Summary: Information / Discussion

Main consultative statuses

Version française

Time:		16 July 2002, 11:30 – 13:00
Location:		ICCG 2
Moderator(s):		• Mr. Sébastien Ziegler, President of the World Civil Society Forum Steering Committee, Mandat International (MI)
Presenters/ Participants:		• Ms. Audrey Esposito, International Labour Organization (ILO) • Mr. Amel Haffouz, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) • Ms. Elena Ponomareva, United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI)
Reporter:		Edith Rojas (ICVolunteers)
Translated by:		René Delétroz (ICVolunteers)
Key words:		Statut consultatif, société civile, ECOSOC, DPI/NU, CNUCED, ILO

Ms. Audrey Esposito, Ms. Amel Haffouz and Ms. Elena Ponomareva, representing respectively the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Conference for Commerce and Development (CNUCD) and the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI/NU) underscored the growing importance granted to the cooperation between international organizations (IOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The objectives of all three speakers was to present the conditions and procedures necessary for NGOs to obtain consultative status in their respective organizations and the means for NGOs to have access to a mutually advantageous working relationship with the United Nations.
Two types of associations are possible with the DPI/NU. NGOs can ask to be associated with the DPI, which allows them to participate in the Human Rights Commission and Sub-Commissions, to have access to press releases and video conferences, to organize seminars and meetings within the United Nations Building and to have access to its library. As Mr. Ziegler pointed out, the DPI status is important but little known by NGOs from developing countries. The second type of association is the consultative status in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which allows NGOs not only to participate in the projects of the Council and its subsidiary groups, with the follow-up of meetings, but also to voice their opinions on all items on the agenda.

Two categories of consultative status also exist within CNUCED:

1. Special status, which offers national NGOs the possibility of collaborating in a specific field of activities related to CNUCED;
2. General status, available only to international NGOs and allowing them to participate in all fields of activities of CNUCED.

Within the ILO, only international NGOs can be registered on their Special List, which is approved by the Administration Council and grants the right to consultative status. Currently, 160 international NGOs have the consultative status at the ILO, covering many fields such as the promotion of the rights of the person, reduction of poverty, social security, professional rehabilitation and questions of equality between men and women. Ms. Esposito stressed that the fact that an NGO is not included on the Special List does not imply that it cannot collaborate with the ILO. Whether NGOs are local, national or international, they can accomplish tasks or undertake activities entrusted to them by the ILO within the scope of specific technical cooperation projects.

Whether the consultative status is with DPI, ECOSOC, CNUCED or ILO, NGOs must have goals and objectives in harmony with the spirit, goals and principles of the IO, as well as an evident interest in one of the IO's fields of activity. To apply, NGOs must generally submit a copy of their status, an indication of their length of existence (depending on the IO, NGOs are required to have been operating for two to five years to be eligible to apply for consultative status), composition and membership, as well as their most recent activity report.

Interesting points 
From 1996 to 1997, NGOs implemented one third of the international programme of the ILO for the abolition of child labour. More and more NGOs are now trying to obtain consultative status, and 800 NGOs are currently waiting to obtain consultative status in ECOSOC.
One of the participants mentioned the problem of lack of information on the activities of the United Nations in developing countries, particularly at the local level (at universities, for example).

Conclusions
The larger participation of civil society on the international arena remains an important challenge and objective for all IOs. Ms. Ponomareva noted that many NGOs are associated with the DPI/NU based in New York, and that it is necessary to raise awareness at the local level so that NGOs also apply for association with the Geneva-based department. One of the future objectives is to expand the level of information given to NGOs on the activities of the United Nations.
Ms. Haffouz talked about the strong participation of NGOs at the CNUCED Conference in Bangkok in 2000 and said that the participation of civil society linked to the CNUCED is increasingly respected. The dialogue between the CNUCED and civil society organizations held in Geneva in December 2001 is an example of this.

Ms. Esposito stressed that, even though NGOs do not have decision-making power within the ILO, they represent a genuine influence on the decisions taken there.

Presenters' Documents Available

16.04_esposito_audrey.doc (33 K)
16.04_haffouz_amel.doc (29 K)

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