Participation Of Voluntary Groups In United Nations System: A Critical Evaluation

  Miss. Sneha M.Bennalkar,  Dr. Mwirigi K. Charles

The existence of NGOs or Non-State actors dates back hundreds of years but at that time they were few enthusiastic groups that volunteered to pursue the course for which they represented without substantial recognition by the international community. At that time, they were seen as anti-development and obstructers of governmental projects by the states governments. However, since 19th Century, there has been a sharp rise in the number of NGOs and also international recognition of the same especially among intergovernmental organizations like United Nations. The first time NGOs participated in the UN deliberations or system was in 1946, just less than a year after the creation of United Nations On 24th October, 1945 through ECOSOC Council that was formed under Article 71, chapter 10 of the United Nations Charter. The provisions of Articles 71 of the UN Charter, opened a legal door for the participation of NGOs in the UN system thereby creating a suitable arrangements for the consultations with NGOs. ECOSOC was formed to be the master focal point and the final gateway to the attainment of consultative status by the NGOs. This gateway is being protected or guarded by the UN Committee on NGO and therefore it becomes the most important to NGOs that are trying to influence the global politics through the United Nations system. It is this committee that scrutinizes the applications and evaluates the eligibility of the intending NGOs and then its sends its recommendations to the ECOSOC council for final decision. Therefore the relationship between ECOSOC and the NGOs is regulated and governed by ECOSOC Resolution of 1996/31 which encourages NGOs with consultative status with ECOSOC to submit statements to the council in form of either written submissions or oral presentations. Despite the presence UN Committee for NGOs guarding the gateway to the attainment of consultative status, and the rigorous procedures and scrutiny that is attached to it, the number of NGOs applying for the consultative status have exponentially increased that this proves that having the tag of consultative status is important and beneficial to the NGO’s participation in the UN deliberations.

Keywords- NGOs, ECOSOC, United Nations System, Consultative status

Unique Identification Number - IJEDR2001040
Page Number(s) - 212-215
Pubished in - Volume 8 | Issue 1 | January 2020
DOI (Digital Object Identifier) -   
Publisher - IJEDR (ISSN - 2321-9939)

  Miss. Sneha M.Bennalkar,  Dr. Mwirigi K. Charles,   "Participation Of Voluntary Groups In United Nations System: A Critical Evaluation", International Journal of Engineering Development and Research (IJEDR), ISSN:2321-9939, Volume.8, Issue 1, pp.212-215, January 2020, Available at :http://www.ijedr.org/papers/IJEDR2001040.pdf