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This statement was compiled by the International Synergy Institute on behalf of an Ad Hoc
Committee of NGOs that participated in the the Open-Ended Working Group
4. The NGO unit and NGO services need to be strengthened . Steps that need to be taken
include:
a. Coordination of assorted NGO-related units
b. Enhancement of information and communication resources and capacity for NGO unit(s),
including cooperative arrangements with UN Information Centers and UNDP Resident
Representatives
c. New funding for strengthening NGO support services such as provided by the UN Non
Government Liaison Service
d. Resolve inadequacy of resources, space, etc in the NGO Resource Room, which should be
accessible to the handicapped, and should be relocated to the Secretariat building.
e. Increased use of innovative financial mechanisms to support capacity-building of NGOs
5. Meetings of the Council Committee on NGOs should be held more frequently
a. Applications procedures for consultative status should be simplified and clarified.
b. Innovations in the procedures, composition and decision-making of the Committee should be
considered
6. System-wide consistency and transparency of procedures is needed
a. Conferences
b. Functional Commissions of ECOSOC
c. Regional Economic and Social Commissions
d. NGO access should be extended to various United Nations bodies, including the General
Assembly and its Committees and the Security Council
e. Support strengthened NGO access to World Bank, Regional Development Banks,
International Monetary Fund, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade / World Trade
Organization
7. New modalities for consultation should be encouraged, including procedures by which input
from such consultations can be incorporated into official proceedings. Among modalities that
should be considered are:
a. Expand and formalize NGO Plenary Forums and Government-NGO dialogues
b. Panel discussions and expert testimony.
c. Regional, sub-regional and national hearings
8. Intersessional work re the Open-ended Working Group .
a. There should be widespread, systematic dissemination of information on the NGO Review
process, including dissemination of the Secretary-General's report, and the report and
Chairman's summary of these meetings.
b. All NGOs with consultative and/or participatory relationships with UN, including ECOSOC,
CSD, Conferences, Agencies, and Regional Commissions, should be contacted.
c. There is need for a survey of needs and problems of NGOs -- particularly in developing
countries and countries in transition -- concerning the consultative process.
d. The Working Group is encouraged to sponsor and/or support intersessional initiatives --
including conferences, seminars, informal hearings, etc.
e. There is a need for an NGO conference on consultation, cooperation and coordination issues.