social Council on the
recommendation of its Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations.
59. An organization whose consultative status or whose listing
on the Roster is withdrawn may be entitled to reapply for
consultative status or for inclusion on the Roster not sooner
than three years after the effective date of such withdrawal.
Part IX
COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
60. The members of the Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations shall be elected by the Council on the basis of
equitable geographical representation, in accordance with the
relevant Council resolutions 1/ and rules of procedure of
the Council. 2/ The Committee shall elect its Chairman
and other officers as necessary.
61. The functions of the Committee shall include the
following:
(a) The Committee shall be responsible for regular
monitoring of the evolving relationship between
non-governmental organizations and the United
Nations. With a view to fulfilling this
responsibility, the Committee shall hold, before
each of its sessions, and at other times as
necessary, consultations with organizations in
consultative status to discuss questions of
interest to the Committee or to the organizations
relating to the relationship between the
non-governmental organizations and the United
Nations. A report on such consultations will be
transmitted to the Council for appropriate action.
(b) The Committee shall hold its regular session
before the substantive session of the Council each
year and preferably before the meetings of
functional commissions of the Council to consider
applications for general consultative status and
special consultative status and for listing on the
Roster made by non-governmental organizations and
requests for changes in status, and to make
recommendations thereon to the Council. Upon
approval by the Council, the Committee may hold
other meetings as required to fulfil its mandated
responsibilities. Organizations shall give due
consideration to any comments on technical matters
which the Secretary-General of the United Nations
may make in receiving such applications for the
Committee. The Committee shall consider at each
such session applications received by the
Secretary-General not later than 1 June of the
preceding year, on which sufficient data have been
distributed to the members of the Committee not
later than six weeks before the applications are
to be considered. Transitional arrangements, if
possible, may be made during the current year
only. Reapplication by an organization for
status, or a request for a change in status, shall
be considered by the Committee at the earliest at
its first session in the second year following the
session at which the substance of the previous
application or request was considered, unless at
the time of such consideration it was decided
otherwise.
(c) Organizations in general consultative status and
special consultative status shall submit to the
Council 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. However, under
exceptional circumstances, the Committee may ask
for such a report from an individual organization
in general consultative status or special
consultative status or on the Roster, between the
regular reporting dates.
(d) The Committee may consult, in connection with
sessions of the Council or at such other times as
it may decide, with organizations in general
consultative status and special consultative
status on matters within their competence, other
than items on the agenda of the Council, on which
the Council or the Committee or the organization
requests consultation. The Committee shall report
to the Council on such consultations.
(e) The Committee may consult, in connection with any
particular session of the Council, with
organizations in general consultative status and
special consultative status on matters within the
competence of the organizations concerning
specific items already on the provisional agenda
of the Council on which the Council or the
Committee or the organization requests
consultation, and shall make recommendations as to
which organizations, subject to the provisions of
paragraph 32 (a) above, should be heard by the
Council or the appropriate committee and regarding
which subjects should be heard. The Committee
shall report to the Council on such consultations.
(f) The Committee shall consider matters concerning
non-governmental organizations which may be
referred to it by the Council or by commissions.
(g) The Committee shall consult with the
Secretary-General, as appropriate, on matters
affecting the consultative arrangements under
Article 71 of the Charter, and arising therefrom.
(h) An organization which applies for consultative
status should justify that it has been in
existence for at least two years as at the date of
receipt of the application by the Secretariat.
Evidence of such existence shall be furnished to
the Secretariat.
62. The Committee, in considering a request from a
non-governmental organization in general consultative status
that an item be placed on the agenda of the Council, shall
take into account, among other things:
(a) The adequacy of the documentation submitted by the
organization;
(b) The extent to which it is considered that the item
lends itself to early and constructive action by
the Council;
(c) The possibility that the item might be more
appropriately dealt with elsewhere than in the
Council.
63. Any decision by the Council Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations not to grant a request submitted by a
non-governmental organization in general consultative status
that an item be placed on the provisional agenda of the
Council shall be considered as final unless the Council
decides otherwise.
Part X
CONSULTATION WITH THE SECRETARIAT
64. The Secretariat should be so organized as to enable it to
carry out the duties assigned to it concerning the
consultative arrangements and the accreditation of
non-governmental organizations to United Nations international
conferences as set forth in the present resolution.
65. All organizations in consultative relationship shall be
able to consult with officers of the appropriate sections of
the Secretariat on matters in which there is a mutual interest
or a mutual concern. Such consultation shall be upon the
request of the non-governmental organization or upon the
request of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
66. The Secretary-General may request organizations in general
consultative status and special consultative status and those
on the Roster to carry out specific studies or prepare
specific papers, subject to the relevant financial
regulations.
67. The Secretary-General shall be authorized, within the
means at his disposal, to offer to non-governmental
organizations in consultative relationship facilities which
include:
(a) Prompt and efficient distribution of such
documents of the Council and its subsidiary bodies
as shall in the judgement of the Secretary-General
be appropriate;
(b) Access to the press documentation services
provided by the United Nations;
(c) Arrangement of informal discussions on matters of
special interest to groups or organizations;
(d) Use of the libraries of the United Nations;
(e) Provision of accommodation for conferences or
smaller meetings of consultative organizations on
the work of the Economic and Social Council;
(f) Appropriate seating arrangements and facilities
for obtaining documents during public meetings of
the General Assembly dealing with matters in the
economic, social and related fields.
Part XI
SECRETARIAT SUPPORT
68. Adequate Secretariat support will be required to fulfil
the mandate defined for the Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations to carry out the wider range of activities in
which the enhanced involvement of non-governmental
organizations is envisaged. The Secretary-General is
requested to provide the necessary resources for this purpose
and to take steps for improving the coordination within the
Secretariat of units dealing with non-governmental
organizations.
69. The Secretary-General is requested to make every effort to
enhance and streamline as appropriate Secretariat support
arrangements, and to improve practical arrangements on such
matters as greater use of modern information and communication
technology, the establishment of an integrated database of
non-governmental organizations, wide and timely dissemination
of information on meetings, distribution of documentation,
provision of access and transparent, simple and streamlined
procedures for the attendance of non-governmental
organizations in United Nations meetings, and to facilitate
their broad-based participation.
70. The Secretary-General is requested to make this resolution
widely known, through proper channels, to facilitate the
involvement of non-governmental organizations from all regions
and areas of the world.
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Notes:
1/ Council resolutions 1099 (XL) and 1981/50 and Council
decision 1995/304.
2/ Rule 80 of the rules of procedure of the Council.