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Non-Governmental Organization Committee Recommends 32 Civil Societygroups For Consultative Status With Economic And Social Council.

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M2 PRESSWIRE-30 May 2008-United Nations: Non-Governmental Organization Committee Recommends 32 Civil Societygroups For Consultative Status With Economic And Social Council(C)1994-2008 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:30052008

With the start of the substantive session of the Economic and Social Council fast approaching, the resumed session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today decided to recommend a Chinese-based civil-society group for general consultative status with the Council, and 31 other groups for special consultative status, while also hearing requests to launch an investigation into what some members viewed as the wrongful participation of a Jewish non-governmental organization with roster status at a Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva in January.

Each year, interested organizations are assigned general, special or roster status with the Council upon the Committee's recommendation, according to such criteria as the applicant's mandate, governance and financial regime. The World Union for Progressive Judaism, an international organization headquartered in Israel, already enjoys roster status with the Council, which allows it to attend Council meetings, but not to circulate statements -- a right reserved only for non-governmental organizations with general or special consultative status. Further, it cannot speak or propose items for the Council's agenda, rights given to organizations with general consultative status. The China NGO Network for International Exchanges, the sole organization today to have been recommended for such status.

In a complaint lodged on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, the representative of Cuba said the participation of the World Union for Progressive Judaism at a January meeting of the Human Rights Council contravened resolution 1996/31 of the Economic and Social Council regarding the consultative relationship between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations. The alleged incident was said to have taken place at a...