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NGO Access to Electronic UN Document Archives (letter to Amb. Kamal - Feb. 7 '97) Problems of NGO Access to Electronic
Document Archives at the UN
(letter to Amb. Kamal)
7 February 1997 Amb. Ahmad Kamal
Mission of Pakistan to the UN
8 East 65 Street
New York NY 10021
Dear Amb. Kamal:At the meeting of the Sub-Group of the Essy Group on Monday morning (3 February), I raised the issue of NGO access to the UN Optical Disc System (ODS). I said that "information is power" and expressed concern that NGOs are excluded from this enormously important new source of UN documentation. I called on the Sub-Group to address this question.
You responded from the Chair, saying that you thought the ODS was available to NGOs as well as to Missions. I am writing with further information and an immediate matter of concern.
As I will explain further below: (1)the ODS system is not available to NGOs through a world wide web connection, (2)ODS contains a vastly greater document archive than the one available on the UN web site, (3)the Secretariat is making plans to sell access to this system and decisions will be taken next week, and (4)as far as I can ascertain, there has not been consultation with Member States or NGOs on this important issue.
I spoke yesterday to Mr. Wolfgang Fuerst, the person in the Secretariat in charge of the ODS. He confirmed that while ODS became available to Missions and Governments via a special web site in November [www.ods.un.org], access is by code only and NGOs are excluded. He said that there is an enormous difference between the full and complete set of UN public documents (in all official languages) available by ODS and the very partial set of documents (largely in English) available on the UN web site.
I was reminded that ODS is available on two computer stations at the UN Library (in the Woodrow Wilson Reading Room on the Second Floor). These, however, are often in use. The NGO Resource Center informs me that it may also provide ODS access on at least one machine in the near future. This means that NGOs located at headquarters (and in Geneva) will have some window into the system, though extremely limited. I am told that under current budget constraints, the number of NGO-accessible machines linked to ODS will remain very small.
Under present circumstances, NGOs do not have access from their offices (the preferable arrangement). Nor, of course, is there access of any kind for the great majority of NGOs who do not have a presence in New York or Geneva or who are working in languages other than English or French.
Mr. Fuerst told me that ODS will soon be available on a fee-paying basis and he directed me to Susanna Johnston, Chief of Sales, for information about the time and conditions under which ODS will become available "to the public." Ms. Johnston informed me that this new service would start up at the end of February (via the same web site now used by Members). Access will be available, but only upon payment of a service fee. A committee of DPI will fix this fee next week.
When I asked Ms. Johnston to give me a sense of the fee structure being contemplated, she said she could not. When I asked whether she could tell me if it was going to be closer to $50 or $5,000, she said she could not. When I said that perhaps NGOs have an interest in the matter and would like to express their views prior to the price-setting meeting, she said simply that "NGOs have no influence over this." Accredited NGOs, it seems, will have no different access status than the general public.
Mr. Ambassador, in your capacity as Chair of the Technical Sub-Group of the Working Group on Informatics and in your capacity as Chair of the Essy Sub-Group, I hope you can help insure that NGOs have easy access to this system -- either for free or for a very modest charge. Surely, it is in the interest of the UN and of Member States that UN documents be widely available to accredited NGOs, North and South. In fact, accredited NGOs have always had broad access to documents without charge and this new electronic medium should be no exception. Indeed, Section XI(69) of Resolution 1996/31 seems to mandate full document access, and it specifically calls for improved "distribution of documentation."
An important decision directly affecting NGOs is being made in the Secretariat without (to my knowledge) any prior consultation. Surely the work of the Essy Sub-Group and the recently-concluded ECOSOC NGO review process moves in another direction. Indeed, Section X(65) of Resolution 1996/31 calls for officers of the Secretariat to "consult" with NGOs on matters of "mutual concern."
I am circulating this letter among the NGO community and asking others to join me in expressing their concern. In the meantime, since the price and policy-setting meeting is so soon, I am conveying the letter directly to you in hopes that you can influence the outcome in a direction more consistent with UN policy, more favorable to NGO interests and more likely to strengthen the organization’s capacity, transparency and effectiveness.
With thanks for your concern.
Yours sincerely,
James A. Paul
Executive Director
cc: Amb. Razali Ismail, President of the General Assembly; Assistant Secretary General Samir Sanbar; Assistant Secretary General Gillian Sorenson, Leona Forman, Head, DPI-NGO Section; Barbara Adams, Deputy to the Coordinator, NGLS; many NGOs
More Information on NGO Access at the UN
More Information on NGOs and the Official Documents System
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