Monitoring Policy Making at the United Nations |
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NGOs Resolution for NGO Participation in the
Work of the General Assembly (1999)
A proposed resolution endorsed by many NGOs and prepared by William R. Pace, Executive Director of the World Federalist Movement and chair of INTGLIM. The document is a revision of a draft resolution written in October 1997 by "Like-Minded" governments responding to ECOSOC Decision 1996/297, which calls for extending NGO participation in the UN.
Excerpt from previous ECOSOC Decision 1996/297 adopted July 25, 1996:"Decides to recommend that the General Assembly examine, at its fifty-first session, the question of the participation of non-governmental organizations in all areas of the work of the United Nations, in the light of the experience gained through the arrangements for consultation between non-governmental organizations and the Economic and Social Council."
Proposed Resolution for NGO and Government Endorsement
The General Assembly,
Recognizing the importance of the contribution by NGO's to all areas of the work of the United Nations,
Recalling its resolution 49/252,
Recalling Agenda 21 and in particular Chapter 38 and paragraphs 38.42 through 38.45 of that document which calls for the General Assembly to establish procedures for an expanded role for non-governmental organizations within the United Nations,
Recalling resolution 51/181 of December 1996, in which it recognized, inter alia, the important contributions made by non-governmental organizations,
Recalling General Assembly decision 51/467 of 18 April 1997 which decided to invite non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and on the Roster to participate in the nineteenth special session of the Assembly,
Recalling the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular its Article 71 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996 and decision 1996/287 of 25 July 1996,
1. Decides to invite non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and on the Roster to participate in the work of the Assembly, its Main Committees and Special Sessions in light of the experience gained through arrangements for consultation between non-governmental organizations and the Economic and Social Council.
2. Also requests, authorizes and encourages its other subsidiary bodies, where appropriate, in particular those addressing questions of disarmament, to provide similar access to these non-governmental organizations,
3. Requests the Secretary General to arrange appropriate access and seating procedures for NGO attendance, access to official UN documentation and provisions for NGO's to make available written contributions;
4. Encourages the General Assembly and the United Nations bodies under its authority to develop further ways and means to improve their substantive interaction with NGO's, inter alia, through informal consultation, dialogue, panel discussions and, at the discretion of the relevant Bureau, oral interventions.
5. Also encourages all other United Nations bodies to consider, and where appropriate to establish and to develop practical procedures defining any further NGO participation in their work, without prejudice to any participation already taking place under existing privileges, arrangements and practices;
6. And decides that the General Assembly should explore ways and means for encouraging participation of NGO's in and from all regions.
7. Decides to discuss, at its 56th session, a review of all aspects of participation of NGO's in the work of the United Nations system including processes of accreditation of NGO's, giving due consideration to the contents of the recent reports of the Secretary-General, the provisions of ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31, as well as actions taken by other parts of the UN system in furtherance of this resolution.
