UN Committee on NGOs: Civil society organisations call for competitive elections

For civil society organisations to meaningfully engage with the United Nations, they must first obtain ECOSOC consultative status. The Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations, a New York-based body made up of 19 Member States is responsible for managing and deciding on NGO applications for this coveted status, effectively making the gatekeeper for civil society access to the UN. 

The Committee’s membership therefore has a direct impact on which civil society voices are heard in multilateral spaces.

That is why competitive elections matter. When regional slates are closed and the number of candidates equals the number of seats, there is no real choice. This undermines accountability and weakens confidence in a body that plays a crucial role in enabling civil society participation at the UN. 

Read more about the Committee on NGOs elections.

Excellencies:

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, write to you ahead of the April 2026 elections to the UN ECOSOC Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations (Committee on NGOs) to urge your regional group to demonstrate leadership in advancing civil society participation at the United Nations by fielding more candidates than the number of available seats.

The Committee on NGOs plays a pivotal role in determining which civil society organisations can obtain ECOSOC consultative status, which in turn enables these organisations to meaningfully engage with the work of the UN as a whole.

Unfortunately, in the upcoming election cycle, most regional slates are already closed or risk being non-competitive, meaning that candidate States will be elected without providing Member States with a genuine choice. Only one regional slate currently offers competition (the Eastern European group), underscoring a significant democratic deficit in this process.

Competitive elections matter because:

1. They foster accountability. When regional groups present more candidates than seats, Member States and civil society can engage meaningfully with prospective members, evaluate their records, and vote for the States that are most committed to supporting civic space and NGO participation at the UN.
2. They strengthen the legitimacy and integrity of the Committee on NGOs. A competitive field enhances confidence that elected members reflect the shared commitment of the UN Charter to inclusiveness, transparency, and principled engagement with civil society.
3. They open doors for diverse voices and expertise. Civil society organisations around the world provide indispensable insights on human rights, sustainable development, health, climate, and peace. A Committee on NGOs that is representative and committed to civil society access is essential to ensure that these voices are heard.

We therefore call on your regional group to:

• Encourage additional Member States with strong records of supporting civil society to stand for the election so that the number of candidates exceeds the number of seats available;
• Ensure that candidacies are confirmed and publicly announced in sufficient time before March 2026, allowing Member States and civil society to assess and engage with them; and
• Commit to promoting a transparent, participatory and competitive election process for the Committee on NGOs.

By stepping forward with a competitive slate, your regional group can reinforce the principle that civil society access and participation are essential to a strong, effective multilateral system and help to safeguard the UN’s commitment to inclusive, informed decision-making.

We thank you for your attention and remain ready to support constructive engagement throughout this electoral process.

Respectfully,

List of signatories NGOs

In Africa:

1. Africa Development Interchange Network (ADIN)
2. Amnesty International Kenya
3. Association pour le Respect du Droit des Populations Autochtones du Développement Durable et du Droit de l’Homme (ARPA2DH)
4. Centre pour l’Information Environnementale et le Développement Durable
5. Champions for Nature Conservation of Liberia
6. Coalition Ivoirienne des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (CIDDH)
7. Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD)
8. Disability Peoples Forum Uganda
9. Dunia Salama Foundation
10. Emonyo Yefwe International
11. Friends with Environment in Development
12. Humanitaire Plus
13. JOINT: Liga de ONGs em Moçambique
14. Kutakesa
15. Ligue Burundaise des Droits de l’Homme ITEKA
16. Network of the Independent Commission for Human Rights in North Africa (CIDH AFRICA)
17. NGO: Amis des Etrangers au Togo (ADET)
18. Nigerian Women Agro Allied Farmers Association
19. Observatoire Africain des Droits de l’Homme, de l’Environnement et des Ressources Naturelles (OADHER-RDC)
20. One 4 Africa
21. Pastoralist Women for Livelihood and Social Support (PWLS)
22. Savie ASBL NGO LGBTQ DRC
23. Silver Lining for the Needy Initiative (SLNI)
24. Tanzania Child Welfare (TCW)
25. The Kesho Trust
26. The Lesbian and Gay Association of Liberia (LEGAL-Liberia)
27. Underprivileged Welfare Support Development Association

In Asia Pacific:

28. Aine Sohayata Kendro Asok Foundation
29. Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM)
30. Blue Diamond Society
31. Cisadane Resik Indonesia
32. Empower India
33. Human Rights Development Centre
34. ILGA Asia
35. International Centre for Ethnic Studies
36. Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR)
37. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM)
38. Pusat Komas
39. Salam for Democracy and Human Rights

In Eastern Europe:

40. Estonian Institute of Human Rights

In Latin America and the Caribbean:

41. AKAHATA A.C.
42. Aqualtune Lab
43. Casa Marielle Franco Brasil
44. Clima21
45. Coalizão Negra por Direitos
46. Corporacion Ilex Accion Juridica
47. Instituto Coletivo Black Divas
48. Instituto Marielle Franco
49. PerifaConnection
50. Sociedad Cooperativa Chac Lol
51. Synergía – Initiatives for Human Rights

In Western Europe and Other States:

52. Alliance for Democracy in Laos
53. ALQST for Human Rights
54. American Civil Liberties Union
55. Asociación Española para el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos (AEDIDH)
56. Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience
57. International Legal Initiative
58. Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada
59. National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO)
60. Refugee Council of Australia
61. US Women Connect
62. World Christian Life Community

International:

63. Amnesty International
64. British Black Anti Poverty Network
65. CIVICUS
66. Coalition for the UN We Need (C4UN)
67. Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul
68. Democracy Without Borders
69. Front Line Defenders
70. Humanists International
71. IFEX
72. International Council of Women (ICW-CIF)
73. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
74. MENA Rights Group
75. Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center
76. The William Gomes Podcast
77. Transparency, Accountability & Participation Network
78. UN Antiracism Coalition (UNARC)
79. UPR Info