/ FEDERATION OF ASSOCIATIONS OF FORMER INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVANTS
FÉDÉRATION DES ASSOCIATIONS DES ANCIENS FONCTIONNAIRES INTERNATIONAUX
FEDERACION DE ASOCIACIONES DE EX-FUNCIONARIOS INTERNACIONALES
40th Session of the FAFICS Council
Geneva, 4-7 July 2011

Council 40/2011/D.14

Report on FAFICS Representation at Meetings

Report of AFICS-NY

Contents

Paras.

  1. Report on the 2011 sessions of the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs1 – 10
  1. Report on the CoNGO Assembly, held in New York11 – 24
  1. FAFICS representation by AFICS/NY at other meetings25 - 30

17 June 2011

  1. 2011 sessions ECOSOC Committee on NGOs, (31January–9 February and 16 -24 May)[1]
  1. FAFICS, an NGO having consultative status with ECOSOC, participates in the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs which meets twice annually in New York. As the substantive arm in New York of FAFICS, AFICS/NY attended both sessions of the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs (31 January – 9 February 2011 and 16-24 May 2011) and followed the discussions concerning NGO status and how decisions/recommendations may affect FAFICS and its work.
  1. Information is provided below on the deliberations of the Committee and its work. The CoNGO has been requested by FAFICS to ensure greater participation of CoNGO in the deliberations of the Committee since CoNGO has the responsibility of ensuring full compliance with the criteria set out in ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31.
  1. The Committee, having recommended status for nearly 150 NGOs, notedthat it had held the most successful session since the 1990s, with respect to the number of applications and reports reviewed. There are now 3,337 NGOs in consultative status (general (137), special (2,221) and roster (989) status). FAFICS has special consultative status. It was also noted that a record number of NGOs will make statements at the high level segment of ECOSOC to be held in July 2011. The Committee suspended for one year the consultative status of 103 organizationsfor failing to submit their quadrennial reports (ECOSOC Resolution.2008/4).
  1. The secretariat of the Committee (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs)has made many improvements to ensuring smoother functioning of the applications and reporting procedures, in particular the online NGO registration system and a newversion of the paperless system. The lack of some ICT-based tools caused problems early in the session.
  1. The 2012 sessions of the Committee will be held from 30 January to 8 February and from 21 -30 May. The FAFICS Quadrennial Report will be reviewed at one of the sessions.
  1. In spite of the Committee’s accomplishments, some contentious issues[2] continued to impede its work. Delegations voiced divergent views and asked probing, at times unnecessary, questions; language became accusatory and heated. While some of the questions were standard for the review of applications and quadrennialreports, such as financing, relevance to ECOSOC and the use of non-UN terminology, they were also sometimes introduced to defer decision on applications andquadrennial reports – some of which had been deferred for over ten years. Amnesty International[3], Human Rights Watch and the International Press Institute [4]are three examples, with the latter having two quadrennial reports still awaitingreview by the Committee.
  1. Some Committee delegates questioned the intent ofrepetitive queries put to the NGOs, concerned that the inquiries were being used, not to assess applicants’ suitability, but to harass them or delay their recommendation. Other Committee delegates upheld the deferrals maintaining that lengthy questioning was their right. One solution proposed by the Chair and supported, for putting an end to the repeated deferrals was to adopt a rule that after a certain number of deferrals (2 or 3 years) an application would have to be put to a vote. No action has yet been taken on that proposal. There was disagreement as to whether observer delegations had the right to ask questions of NGOs which some felt was the sole prerogative of members of the Committee. This has not been resolved.
  1. The longest and most acrimonious discussions took place around human rights/medical organizations that mentioned sexual orientation or sexual rights in their applications. For example, the application of the International Gay and Lesbian Association was rejected after lengthy procedural motions. In recent years it had been seeking reinstatement after its status was withdrawn some ten years ago over a controversial affiliate that had since been dropped.

