NGOs and ECOSOC
According to the UN Charter, the participation of NGOs in the UN is limited to ECOSOC, which is the governing body that also establishes procedures of accreditation and suspension for NGOs.
NGOs and the General Assembly
Since NGOs gained wider consultative status in ECOSOC in 1996, they have pushed for consultative status in the General Assembly, its main committees and other subsidiary bodies. But governments balked, and NGOs still do not have rights with the GA.
NGOs and the Human Rights Council
After participating in its creation, NGOs remain unclear about the role they will play in the Human Rights Council. They hope to retain at least the same level of active participation they enjoyed with its predecessor, the Human Rights Commission, and ensure NGO involvement at the various steps of the newly-created Universal Periodic Review process.
NGOs and the Security Council
NGOs do not have formal consultative status with the Security Council, as governments consider peace and security issues a matter for states only. However, NGOs have won unprecedented informal access to the Security Council and its ambassadors notably through the NGO Working Group on the Security Council, of which GPF is the principle organizer.
NGOs and the Secretary General
This section includes reports by the Secretary General on NGOs and speeches made by past and present Secretary Generals.
