PEPA NGO in special consultation with UN ECOSOC since 2017, about procedural fairness of funding applications for ECOSOC programs

In the interest of Transparency, the following questions were sent to all NGOs with UN ECOSOC consultative status, so we published our recommendations in a 100% transparent way here. The following responses are prepared by Founder Appolinaire Zugabe, PEPA UN Ambassador Cecilia Yu with the assistance of researcher Zephan McFarquhar Bennett.

Question 1) How can NGOs l contribute to the work of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies? What are the most efficient modalities for NGOs to contribute to the United Nations policy-making, be recognized and be influential in these processes?

PEPA in RESPONSE: NGOs and its subsidiary bodies are the backbone of networks in the UN ECOSOC programs. The issue is not whether NGOs contribute, they are already contributing by being a part of ECOSOC, the issue is one of communications of strategies to stop the TopDown process overburdening local incentives. These are the following examples of how UN ECOSOC can better communicate with the grassroots:

• The UN could provide language and support to under-resourced NGO’s. This will provide the UN with direct insight into regional communities and the opportunity to aid the capability of NGO’s, to resolve problems as they occur.
• UN should recommend projects to NGO’s with ECOSOC consultative status in consultations with the many NGOs, especially those occurring in an NGO’s country of origin. This is a bilateral process not a case of Top down strategies, waiting for Bottom-up Grassroots to action on it. There is an absence of this bilateral communications currently.
• Better funding procedures are desperately needed to reduce the cost margins for simply applying for EcoSoc fundings directly by NGOs. Language barriers must be removed.

Question 2: What in your organization’s view should be done to provide better support to NGOs during the process of obtaining consultative status with ECOSOC?

PEPA: In line with our responses in Question 1, these are our direct recommendations:

• UN should facilitate grassroot projects by allowing organizations to submit their applications in all languages of the United Nations and not only in English or French, this limits the interest of several organizations who wish to submit their applications in other languages especially for grassroot tribal dialects where their incentives might add to intraregional trade and international awareness, as well as cultivating “Intangible Cultural Heritage” that reverse the negative effects of Globalisation.
• The current procedure of feedbacks of ECOSOC only in English is inherently discriminatory on a procedural basis and locks non-english speaking NGOs into economic dependency on English speaking consultants that very often demand such a large % of successful applications as fees, it takes away from the economic efficacy of applying for EcoSoc funding.
• The application and funding process as well as ECOSOC funding application feedbacks should be more transparent and NGO’s that didn’t receive consultative status should be given adequate feedbacks and suggestions for future reapplications.

Question 3: How can the participation of NGOs (from developing countries and countries with economies in transition) in UN’s work be increased?

PEPA: We believe the UN should reconsider Proposal 26 of the General Assembly A/58/817 “The Secretary‐General should make redressing North‐South imbalances a priority in enhancing United Nations–civil society relations. He should enlist donor support for enhancing the capacity of the United Nations to identify and work with local actors, establishing a fund to build Southern civil society capacity to participate and ensuring that country‐level engagement feeds into the global deliberative processes”.

To further improve participation in the UN amongst NGOs of developing countries, the UN should develop a trust fund to attend UN events. This would create the opportunity for NGO’s to attend and contribute to events and identify the value to be gained from continued participation in the UN.

In accordance with this we propose:

• That a general fund be created and intelligently distributed to appropriate grassroot that cut out the necessity of paying for English speaking “consultant application fees” because of language barriers created by EcoSoc’s own funding criteria.
• That ECOSOC should publicize an Annual event calendar that are projected 18months in advance, then communicated to all NGOs through email.

This would increase the urgency of the appeal for NGO’s to contribute to the UN’s work.

• Lastly, the UN could consider providing geographically specific event and project calendars. This would build networks to address regional problems, allow NGO’s that cannot find the funds to attend international events to contribute to public debate, and further develop information channels that can go on to inform UN debate and policy-making.

Question 4: Once the consultative status is granted to organizations, how best can NGOs access the opportunities given to them to take part in UN processes?

PEPA: Currently Priority is given to international organizations to the detriment of national or local organizations while local organizations are more familiar with the problem in their countries than international organizations. So UN must be more Grass-root orientated especially in areas of extreme conflict where ECOSOC agendas are often delivered with some risks to regional projects. A top down approach is dangerous to lives at the grass-root.

Many regional NGO’s were started by communities as a direct response to increases in conflict and declines in public health, food, housing and water access. The closeness of the volunteers and staff of regional NGO’s to the problems they face, lets them understand problems as they happen, engage with communities in local languages, and maintain awareness of cultural factors. In contrast, international NGO’s often lack regionally specific language skills and are far removed from problems as they occur.

In French

En Francais:

es ONG dotes du statut consultatif auprès de l’ECOSOC sont invitées à examiner les question suivantes et à contribuer au débat:

Comment les ONG peuvent-elles davantage contribuer aux travaux de l’ECOSOC et de ses organes subsidiaires? Selon quelles modalités les ONG peuvent-elles contribuer le plus efficacement à l’élaboration des politiques onusiennes, et s’assurer d’être reconnues et influentes dans ces processus?

Les ONGs peuvent davantage contribuer aux travaux quand elles sont associées a tous les programmes de l’ECOSOC, les informer de tout programmes et évènements en avance pour les permettre de bien se préparer mais aussi de recommander des organisations avec Statut Consultatif avec ECOSOC aux projets bénéficiant leurs pays d’origine pour l’exécution.

– Selon votre organisation, que convient-il de faire pour mieux aider les ONG au cours du processus d’octroi du statut consultatif auprès de l’ECOSOC?

Selon notre organisation, nous pouvons suggérer que la demande des organisations soit facilite en permettant aux organisations de soumettre leurs candidature dans toutes les langues des Nations Unies et pas seulement en Anglais, cela limite l’intérêt de plusieurs organisations qui désirent soumettre leurs demandes et surtout que ce n ;est pas tous les pays qui parlent l’anglais.

– Comment peut-on accroitre la participation des ONG de pays en développement et de pays aux économies en transition aux travaux de l’ONU?

Une des stratégies à mettre en place est de créer un fonds pour soutenir les organisations de pays en développement de participer aux évènements, rencontres au sein de l’ECOSOC, la raison est que la majorité des organisations de ces pays manquent de financement et manque des partenaires qui peuvent soutenir leurs participations.

Une fois le statut consultatif octroyé, comment les ONG peuvent-elles saisir toutes les occasions qui leur sont données de prendre part aux processus onusiens?

Pas nécessairement toutes les organisations, car les priorités sont toujours accorder aux organisations internationales au détriment des organisations nationales ou locales alors que les organisations locales connaissent mieux le problème dans leurs pays plus que les organisations internationales.

Il y a aussi un problème de financement qui limite plusieurs organisations de prendre part aux processus Onusiens.

3 comments on “PEPA NGO in special consultation with UN ECOSOC since 2017, about procedural fairness of funding applications for ECOSOC programs”

1. saverango

   August 1, 2018

   

   good Answers!!!

   LikeLike

   Reply
   • ceciliawyu

     August 1, 2018

     

     Thank you. We all did the research.

     LikeLiked by 1 person

     Reply
     • saverango

       August 1, 2018

       

       Please follow @saverango on twitter, facebook ,linkedin & wordpress

       LikeLike

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