CoNGO Pre-Assembly and CoNGO Assembly in New York, 14 January and 17-19 January 2011

  1. As a member of CoNGO, FAFICS participates in CoNGO and its activities, including collaboration with CoNGO members. It is important that FAFICS collaborates and cooperates with the NGO community of CoNGO in order to promote and advocate effectively for the goals and ideals of the United Nations organizations. NGOs can have a significant impact on government policy and it is important for FAFICS to work together with relevant NGOs to support many of the issues currently under discussion at the global level.
  1. The strength and effectiveness of CoNGO depends on sound management and greater collaboration among its members. To this end, FAFICS, with the experience and expertise of its individual members who have spent many years in United Nations organizations, can make a significant contribution to ensuring that CoNGO remains a vital and effective voice in the global debates.
  1. FAFICS was represented by its President and by members of AFICS /NY at the CoNGO Pre-Assembly held on 14 January 2011 in New York. The topics of most interest were those concerning: (a) access to UN[5] that had been limited at first due to the Capital Master Plan (reconstruction of UN building), but was later perceived by many NGOs as an excuse to decrease NGO influence at meetings and (b) difficulties managingCoNGO’s standing committees, especially those in New York where, far from the mother body, theytended to work as separate entities with little link to CoNGO. The two resolutions adopted on these reflect these concerns.
  1. AFICS/NY represented FAFICS at the three-day Assembly held from 17-19 January 2011.The theme of the Assembly was Defining the Present, Shaping the Future. The issues covered related togovernance, institutional coherence, finances, CoNGO substantive committees, present and future actions to be taken.
  1. There were two noteworthy speakers: Kishore Mandhyan (office of the Secretary-General) and Paul Kennedy (Yale University Professor)who both spoke on the role of the United Nations in global debate. The DESA NGO Branch representative, who had been expected to speak on the workings of the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs (a topic important to members of CoNGO), spoke instead on global education.
  1. Raymonde Martineau representing the International Movement for Fraternal Union among Races and Peoples (UFER) and Lola Costa-Esnard, representing FAFICS, both of whom had many years of experience at the United Nations dealing with NGO issues,expressed two concerns:

a)CoNGO’S failure to monitor the work of ECOSOC Committee on NGOs (raised previously by FAFICSat the May 2010 CoNGO Board meeting in New York) and ensuringthat a CoNGO officer speak at the Committee’s annual sessions to defend new and deferred applications as well as quadrennial reports that were being inappropriately[6]. UFER and FAFICS stressed that in the past there had always been a CoNGO presence to ensure full compliance with the criteria set out in ECOSOC Resolution1996/31— this being a keyCoNGO goal.[7]

b)The need for CoNGO to seek a waiver from the UN Department of Public Informationfor ECOSOC NGOs also affiliated to DPI which were required to submitAnnual Reviews to DPI, as this was a double imposition for ECOSOC NGOs already fulfilling reporting obligations every 4 years to an intergovernmental body— the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs.

  1. At elections held on the last day of the Assembly, Cyril Ritchie, former First Vice-President, was elected President by acclamation.
  1. Of the 23 NGOs running for the Board, 3 were not elected.[8] Two NGO representatives expressed wish to vote for FAFICS, but the FAFICS President, after consultingmember associations in Geneva, Vienna and New York,indicated that a preference to increase FAFICS participation in the work of CoNGO’s substantive committees, rather than have FAFICS serve on the Board. The Bureau and the full membership of the Board elected for the period of 2011-2014 are listed in footnote.[9]

Resolutions

  1. After negotiation over about an initially strongly worded petition critical of the way the United Nations was handling access of NGOs, a consensus agreement emerged. Four resolutions were adopted by the Assembly:

(a) The CoNGO, in its Emergency Resolution on NGO Access took noteof the paper on access and recommendations for action, decided to support and encourage efforts to urge the UN (a) to allow greater access for civil society to the UN at all relevant levels of international engagements;( b) to achieves a more equitable and democratic representation of all people everywhere and (c) to encourage all members of civil society to participate in, be informed by, and engaged any UN reform process.

