Substantive NGO Committees in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Other Regions

INQUIRIES ABOUT NGO COMMITTEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE COMMITTEE’S CHAIR (OR CO-CHAIR, PRESIDENT, CO-PRESIDENT), AND/OR TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS OF THE COMMITTEE, IF PROVIDED NEXT TO THE NAME OF THE COMMITTEE. A COMMITTEE MEMBER MAY REQUEST THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS UNLISTED BY EMAILING president@ngocongo.org.

(Ver. 16 September 2022)

SUBSTANTIVE NGO COMMITTEES IN NEW YORK

(See guidelines about NGO Committees here.)

NGO Committee on Ageing | ngocoa-ny.org

Executive Committee (2021-2023)
Chair: Cynthia Stuen | International Federation on Ageing | Cynthia.stuen@gmail.com
Vice Chair: Frances Zainoeddin | Soroptimist International | fzainoeddin@msn.com
Corresponding Secretary: Maud Bruce-About | International Federation of Associations of the Elderly | msabout@aol.com
Recording Secretary: Sandra Timmermann | International Federation on Ageing | Sandratimmermann1@gmail.com
Treasurer: Katherine (Katie) Weiss | International Association of Homes and Services for the Aged | k@gort.net

Members-at-Large:
Robin Fenley
Christopher Hanway | International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers (IFSNC) | chanway@riissettlement.org
Magda Kaczmarska
Frederic Schroeder
William T. Smith | International Association of Homes and Services for the Aged | wtsmith@aginginamerica.org

The NGO Committee on Ageing, NY, works to raise world awareness of the opportunities and challenges of global ageing. The Committee advocates within the United Nations community to further integrate ageing in UN policies and programs and encourage member states to include ageing needs in social and economic policy considerations. The goal of the Committee is to further the United Nations mission of building a society for all ages.

NGO Committee on Children’s Rights

Co-Chair: Margaretha Jones | International Humanist and Ethical Union | marjones@nyc.rr.com
Co-Chair: Therese Folkes Plair | tfpisc@hotmail.com

Background: The NGO Committee on Children’s Rights was first established as the Working Group on the Rights of the Child of the NGO Committee on UNICEF, a few years prior to the adoption of the CRC by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, to promote information sharing and advocacy for the adoption of the Convention. Following the unanimous adoption of the CRC, the Working Group focused attention on its ratification at the national level and later, with near universal ratification of the Convention, shifted its work to educating about the Convention and promoting its implementation. During the 1990s, active members of the Working Group developed other, more specialized working groups (Children in Armed Conflict, Education, and Girls), to focus on these emerging challenges within the NGO Committee on UNICEF.

On June 3, 2003, the Working Group broadened its work within the UN system by becoming a committee of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations affiliated with the United Nations: the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights. Our monthly meetings involve sharing information and ideas on children’s rights issues, briefings by UNICEF staff and other experts, and planning projects and activities intended to promote awareness, understanding and applications of the Convention and its Optional Protocols. Over the years, the Committee has hosted panels for the annual NGO/DPI Conferences, organized side events and prepared written statements for advocacy at the various UN commissions, held conferences and symposia in collaboration with UNICEF, other UN agencies, missions and NGO Committees, organized youth fora, and prepared publications on various aspects of the dissemination and implementation of the CRC.

Core Values:

- Commitment to implementing principles of human rights and social justice as the foundation of human development in childhood.
- Campaign to ensure that the rights of all children everywhere are fully realized by using the CRC and its optional protocols.
- Putting children’s rights at the center of sustainable development.
- Promoting rights-based practices of non-discrimination, the best interests of children, children’s rights to survival, protection, development, and participation.

NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security | ngocdps.wordpress.com

President: Bruce Knotts | Unitarian Universalist Association | bknotts@uua.org
Vice President: Elizabeth Begley | Pax Christi International | paxchristiunny@gmail.com
Recording Secretary: Position Vacant
Corresponding Secretary: Nancy Colton | Fivar@aol.com
Treasurer: Masamichi Kamiya | masamichi.kamiya@gmail.com
Program Coordinator: Guy Quinlan | gcquinlan@aol.com
Publications Coordinator: Elizabeth Begley | Pax Christi International | paxchristiunny@gmail.com
Internship Coordinator: Hiroyuki Sakurai Soka Gakkai International | hiro.sakurai@sgi-ouna.org

The NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security facilitates the participation of NGOs in formal disarmament meetings at the UN, such as the General Assembly First Committee debates and review meetings and prepcoms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This is a central function of the NGO Committee, as a main liaison between the NGO community and the UN Secretariat, and active partner of both. The Committee assists the UN Secretariat with NGO accreditation, conducts orientation and citizen diplomacy training, organizes briefings with key delegates and journalists, and arranges NGO presentations and special events within and outside the UN. We also advocate for a broader NGO role in the UN system. No one can doubt the importance of the formal participation of civil society in disarmament negotiations: witness NGOs’ precedent-setting role in obtaining a convention banning anti-personnel land mines.

History: The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security was created as the NGO Committee on Disarmament in 1973 by Homer Jack when he was secretary-general of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP). In writing about its establishment he said: “For many years NGOs within the ECOSOC framework have come together under CoNGO—the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Status with ECOSOC. However, only gradually did NGOs working in the field of disarmament associate with CoNGO. To focus and magnify the impact of the small number of international NGOs on disarmament discussions and negotiations in Geneva the Special NGO Committee on Disarmament was established there by CoNGO in 1969. Duncan Wood, head of the Quaker UN Office in Geneva, was one of its longtime leaders; another was Sean MacBride of the International Peace Bureau. As WCRP’s secretary-general, I dealt with this Geneva committee and soon realized the need to bring together a similar group at U.N. headquarters in New York. In June, 1973, commenced the first meeting of what became the NGO Committee on Disarmament.”

