On 20 May 2009 in New York, the Committee on NGOs in charge of considering applications for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) or requests for reclassification, recommended ASSOAL for special consultative status.
With this new status, granted as well to eight other organizations from all over the world, the Cameroonian organization for development hopes to give more strength and visibility to its advocacy actions.
The other NGOs granted consultative status are: Association des Badinga du Congo (ABADIC); Benin Rural Assistance; International Institute for The Development of Citizenship (IIDAC); Centre National d’Information sur les droits des Femmes et des Familles (CNIDFF); FARIMA Women’s Network; Fédération Européenne des Centres de Recherche et d’Information sur le Sectarisme (FECRIS); Femmes Autochtones du Québec and International Women Judges Foundation.
On the other hand, the same Committee decided to close without prejudice its consideration of the application of the two NGOs: Coordination internationale pour la Décennie and Confederation of Organisations in Road Transport Enforcement. And to defer its consideration of the application of the NGOs: Environmental Rights Action/Friends of The Earth Nigeria, and Amici dei Bambini (Children’s Friends Association).
The consultative status is divided into three categories: general consultative status, special consultative status and the Roster.
- General consultative status is assigned to NGOs with broad interest in most Economic and Social Council activities. Those NGOs are thus authorized to submit written statements and petitions to the ECOSOC, and propose a list of issues to add to the Council and its subsidiary bodies ’s agenda.
- Special consultative status is assigned to NGOs with interest in special spheres of the Council activities. Those NGOs can also submit written statements and petitions.
- NGOs in the position to make useful but occasional contributions to the work of the Council or its subsidiary bodies within their competence, may be placed on the Roster. They may only submit written statements.
For further information about NGO participation in the work of the ECOSOC and the consultative status:
http://www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo/