(b) The CoNGO decided to strengthen the Governance Committee, through the establishment of a Working Group Relating to Substantive Committees, for the purpose of drafting guidelines concerning substantive committees, developing a mechanism to strengthen accountability, for compliance with CoNGO rules and policies, drafting a code of conduct and examining ways to develop greater cohesion and collaboration among the three centers (Geneva, Vienna and New York).

(c) The CoNGO, in its Emergency Resolution on Human Rights, urged member NGOs to be guided by the holistic and practical framework of human rights as a way of life, regardless of the specific focus of each NGO.

(d) The CoNGO, in its Emergency Resolution on the Financial Situation of CoNGO, called for strengthening the Finance Committee and revitalizing the Fundraising Committee to address the financial obligations and ensure adequate income for the triennium 2011 to 2014. This resolution was intended to help overcome the $100.000 deficit CoNGO had incurred in 2010 (due to the Swiss halving its contribution, dues being paid late, US and Germany not giving expected grants, etc.).

  1. Except for Resolution (c) above, that had two dissenting votes, the other resolutions were adopted by acclamation:
  1. The Budget was adopted partially. L.Wright, a former Vice President, moved that the Assembly vote only on the membership dues section but leave it to the newly elected Board to vote on the other parts of the budget dealing with government and other contributions that are still uncertain.
  1. A small number of the proposed amendments of CoNGO’s rules were adopted by acclamation. Voting on many of the remaining proposed amendments was deferred due to lack of time. It was decided that it would be left to the new Board to take appropriate action.
  1. The most spirited moments of the Assembly occurred over the issue of rebranding the CoNGO logo. The Francophone NGOs wanted to defer consideration to the next Assembly because lost in the new logo was a reference to ONG (NGO in French). President Bautista pointed out that those who complained had neglected to note the proposed new logo available on the website for quite some time. The new logo was, however, adopted by a close majority.
  1. Unlike the controversy over the logo issue, the new pronunciation of CoNGO was adopted by acclamation. The acronym “CoNGO” would no longer be pronounced as in “Democratic Republic of Congo”. Henceforth, the “Co”in CoNGO would be pronounced “co” as in “co-operation” – the acronym would be pronounced “CO - N-G-O”.

FAFICS representation by AFICS/NY at other meetings

  1. As a way to comply with the mandate of FAFICS and of AFICS/NY to promote the principles, policies and programmes of the United Nations organization, attendance at meetings provides opportunities to determine which activities require further attention by FAFICS, whether in terms of co-signing statements, contributing to drafting of international instruments, or undertaking activities that support the work of the United Nations organizations. Presence at meetings allows for visibility and acknowledgement by the United Nations organizations and NGOs of the continuing support by FAFICS and AFICS/NY of the goals and ideals of the Organization.
  1. As the substantive arm in New York of FAFICS, AFICS/NY attended and participated in a number of intergovernmental and NGO meetings that addressed the issues of interest to FAFICS. Reports were prepared by the Committee on NGO Relations and Information of AFICS/NY on many of the meetings but are too voluminous to attach. Details on decisions/ recommendations and action taken in many of the meetings are included in the advocacy report also before the FAFICS Council for its deliberations, under agenda item 13.

United NationsIntergovernmental bodies

  1. In order to keep abreast of issues that may require specific attention by FAFICS, particularly with respect to deliberations that concern the elderly, AFICS/NY attended sessions of the following intergovernmental bodies:
  • Commission on Sustainable Development
  • Commission on Social Development
  • Commission on the Status of Women and parallel meetings:
  • Subcommittee on Women and Climate Change,at which AFICS/NY and other NGOs proposed that the final agreement of an international conference on climate change should include women’s issues.
  • ECOSOC Committee on NGOs
  • General Assembly’s Open-ended Working Group on Strengthening the Protection of the Human Rights of Older Persons