NGOCDPS Today: For more than thirty years, the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security has provided services and facilities to hundreds of citizens’ groups concerned with the peace and disarmament activities of the United Nations. Because of its distinguished efforts as conference organizer, network clearing house, newspaper publisher, and year-round UN liaison, the NGO Committee is viewed as a primary ally of the international movement for arms control, peace and disarmament, and the continuing body designated to serve this worldwide constituency. The Committee has a crucial and expanding responsibility to inform NGOs worldwide of the status of negotiations, country positions, major obstacles and opportunities, and to help NGOs transmit their expertise and creative proposals to the appropriate decision-making fora. This website can be your first stop for access to current UN issues on disarmament, peace, and security.

New York NGO Committee on Drugs | nyngoc.org/

Officers:

The New York NGO Committee on Drugs (NYNGOC) provides a platform for discussion of drugs and drug related subjects and interfaces with the United Nations (UN) to collaborate on solutions to global drug issues. It is a global committee that aims to support civil society organizations in engaging with the UN system on international drug policy and practice, facilitating the exchange of information between civil society organizations and UN agencies, member states, and other relevant UN bodies. The NYNGOC represents more than 90 civil society organizations from across the globe. NYNGOC collaborates with other NGO organizations, especially the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC) and the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, to ensure a strong NGO voice in UN processes, recently, the 2016 UNGASS on Drugs and currently the 2019 High Level Ministerial Segment (HLMS). The NYNGOC operates under the umbrella of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO).

NGO Committee on Education, Learning and Literacy | Facebook

This committee is the successor of the former NGO Committee on Education. It was reconstituted between April 2016, and fully functional as a reconstituted committee in April 2017, with a new set of officers elected. The reconstituted committee highlights three foci of work which are also now reflected in its new name: 1) Education for global citizenship (engaging the multilateral system and impacting policy and issue formulation and action), 2) Learning for civic engagement (training and forming effective, relevant and accountable NGO and CSO leaders), and 3) Literacy for empowerment (harnessing language, information and technology for empowered NGO/CSO leadership). Because education is a crosscutting issue, the challenge of the committee is to participate in a substantive way in UN meetings and areas of work. Our committee continues to seek ways to work more closely with other CoNGO Committees with respect to their education work, and to participate in UN Commissions and other meetings. It is incumbent on the committee to relate to UNESCO and to serve as a conduit with CoNGO in its partnership with the International Telecommunications Union with respect to the implementation of the actions taken at the World Summit on Information Society. The newly added focus on learning gives primacy to the formation and training of CoNGO leaders and members in areas of good governance in the context of civil society work in multilateral settings.

NGO Committee on the Family | ngofamilyny.org

The family is the basic building block of society. The mission of the UN NGO Committee on the Family – New York is to ensure its preservation and well-being. To fulfill this mission we:
• Advocate for the inclusion of the family within the UN system.
• Work to ensure member states commit to the betterment of families through policy, legislation, and programs.
• Engage in lobbying for the inclusion of the family in international resolutions and policies.
• Promote intergenerational ties.
• Maintain relationships with the UN Division of Social Policy and Development and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
• Educate the public on international issues and policies affecting the well-being of families.

NGO Committee on Financing for Development | ngosonffd.org

Chair: Anita Thomas, Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund | ngosonffd@gmail.com
Vice-Chair: Thomas Pallithanam | Salesian Missions Inc.
Secretary: Joe Klock | New Humanity
Treasurer: Marvie Misolas | Maryknoll Sisters

Member-at-Large: Cynthia Annamma Mathew | Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Member-at-Large:

The NGO Committee on Financing for Development supports the goal to “end poverty and hunger and to achieve sustainable development in its three dimensions through promoting inclusive economic growth, protecting the environment, and promoting social inclusion,” as outlined in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Monterrey Consensus. The Committee offers a venue for both new and established NGOs to learn, discuss, and contribute to the plans, activities and initiatives of the UN Financing for Sustainable Development Office to further the commitments of the Monterrey Consensus, the Doha Declaration, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. The Committee reviews the work of ECOSOC and various United Nations Commissions from the perspective of integrating issues related to Financing for Development into the work of these bodies.

NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief | unforb.org | unforb@gmail.com

The NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief was formed in 1991 to promote and defend international agreements protecting freedom of religion or belief from within the United Nations headquarters in New York City. The Committee, which consists of civil society leaders, advances freedom of religion or belief by coordinating NGO activities that reinforce UN efficacy in protecting the rights of freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief; communicating with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, other relevant UN Offices, and UN member states; and working with concerned NGOs in Geneva.

NGO Committee on HIV/AIDS | ngocom.hiv.aids@gmail.com

Chair:
Vice Chair: Beatrice Krauss | bkrauss@hunter.cuny.edu

The Committee addresses the policy discussions related to the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the UN system by advocating for global action related to the epidemic; by strengthening and supporting an expanded response for the prevention of transmission of HIV, the provision of care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV/AIDS including societal stigma associated with the disease; and alleviating the impact of the epidemic. The Committee facilitates an integrated approach to the work of non-governmental organizations and supplements the activities of other NGO Committees at the UN working cooperatively with them, and augments the role of NGOs in policy formulation relating to combating HIV/AIDS. The CoNGO Committee on HIV/AIDs is working with Government representatives in Least Developed Countries to provide low cost antiretroviral medicine, working with representatives from UNAIDs and civil society.

NGO Committee on Human Rights

The purpose of the NGO Committee on Human Rights is to encourage the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the United Nations Charter. This is accomplished by:

Encouraging UN bodies and agencies to include human rights frameworks in their planning and social policy considerations.
Acting as a forum which receives and shares information on human rights norms and standards.
Cooperating with UN departments, bodies, organizations and agencies to raise public awareness in order to promote, protect and defend human rights.

NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity

Executive Committee
Chair: Rosa Perla Resnick | rositaresnick@yahoo.com
Vice Chair: Susanne Seperson | Generations United | susanneseperson@gmail.com
Secretary: Tiana Toumayan Smilow | Armenian International Women’s Association | ttsmilow@me.com
Treasurer: Kevin Brabazon | Generations United | kevin.brabazon@stern.nyu.edu
Members-at-Large:
Kathy Kline | International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse | kklineco@aol.com
Maria Grazia Zagami | New Humanity | mariagrazia.zagami@gmail.com
Alejandro Bonilla Garcia | Association of Former International Civil Servants for Development (Greycells) | bonilla@actuarial-i.com

The NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity (COIGENS) was formed in New York and approved at the 2018 General Assembly of CoNGO. It formally began as the Sub-Committee on Intergenerational Relationships of the NGO Committee on Ageing in 2000. The IGR Sub-Committee’s interest in intergenerational issues began in the 1990s. It was further inspired by the recommendation from the Second World Assembly on Ageing which developed the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, entitled, “Intergenerational Solidarity” (#42, 43, 44), (April 2002, UN). Given the growing importance and urgency of intergenerational issues as global ageing accelerates, and in light of the UN’s growing commitment to intergenerational issues, after 18 years of presenting well-received programmes and writing annual programme reports to extend the reach of these events, the Sub-Committee sought approval for the creation of a Substantive Committee focused on Intergenerational Solidarity following the principles of Article 3 of the United Nations’ International Bill of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person” and applicable Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined in the 2030 Agenda including health, education, gender equality, work, urbanization, and peace.

Mission Statement: The mission of the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity is to enjoin NGOs to promote solidarity between generations in families, communities and nations for the achievement of a society for all ages through education and advocacy of policies affecting economic, social, and political participation and well-being in accordance with the principles of the UN by working with UN member states, the UN Secretariat and the wider civil society. The Committee will seek consultation, collaboration and cooperation with other NGO Substantive Committees and like-minded organizations

_____________________________________________________________________________________________NGO Committee on Language and Languages

Multilingualism is a founding principle of the United Nations. Matters of language and relationships between different languages and their users touch all aspects of the work of the UN, internally and externally. Moreover, both the United Nations Charter (Article 1) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 2) affirm the right to non-discrimination based on language. The NGO Committee on Language and Languages promotes understanding of the importance of language, linguistic justice, and linguistic non-discrimination through enhanced NGO relations with, inter alia, the Office of the Coordinator for Multilingualism, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Department of Global Communications, UNESCO, the International Telecommunications Union, other relevant UN Offices, and UN member states; and through improved communications among concerned NGOs in New York, Geneva, Vienna and other UN centres around the world. The Committee coordinates NGO activities so as to reinforce the efficacy of the UN system in the areas of language rights, language policies, and language practices, and to stress the importance of the linguistic dimension of all UN activities and programmes.

NGO Committee on Mental Health | ngomentalhealth.org | unngocmh@gmail.com

Chairperson: Holly Shaw | International Council of Nurses (ICN) | drhollykshaw@gmail.com
Vice-Chairperson: Elaine Congress | International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) | congress@fordham.edu
Recording Secretary: Nina Urban | American Psychiatric Association, Global Bioethics Initiative | nina.urban09@gmail.com
Corresponding Secretary: Felix Torres | American Psychiatric Association | felixtorresmd@gmail.com
Treasurer: M. Victoria Espada | Dianova International | mariavictoria.espada@dianova.ngo

Members-at-Large:
Karen Hopenwasser | International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) | khopenwasser@gmail.com
Siva Mathiyazhagan | Trust for Youth and Child Leadership | dr.siva@tycl.org.in
Rachel Ravich | Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues | rr2295@gmail.com
Ex-officio member: Immediate Past Chairperson, Vivian B. Pender | International Psychoanalytical Association | vp52@cumc.columbia.edu

The NGO Committee on Mental Health, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 1996 under the auspices of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO). The creation of this Committee has fostered a strong collaboration between NGOs that has strengthened the efforts to bring understanding and appreciation of Mental Health issues to the global agenda at the United Nations. It is a coalition of NGOs in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the Department of Public Information, and the private and academic sectors. The primary mission of the Committee is the promotion of psychosocial well-being, the improvement of mental health care services, and advocacy and education in the prevention of mental illness. The Committee works with the United Nations, and its specialized agencies, to ensure the inclusion of mental health issues within a broader context of concerns such as vulnerable populations, human rights, poverty, violence, the environment, peace and well-being.

NGO Committee on Migration | ngo-migration.org

Chair: Christopher Hanway | International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers | chanway@riissettlement.org
Vice – Chair: Cecilie Kern | Mercy International Association | mgaassociate@mercyinternational.ie
Past Chair: Maria Pia Belloni-Mignatti | World Organization for Early Childhood Education | mpbelloni@hotmail.com
Chair Emerita: Eva Sandis | International Council of Psychologists | sandis@fordham.edu
Secretary: Michelle Bell | American Psychological Association | bellpsyd@gmail.com
Treasurer: Joseph Klock | New Humanity | joe.klock@new-humanity.org

The mandate of the NGO Committee on Migration, which serves as an umbrella organization for more than fifty-five NGOs, most with branches worldwide, is the promotion and protection of the human rights of refugees, migrants and their families, in accordance with the United Nations Charter. Our NGO Committee was formed following significant NGO contribution to the preparations for the High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development at the United Nations in September 2006.

Since our founding we have been actively involved at the United Nations in preparations for and participation in all Civil Society events concerning migration. The Committee has worked closely with the President of the General Assembly, Member States and members of the Global Migration Group, especially IOM, DESA, UNICEF and UN Women, as well as with UNHCR and other entities, making presentations, writing reports and critiques, tendering suggestions and advocating for specific ideas and positions.

We have worked closely with the Civil Society Self-Organizing group under the leadership of International Catholic Migration Commission to prepare and participate in such events as the High-Level Dialogue of 2013, all meetings of the GFMD since 2007, as well as the 19 September 2016 United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants, and we have given input into the development and monitoring of the SDGs. We are working with relevant agencies of the UN to develop the Global Compacts on refugees and on safe, orderly and regular migration. Finally, we rely on the grassroots activities of our constituent organizations for information and action on the ground in our endeavors to advance the human rights of all refugees and migrants.

