NGO Working Group on the Security Council

The Working Group brings together thirty major NGOs for a series of meetings with Council ambassadors. Since the Council's decisions affect nearly all NGO constituencies -- in such areas as human rights, humanitarian relief, disarmament, the environment, and the concerns of women and children -- the Working Group has a diverse membership. Since 1997, the Working Group has met increasingly regularly with delegations. In 2002 it held nearly fifty meetings, mostly with ambassadors, but also including UN officials. Typically, one of the meetings each month is with the ambassador in the Council presidency.

Information Statement

Statement setting out the purposes and activities of the Working Group.

A Short History of the NGO Working Group

List of Members

A membership list. Also links to a list of officers and Steering Group members.

Summary Data on Meetings

Tables showing overall meeting calendars, meetings with delegations, etc.

Past Meetings

List of past meetings of the NGO Working Group since 1994.

Arria and Other Special Meetings between NGOs and Council Members

Information on dialogue between NGOs and the Security Council outside the NGO Working Group.

NGOs and the Security Council (December 2001)

Felicity Hill, a prominent NGO representative, writes about evolving relations between NGOs and the Security Council particularly on women's issues.

NGO Briefing Paper on Transparency and Accountability

Paper circulated in late November 1996 prior to a meeting with delegations.

Ambassador Juan Somavía: Humanitarian Responsibilities of the Security Council

A speech delivered by the Permanent Represenative of Chile as the 1996 Gilbert Murray Memorial Lecture. Amb. Somavía stresses the importance of increased NGO participation in Security Council activities.

Ambassador Antonio Monteiro: NGO Contact with the Security Council

Excerpt from a speech by the Permanent Representative of Portugal to the General Assembly on October 21, 1998.

April 1995 inaugural meeting of the Working Group
At head of table (left to right) : William Pace, Anne Walker,
James Paul, Ambassador Razali Ismail, Ambassador Colin Keating

Global Policy Forum