United Nations

  1. AFICS/NY, as a member of the DPI/NGO community attended the following meetings
  • DPI Communications Worship “Attracting Media: What Makes NGO Stories News
  • DPI briefing -Crossing boundaries/Protecting the Rights of Migrant Women Workers
  • DPI Briefing -Film on Understanding Islam as part of Human Rights Day
  • Event organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rightson Human Rights Day, in collaboration with theFord Foundation
  • UNESCO’s Forum on “ Building Peace: Reconciliation through the Power of Education, the Sciences, Culture and Communication” held, in New York

Permanent Missions to the United Nations

  1. At an invitation by the US Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, AFICS/NY attended a showing of a documentary produced by Sweden’s Kvinna Till Kvinna Foundation on Bosnian & Congolese women activists sharing sexual-violence experiences. AFICS/NY also attended a seminar on Policy Advocacy Development HIV/AIDS, Human Rights Peace and Security, organized by the Nigerian Permanent Mission to the UN and Outreach Redemption International.

Meetings of NGOs

  1. FAFICS was represented by AFICS/NY at the following NGO meetings:
  • CoNGO Assembly and Pre-Assembly meetings
  • CoNGO’s Committee on Ageing & its subcommittee on older women re “enabling older women through access to education,training and technology”
  • CoNGO Committee on Ageing’s Sub-Committee on Supporting a Convention on the Elderly, organized by Global Action on Ageing
  • CoNGO Committee on Status of Women
  • Sub-Committee on Older Women - “Under the Radar: Violence against Elderly Women”
  • Sub-Committee on Intergenerational Relationships of the CoNGO Committee on Ageing
  • International Association of Women in Radio and TV on “building capacities in respect to the new technologies” – side event during meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women
  • Civil Society Forum (prelude to 3rd Conference of States Parties to Convention Rights of Persons withDisabilities)
  • Women and Climate change sponsored by Women, Environment and Development
  • United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNOAC) meeting on “The Role of Faith-Inspired Organizations in Development”
  • Fourth World Movement on “From Poverty to Decent Work in Commemoration of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty”.

* * * * * *

. .

1

[1]The Committee is composed of 19 governments with a bureau for the1st session consisting of Turkey (Chair, Bulgaria, Peru and Senegal (Vice-Chairs), and Pakistan (Vice-Chairman and Rapporteur). Other members: Belgium, Burundi, China, Cuba, India, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sudan, USA and Venezuela.

[2] These often centered ongay, lesbian, human rights, freedom of the press and an array of political matters.

[3] AI’s report was finally taken note of after 3 years of deferral.

[4]IPI’s goals include freedom of expression.

[5]There had been no consultations between the UN Secretariat and NGOs on the impact of the CMP on the work of NGOs. The Working Group on NGO Access requested the UN Secretary-General: a) to find ways and means to expand and render more meaningful the access of NGOs to the Organization, and its negotiation and decision-making processes, and b) to appoint a United Nations focal point for NGOs, recalling previous arrangements whereby a senior officer at the ASG level was designated to work with the NGO community to support more effectively the role of civil society. The Secretary-General’s response failed to address the fundamental issue of NGO participation in United Nations activities.

[6]See ECOSOC Standing Committee report doc…., paragraph 4 where the Quadrennial reports of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Press Institute were deferred.

[7]When introducing his report, L.Bautista mentioned that he hadconsulted with 2 NGOs to see what role CoNGO could play and had sent a letter to all 19 governments on the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs.

[8]Knights Templar, Tunisian Mothers & World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation

[9]President: Cyril Ritchie; First Vice President Adama Diop; Vice Presidents:Bahrain Women Association for Human Development and Pan-Pacific South East Asia Women’s Association; Secretary:Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom ; Treasurer: Salvation Army; Board Members: (In alphabetic order), Baptist World Alliance, CIVICUS, Commission of the Churches on International Affairs-World Council ofChurches, Coordination Française pour le Lobby Européen des Femmes, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Femmes Africa Solidarité, Goodwill Cooperation Service (GCS) International Guild of Service, International Association of Applied Psychology, International Federation of Business and Professional Women, International Council of Psychologists, International Federation on Ageing, International Youth and Student Movement for the UN. Ius Primi Viri International Association, Nurses across the Borders and Zonta International