Presently, there are four subcommittees on which members serve: Follow-up to the New York Declaration; Climate-Induced Displacement; Xenophobia and Social Inclusion; Migrant and Refugee Children’s Issues.

We meet on the second Thursday of each month unless otherwise noted, and we accept interns from various universities in our learning programs. To become a member of our Committee, join our mailing list, or review our activities and related documents: Visit our website: www.ngo-migration.com

Write to us: ngomigrationcommittee@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/@ngomigration
Like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ngomigrationcommittee

NGO Committee for Rare Diseases | ngocommitteerarediseases.org | Secretariat: contact@ngocommitteerarediseases.org

Other Board members:
Kawaldip Sehmi | International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations
Soon Young-Yoon | International Alliance of Women
Lieven Bauwens | International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
Alain Weill | World Federation of Hemophilia

The NGO Committee for Rare Diseases aims to bring greater political recognition of the challenges of persons living with a rare disease at the global level. As such, its goal is to promote rare diseases as a priority in global health, research, and social and medical care as part of the UN 2030 Agenda: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Committee works with the Member States and agencies of the United Nations to ensure the inclusion of the issues affecting persons living with a rare disease in broader debates related to strong public health, social development, inclusion of vulnerable populations, development in science, technology and innovation, and human rights for all. In doing so, it ensures that the UN fulfills its role as a key enabler for better lives for persons living with a rare disease, and that no one is left behind in the path towards sustainable development. The Committee has defined as a general objective to work towards the adoption of a UN General Assembly Resolution on Addressing Holistically the Challenges of People Living with a Rare Disease, which would be a remarkable step ahead towards global recognition and actions towards the improvement of their overall life conditions.

The NGO Committee for Rare Diseases was initiated in 2014 by the Ågrenska Foundation and EURORDIS – Rare Diseases Europe and its inception meeting as a Substantive Committee within CoNGO took place in October 2015 in New York. The formal inauguration of the Committee took place on the 11 November 2016 at the UN headquarters in New York, in cooperation with Rare Diseases International. Since then, the Committee has organized different side-events and policy events, participated in a number of UN conference, and responded to relevant consultations of the different UN bodies and agencies. It will continue to do so, as well as expanding its membership in order to promote multi-stakeholder collaboration and actions for rare diseases within the UN system.

Clara Hervas, Public Affairs Manager, EURORDIS
Policy Coordinator, NGO Committee for Rare Diseases
Eurordis (Brussels Office) – European Organisation for Rare Diseases – 11 rue d’Egmont, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Phone: +32 2 274 06 10

More information: eurordis.org Follow us: Facebook | Twitter

NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples | https://bit.ly/2I3kRBd | Email:indigenous.committee@gmail.com).

The NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples includes Indigenous Peoples, representatives of International Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). The NGO Committee began its work on October 16, 1991, seeking to strengthen the effectiveness of the United Nations with regard to the 1993 United Nations International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. On December 8, 1994, the United Nations General Assembly launched the International Decade, and the NGO Committee transferred its mandate from the International Year to supporting the International Decade (1995-2004). The mission of this Committee is to: Support the Decade’s Program of Activities (A/Res/50/157), including the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (August 9); Promote the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the support the recently established Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; Educate the international community about the concerns and issues facing Indigenous Peoples; Disseminate information about the Decade to Indigenous Peoples and relevant NGOs. The NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples meets once a month in New York City and invites your participation.

NGO Committee on Social Development | ngosocdev.org | Brochure | Strategic Planning 2020-2021

Co-Chair: Maria Fornella-Oehninger | Soroptimist International | ngocsocdchair@gmail.com
Co-Chair: Monica Jahangir-Chowdhury | International Movement ATD Fourth World | monica.jahangir@atd-quartmonde.org
Vice Chair: Gillian D’Souza-Nazareth | Red Dot Foundation
Treasurer: Cynthia (Annamma) Mathew | Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary-Loreto | cynthiamathewun@gmail.com
Recording and Communications Secretary: Durstyne Farnan, OP | Dominican Leadership Conference | ngo@domlife.org
Members at large:
Mary Ann Dantuono | International Association of Charities | madantuono@gmail.com
Despoina Afrodita Milaki | International Presentation Association | ipa.ngo.rep@gmail.com
Margaret O’Dwyer | Company of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul

The NGO Committee for Social Development is dedicated to raising awareness and holding discussions on social development issues taken up by the United Nations (UN) System and in particular by the UN Commission for Social Development. The Committee also advocates on social development issues in other forums such as the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, Commission on the Status of Women, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and General Assembly. Committee members keep one another informed and deliver group statements to the UN voicing ideas and positions on key social development issues. In addition, the Committee is focused on reviewing the outcome of the World Summit on Social Development.

NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns | csvgc-ny.org | History.

Chair: Cathy Towle | International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges (IAAI) | cathytowle@mindspring.com
Treasurer: Roger Ross | United Religions Initiative | rabbirogerross@gmail.com
Chair Emerita: Genie Kagawa | Universal Peace Federation | geniekagawa@yahoo.com
Recording/Corresponding Secretary: Cynthia Sibuya | Women’s Federation for World Peace | cynthiashibuya@hotmail.com | c.shibuya@wfwp.org

Executive Council Members: Elaine Shao
John Digilio | Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (OSMTH) | bgjohndigilio@aol.com
Founder and Chair Emeritus: Diane Williams | Tribal Link
Chair Emeritus: Audrey Kitagawa
Chair Emeritus: Sharon Hamilton-Getz
Chair Emeritus: Genie Kagawa | Universal Peace Federation (Ex-Officio)
Chair Emeritus: Ken Kitatani | Sukyo Mahikari Center for Spiritual Development | kitatani.nyc@gmail.com

The NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns (NY) envisions a global culture of peace based on justice, solidarity, inclusiveness, shared responsibility, harmony, cooperation, compassion, love, wisdom, goodwill and reverence for the sacredness of all life through active peaceful engagement. Infused with a foundation of spirituality and values which are universal in nature, transcending the boundaries of religion, ethnicity, gender and geography, the Committee is resolved to help bring about a culture in which we, the peoples of the world, can address together our common global concerns in a positive, holistic and transforming way and live together in peace with one another, thus realizing the core objectives and universal principles stated in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Committee aims to integrate spirituality and values into all areas of the United Nations agenda and of public policy. We aspire to support the spiritual principles, global ethics and universal values such as respect, justice, peace, dignity, freedom, responsibility and cooperation, that underlie the work of the United Nations. In order to fulfill the promise of the United Nations to create a more peaceful, just and sustainable world, we support the recognition and acceptance that spirituality and adherence to universal values are key factors in providing solutions to global concerns. This committee recognizes the importance of connecting with our divine essence, inner wisdom and the oneness of life. We believe that an increased awareness and application of the importance of a value, spirit and soul conscious dimension at all levels of society particularly at the United Nations will allow for the finest and the highest levels of human potential to flourish for the benefit of all.

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NGO Committee on Status of Women—New York | info@ngocsw.org | Twitter: @NGO_CSW_NY

The NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY (NGO CSW/NY) supports the work of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and UN Women. By playing an active role in the UN Community, NGO CSW/NY advocates for women’s rights and the advancement of women and girls worldwide. In its work with the NGO Committees on the Status of Women in Geneva and Vienna, NGO CSW/NY supports the Beijing Platform for Action, UN Security Resolution 1325, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Members of NGO CSW/NY represent approximately 100 organizations that monitor and actively participate in the daily UN events in New York. Every year NGO CSW/NY organizes the NGO Consultation Day in preparation for the UN Commission on the Status of Women sessions that take place in February/March. In bringing together activists from around the world for two weeks at the United Nations, NGO CSW/NY enables members to network, share strategies and best practices, and lobby governments to implement resolutions and treaties they have signed. NGO CSW/NY brings NGO Representatives together to caucus, issue joint statements, and provide wording for the Agreed Conclusions of the annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

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NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY | ngocsd-ny.org | Facebook | Twitter: @NGOCSDN | ngocsdunc@gmail.com

NGOCSD-NY Executive Board

President & Chair: Margo LaZaro | Huairou Commission, Global Family & Youth for a Better World/Montessori MUN | margolazaro@gmail.com
Vice Chair: Emilie McGlone | Director of Peace Boat-US, New York Office
Vice Chair: Dr. Andrise Bass | President & Founder of Humanitarian Focus Foundation & Vice President of ASPAFrique
Secretary: Yamile Eusebio | Director of Global Foundation for Democracy & Development
Treasurer: Dr. Martha Kebalo | World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations
Corresponding Secretary: Victoria Edmonds | Salvation Army | victoria_edmonds@salvationarmy.org

Members:
Laurence Singer, Esq. | Global Family for Love and Peace
Dr. Padmini (Mini) Murthy, Professor and Global Health Director at New York Medical College | minimurthy@aol.com
Michael Jacobson | Chair of Youth for a Better World: Montessori Model UN | Youth Impact! Forum
Sheima Sweiss | Global Family
Amanda Nesheiwat | Foundation for Post Conflict Development
Dr. Gbujie Daniel Chidubem | African Trade Center & Founder of Team54Project International
Mary Ann Tarantula | Zonta International
Bruce Knotts, Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office | bknotts@uua.org
Chair Ex-Officio: Ms. Iryna Kurowyckyj | International Council of Women | irynak@aol.com
Funmi Ogunbufunmi | NGOCSD-NY Youth Representative

The purpose of the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY is to monitor and influence the implementation of the commitments and agreements adopted by the United Nations that pertain to sustainable development as defined by the UN Conference on Environment and Development, the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the MDGs, the SDGs, Rio+20 and Post-2015 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Agenda. We seek to be knowledgeable about sustainable development issues under discussion or expected to be discussed by the United Nations for the High-Level Political Forum. We focus attention and promote the programs of the United Nations on 17 Sustainable Development Goals for the success of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, working closely with relevant UN commission and agencies such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Centre for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat), UNDP, UNDESA, UN Women, UNFPA, UNDGC (formerly UNDPI) and UNODA. We promote and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and the dissemination of information on sustainable development issues within the NGO community and to the general public to raise awareness toward an action agenda. We work with Ambassadors and Permanent Missions to the United Nations, members of civil society, academia, women, youth, people with disabilities, indigenous leaders, members of the private sector and sustainable development experts in energy, water, climate change, and infrastructure to bring about partnerships and collaborations that foster innovative solutions for sustainable development, social impact initiatives and gender equality issues. Our NGOCSD-NY Motto is: “Turn Your Passions into Actions for Change.” The NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY is officially Associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications. We are a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible.

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NGO Committee on Sustainable Human Settlements | ngochs.org

This NGO Committee is undergoing reconstitution. Please email the CoNGO President (president@ngocongo.org) if you are interested in joining this substantive committee.

This is the current objective of the committee; it will be revised once 20 NGOs with ECOSOC consultative status have signed up to reconstitute the committee.

Our objective is to monitor collectively, and through our respective organizations, the implementation of commitments set forth in the Habitat Agenda of the Conference on Human Settlements; Agenda 21 of the Conference on the Environment and Development and relevant elements from plans of action or other United Nations conferences—especially the World Urban Forum—that promote the provision of adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world,. Our interests include the development of proposals and recommendations of strategies that support the effective participation of all citizens in cooperative ventures to create and maintain sustainable communities and healthy livelihoods, especially in light of the UN Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. To this end, we aim to organize events in cooperation with the UN Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and other relevant organizations. We undertake to be informed about major issues that affect human settlements, to integrate with the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and others involved in our committee’s activities. Through local and worldwide outreach and access, we shall facilitate the exchange of knowledge and dissemination of information in the field of human settlements.

