Controversial Issues in the NGO Committee Research Paper

Controversial Issues in the NGO Committee - Research Paper Example NGOs otherwise known as non-governmental organizations or civil society organizations have been in existent for a long time. As a result, their needs have received recognition by intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations. Therefore, they have been consulted since the inception of the United Nations under its original name, League of Nations, their consultative status got inclusion in the United Nations charter under the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Moreover, the goal of this council was to consult with non-governmental, organizations on matters that concerned them creating an opportunity for the consultative status of NGOs. There are numerous NGOs with the consultative status at present demarcating high placement status of NGO . However, controversy has rocked the placement of NGOs into this bracket of consultancy owing to the fact that the NGOs apply to be included in the consulting committees. The first significant controversial issue is the importance attached to NGOs due to their integration across the board in almost the entire United Nations system. This is owing to the fact that the UN is becoming highly dependent on NGOs to conduct field services and implement the resolutions that the UN passes. Despite the benefits it poses, this dependence shows the unbecoming nature of the UN in delegating responsibilities. The other issue concerning consultancy status is the impact that NGOs have on political outcomes.3 This is because for NGOs to advance that which they stand for, they require access to influential figures such as state delegates who hold the power to advance their objectives. Therefore, granting access to these influential leaders affects policymaking. Still, on consultancy, political interests influence the NGOs selected to have the status, sometimes. This is because the Committee on NGOs makes recommendation on which NGOs should take up a position, but the fi nal decision is made by the ECOSOC. This brings up controversy due to the criteria used in making the final decision, based on either merit or political interests. For example, some members of ECOSOC have successfully stopped the approval of NGOs that have beliefs that go against the stances of the countries as seen in the cases of China and Cuba against the NGO, A Woman’s Voice International.4 In addition, there is the issue of separatism that is plied on some NGOs owing to political interests of some countries. Such include the Kurdish Human Rights Project that was branded as a separatist movement that did not stand for the needs of the people but instead was a political movement.5 In the application, the NGO withdrew owing to the fact that some members hold such prejudices and thus do not grant fair hearings in the application of consultancy status. Moreover, some NGOs raise controversy by going against the UN charter that allows them to be in the consultancy position they enjoy. This is by questioning the sovereignty of some nations or having ulterior motives concerning their application for the consultancy status. However, some nations bear the punishment of going against the UN charter in spite of not violating the rules that put them in the consultative position just as seen in the case of the Kurdish Human Rights Project.6 This means that most of the controversy found in the NGO committee is largely