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The NGO Alliance on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice | cpcjalliance.org | Facebook

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SUBSTANTIVE NGO COMMITTEES IN GENEVA

Executive Committee:

Chair: Kelly G. Fitzgerald | International Federation on Ageing (IFA) kellyfitzgerald@hotmail.com
Vice Chair: Ann Lindsay | World Federation for Mental Health | WFMH
Past Chair: Silvia Perel-Levin | International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) | The International Longevity Centre Global Alliance (ILC GA)
Treasurer: Valerie Bichelmeier | Make Mothers Matter | MMM | valerieb@makemothersmatter.org
Co-Secretary: Liat Ayalon | International Psychogeriatric Association
Co-Secretary: Kimberly Stoeckel
Webmaster: Kala Madhav

The overall goals and objectives of the Committee are:

To further the United Nations’ mission of building a society for all ages;
To raise awareness of ageing and intergenerational issues and ensure that they are adequately addressed by the UN System;
To advocate for a new convention on the rights of older persons; and
To influence global policy and monitor the implementation of existing commitments.

The Committee strives to attain its objectives by:

Strengthening relationships with NGOs and by providing a platform for strategy development;
Bringing diverse voices from local and national levels to international platforms;
Drawing on the experience of Committee members to share analyses on trends, needs and good practices; and
Maintaining regular communication with the Vienna and New York UN NGO Committees on Ageing and with the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWG).

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NGO Committee on Development

Co-Chair: Jan Lönn | International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations (ISMUN) | jan.lonn@abc.se

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NGO Committee on Disarmament

Chair: Hayley Ramsay-Jones | Soka Gakkai International | hayley.rj@sgi-ouna.org

The NGO Committee for Disarmament facilitates and supports coordination and cooperation between civil society, NGOs, and the UN on peace and disarmament initiatives. For a very long time, the NGO Committee for Disarmament has played a crucial and expanding role in raising awareness in civil society and among NGOs worldwide on the status of negotiations, country positions, major obstacles and opportunities, and has helped NGOs transmit their expertise and creative proposals to appropriate decision-making fora.

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NGO Sub-Committee on Freedom of Religion and Belief (Relates to the NGO Committee on Human Rights)

Chair: Diane Ala’i | Baha’I International Community | geneva@bic.org

The NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief (Geneva) acts as a sub-committee of the NGO Committee on Human Rights and aims to promote the fundamental freedom of religion or belief by supporting and coordinating NGO activities to help uphold UN standards. In particular, the committee seeks to follow and support the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

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NGO Committee on Human Rights

The NGO Committee on Human Rights provides space for information exchange and collective reflection among its members, in particular in relation to the institution building process of the UN Human Rights Council. It also organises and co-sponsors information and orientation sessions during the sessions of the Council. It initiated the reflection on improving NGO information sharing and strategic collaboration on substantive issues, notably through promoting an online collaboration platform (www.ngoic.org).

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NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning (Reports to the NGO Committee on Human Rights)

Chair: Claire de Lavernette | International Organization for the Right to Education and Freedom of Education | OIDEL | cdlavernette@oidel.org.

Co-Chair: Elisa Gazzotti | Soka Gakkai International | elisa.g@sgi-ouna.org

The objective on the NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning is to ensure the participation of NGOs in the processes of global policy making on human rights education and learning in relation to the UN institutions, principally the UN Human Rights Council. The Working Group holds regular meetings for strategy-building and activity planning, organizes public meetings at the UN, delivers civil society views and proposals jointly by member NGOs, and consults and cooperates with the OHCHR and UN Member States and experts.

The NGO WG has a website: www.ngowghrel.wordpress.com and an open web resource: power-humanrights-education.org. It was set up in 2018, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to contribute to the goals of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, the website was developed by the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), HRE 2020, the NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning, and the Platform for Human Rights Education and Training with thanks to Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)., which gives you the link to the panels of the exhibition on HRE (2017) and other material developed to promote human rights education.

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NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva | ngocsw-geneva.ch/ | Email: secretariat@ngocsw-geneva.ch

President: Carolyn Handschin-Moser | Women’s Federation for World Peace, International | c.handschin@wfwp.org
Vice President: Carol McConkie | Latter Day Saint Charities | carolmcconkie@me.com
Treasurer: Wendi Momen | Widows’ Rights International
Acting Secretary – Srruthi Lekha | Women’s Federation for World Peace, International
Senior Advisor and Immediate Past-President: Stacy Dry Lara | Graduate Women International | sdl@graduatewomen.org
Parliamentarian and Advisor: Paula Daeppen | Biovision, FAWCO | paula@pdaeppen.com

Objectives and activities: The Committee and its Working Groups objective is to work in partnership with the UN and its specialised agencies to influence governments to respect the commitments they have made at world conferences and through international conventions and principles, and to maintain a global momentum for mainstreaming gender equality. Through its Working Groups, the Committee shares information and provides a platform where women and men come together to show how society benefits from women’s equal access and opportunities to participate in policy and decision making; to help women build their confidence in order to gain in advancing their status. Some of the significant activities of the Committee over the last decades have included: setting up workshops and panels at the NGO Forum in Huairou China prior to and during the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995; convened a panel of UN interagency focal points to evaluate implementation of Beijing Platform for Action in 1996; organized with CoNGO several panels within the theme Gender Equality at the Seoul International Conference of NGOs in Korea in 1999; organized jointly with the ECE Women’s Working Group the European preparatory regional meeting to Beijing Plus Five in January 2000 and collaborated with ECE governmental delegates in drafting the agreed conclusions; collaborated with its Working Groups to organize several panel meetings during the UN Special Session in Geneva in June 2000, on the Follow-up to the Copenhagen Summit on Social Development in 1995; organized jointly with the World Bank a presentation of its Gender Equality and Development programme; organized panels at the UNCTAD Third Conference on Least Developed Countries in Bruxelles in May 2000. Since 1997, the Committee has organized Gender/Women caucuses and panels during the Human Rights Council (and before the Commission on Human Rights) as well as facilitated other gender equality meetings during important UN conferences. Reports on these activities have been published.

History: Initially a CoNGO working group on the status of women, the NGO CSW Geneva was formally created in 1973 to prepare for the First World Conference on Women. Since then, it has become a strategic body for international advocacy towards the promotion of women’s rights to sustainable development, gender equality and their empowerment.

The Committee has been a significant contributor to the First World Conference of Women and to the succeeding Women’s world conferences. It helped draft the Programmes and Platforms for Actions and the Vienna Declaration on Violence Against Women in 1994. It has also been an important partner of the Office of the High commissioner in integrating gender equality and women’s rights in the UN system. Through national affiliates of its member organizations, it has also been working very closely with local and national governments to advance the status of women and the girlchild in economic, social and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights.

A short summary of the establishment of a CoNGO substantive Committee devoted to the Status of Women.

In 1947, at the occasion of the creation of the ECOSOC Commission on Human Rights, it was first decided to integrate the question of gender in a working group, as it was the case for the Indigenous and tribal peoples. The proposition was ill received by Women’s organisations of all tendencies. Under the leadership of Eleanor Roosevelt and Adrienne Avril de Sainte Croix, French president of oldest Women NGO (ICW-CIF) a new Commission on Status of women was finally created, which nowadays still allow women’s affairs to benefit of a special instance!

At the same moment, International NGOs decided to unite their strength to form the Conference of International NGOs, CoNGO, with substantive committees.

Groups working on the Status of Women were then created in each UN Center in New York, Geneva and Vienna the years 1948-1949. It is the occasion to remind that, already during the time of the League of Nations, Women NGOs were often associated with the work of the Mains Committees.

During the following years, the three groups were often subject to attacks from tenants of different systems concerning the Status of Women. Those attacks have mostly aimed at keeping the so-called impure gender in its low status.

We are still unhappily living at a time when customary laws and also legislation aimed at keeping women at their place, i.e. under the control of men. Early marriages, land ownership, inheritance, healthcare and others are still under the supervision of male domination.

Therefore, the NGO CSW Geneva is still pursuing its main objective: equality of right between Women and Man.

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SUBSTANTIVE NGO COMMITTEES IN VIENNA

{Note: Here is an introduction to the role of civil society and NGOs at UN at Vienna written by the United Nations Information Service at Vienna. It includes a section on the following CoNGO Committees in Vienna.}

NGO Committee on Ageing Vienna | Contact: ageingvie@gmail.com | ngoageingvie.org

Board of Officers:

The Vienna NGO Committee on Ageing is a Substantive Committee at the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO). It is comprised of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) who address questions related to ageing and older persons. The Committee advocates on behalf of older persons’ rights before the UN Commissions, promotes further integration of ageing issues into UN policies and programmes and encourages Member States to include ageing needs and rights in their policies.

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*Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs^[1] | Web: http://vngoc.org/ | Facebook | Twitter

Chair: Jamie Bridge | International Drug Policy Consortium, United Kingdom | jbridge@idpc.net
Deputy Chairperson: Lucia Goberna | Dianova International, Switzerland | lucia.goberna@dianova.ngo
Treasurer: Orsi Feher | Students for Sensible Drug Policy, United States
Deputy Treasurer: Zoran Jelić | Stijena RESOC, Croatia
Secretary: Tania Ramirez | México Unido Contra la Delincuencia – MUCD, Mexico
Deputy Secretary: Penelope Hill | Harm Reduction Australia, Australia
Project Officer: Sarah Pirker | VNGOC, Austria | info@vngoc.org

The committee is a vital link between NGOs and the key intergovernmental and international agencies involved in drug policy, strategy and control: the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the International Narcotics Control Board and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Established in 1983, the Committee works with these organizations to provide information on NGO activities, draw attention to areas of concern, build partnerships between governmental and non-governmental organizations and to involve a wide sector of civil society in contributing to the development of global drug policies.

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NGO Committee on Family | viennafamilycommittee.org

Chairperson: Wolfgang Engelmaier M.A., Kolping International | contact@viennafamilycommittee.org Secretary: Dr. Peter Crowley, International Council of Psychologists
Treasurer: Alexandra Lugert M.A., European Union of Women.

Board Members:
Julia Birner, Families International,
Christin Kohler M.A., Families International,
Karin Kuzmanov B.A., Families International,
Oscar McConkie, Latter Day Saints Charities,
Isabella Nening M.A., Families International,
Franziska Reichel, Committee Coordinator,
United Nations Commission for Social Development,
Dr. Eleonora Reis Teixeira da Costa-Rossoll,
Federation of Catholic Family Associations,
Dr. Maria Riehl, Women’s Federation for World Peace International.

The Vienna NGO Committee on the Family was originally founded in 1985 as a platform for exchange of information on family issues with the support of the then United Nations Center for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, to offer coordination and facilitation and promotion of the activities of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) represented at the United Nations, who are interested in questions relating to families, and to convene meetings, and facilitate liaison with United Nations agencies, governments, other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), research institutions etc.

The Vienna NGO Committee on the Family has grown to understand itself as a bridge between families-oriented Civil Society Organisations, the United Nations, Member States of the United Nations, and their governments, and Academic Institutions. The Vienna Committee further offers knowledge resources, on issues relating to families, through the online networks set up and maintained by the Committee at: www.civilsocietynetworks.org and the online archive of the tenth anniversary of the United Nations International Year of the Family (IYF) in 2004 at: www.10yearsIYF.org as well as at www.20yearsIYF.org to observe IYF+20 in 2014. The online publication, by the Committee, of the Quarterly Bulletin Families International can be accessed and downloaded on the homepage of the Committee at: www.viennafamilycommittee.org

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NGO Committee on Peace in Vienna

The NGO Committee on Peace in Vienna has 32 member NGOs, which are practically all interested and active in the fields of disarmament, especially nuclear disarmament, peace keeping and peace building. About one third of our NGO members have a religious background, and about another third is related to NGOs focusing on women and their interests.

Goals and future plans: For the period 2018/2020, the Committee decided to focus on two issues: 1) Disarmament and especially nuclear disarmament, and global peace education and its promotion. Global peace education seems to be an urgent need, if not a necessity in our time. We want to hear experts about it, but also support its implementation. And we hope for the interest and support of CoNGO and many other Committees worldwide for it.

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NGO Committee on the Status of Women Vienna | ngocswvienna.org

The NGO Committee on the Status of Women Vienna, accredited at the United Nations Office in Vienna, was founded in 1982 and works on a voluntary basis on the national and international level. The committee is comprised of 30 international organizations with a focus on women’s issues. The Committee’s main purpose is to facilitate the activities of its member organizations in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women among member organizations and in relation to UN Women. It acts as a forum for the exchange of information and views on matters of common interest, and coordinates the drafting of joint statements to the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Its goals are to:

follow the work of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and the Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, including submission of statements, organization of events, and dissemination of related documents;
follow the work of the Vienna-based UN Commissions and Agencies including UNODC and UNIDO, submit statements to respective sessions, organize side events, and disseminate related documents;
disseminate information on the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Beijing Platform for Action, etc.

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NGO Committee on Sustainable Development—Vienna | ngocsdvienna.org/

The focus of the Committee is on the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development. It provides a forum for NGOs interested in discussing and analyzing the work of the UN intergovernmental bodies in the field of sustainable development, as well as the related activities of the Vienna-based UN organizations. It encourages new initiatives and seeks inputs into civil society’s contribution to Agenda 2030 of the United Nations, as well as to monitoring the progress towards achieving the goals and evaluating national reports.

The Committee interacts with the high-level political forum on sustainable development, the successor body to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, the Vienna-based UN organizations (UNOV, UNIDO, UNODC, IAEA and CTBTO) and the Vienna-based NGO Committees, as well as with other international organizations in Austria, such as IIAS, OSCE and SDG Watch. The Committee focuses on the potential for practical cooperation with the United Nations and other international organizations in areas it deems especially relevant, such as:

Agenda 2030 and the 17 SDG Goals and the interdependence between the goals;
Sustainability in the context of global economic expansion, with particular attention to: sustainability in the early stages of economic development, and sustainable technology at various stages of economic development;
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation;
Sustainable Urban Development;
Food security: provision of the necessary quantity and quality of food for all
Provision of sustainable energy for all;
Education for sustainability.

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SUBSTANTIVE NGO COMMITTEES IN THE REGIONS

NGO CSW/Africa	Women in Law and Development in Africa FEMNET	Kafui Kuwonu \| kafuik@hotmail.com FEMNET \| director@femnet.or.ke
NGO CSW/Asia and Pacific	APWW in Victoria, Australia, www.apww-slwngof.org Saathi in Nepal	Carole Shaw \| carole.shaw@gmail.com Bandana Rana \| bandanarana@gmail.com
NGO CSW/Latin America and Caribbean https://ngocswlac.org/ ngo.csw.lac@gmail.com	Fundacion para Estudio e Investigacion de la Mujer (FEIM) in Buenos Aires www.feim.org.ar Sistren Theatre Collective of Jamaica	President – Fundacion para Estudio e Investigación de la Mujer Co-Chair – Latin America & the Caribbean Committee NGO CSW OP – Latin American & the Caribbean Women’s Major Group Coordinator – Women’s Human Rights Defenders for G20 Observatory Coordinator – Global Network Women Won’t Wait End HIV and GBV Now!Mabel Bianco \| mbianco@feim.org.ar Lana Finikin \| sistrentheatre@gmail.com
NGO CSW/Arab States Ad Hoc Planning Committee	Women’s Learning Partnership Association Démocratique des Femmes de Maroc	Lina Abou Habib \| labouhabib@crtda.org.lb Samira Bikarden \| bikardens@gmail.com

REGIONAL COMMITTEE

CoNGO Regional Committee in Asia-Pacific (RCAP)

The CoNGO Regional Committee in Asia-Pacific (RCAP) aims to facilitate Asia-Pacific NGOs’ participation in all UN and CoNGO activities globally and regionally. It will cooperate with UN.ESCAP and other UN bodies and agencies in Asia and the Pacific. It will promote better cooperation among CoNGO members as well as other civil society organizations in Asia-Pacific. RCAP shall cover the entire geographic area of Asia and the Pacific. RCAP’s operations shall be governed by the CoNGO Rules.

RCAP is composed of CoNGO members as defined by the CoNGO Rules. (Duties and responsibilities of members to be defined.) RCAP shall have a general meeting annually. (Because of the CoVID pandemic, physical meetings were not possible in 2020 or 2021. The situation for 2022 is under consideration.)

RCAP shall have a nine-person Steering Committee with one chair, one vice chair and seven members. Membership shall be on the basis of organizations. For the initial period the Steering Committee shall be chaired by the President of CoNGO. From 2022, the Steering Committee members shall be elected by the membership at each third annual RCAP meeting, and thereupon appointed by the CoNGO President. The Steering Committee shall meet at least once a year, ideally at mid-point between meetings. The term for Steering Committee members shall be three years. The Steering Committee shall present an activity report annually to the CoNGO Board. Non-CoNGO members can participate in RCAP meetings as observers.

The RCAP steering committee is composed as follows: (situation as of January 2022)

Liberato C. Bautista, CoNGO President, president@ngocongo.org
Cyril Ritchie, CoNGO First Vice President, firstvp@ngocongo.org
Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education
Christian Conference of Asia
FORUM ASIA
International Federation of Business and Professional Women
International Planned Parenthood Federation South Asia Region
Pan Pacific South East Asia Women’s Association
Siam University
Soka Gakkai International

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^[1] Committee collaborating with CoNGO and with CoNGO members but does not currently self-identify as a CoNGO substantive committee.