Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been actively engaged with the United Nations (UN) since its inception in 1945. They work with the United Nations Secretariat, programmes, funds and agencies in various ways, including in consultation with Member States.
NGOs contribute to a number of activities including information dissemination, awareness raising, development education, policy advocacy, joint operational projects, participation in intergovernmental processes and in the contribution of services and technical expertise. Article 71 of the United Nations Charter, which established the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), states the following: The Economic and Social Council may make suitable arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence. Such arrangements may be made with international organizations and, where appropriate, with national organizations after consultation with the Member of the United Nations concerned,
— United Nations Charter, Chapter X, Article 71
Article 71 of the UN Charter opened the door to provide suitable arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations. The consultative relationship with ECOSOC is governed today by ECOSOC resolution 1996/31, which outlines the eligibility requirements for consultative status, rights and obligations of NGOs in consultative status, procedures for the withdrawal or suspension of consultative status, the role and functions of the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs, and the responsibilities of the UN Secretariat in supporting the consultative relationship.
The United Nations has been working to strengthen cooperation with NGOs across the entire United Nations system and in all areas of its work. As a result, United Nations entities are identifying new modalities to promote increased and more strategic participation of NGOs.
The necessity for strengthening UN/NGOs relations has been underlined in various documents, in particular in the Millennium Declaration in September 2000.
The commitment of Member States to provide greater opportunity to NGOs was reaffirmed in the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document and in General Assembly resolution 68/1 on strengthening of ECOSOC. The importance of a revitalized Global Partnership to implement the internationally agreed development goals was further stressed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted at the Sustainable Development Summit in 2015.
From the beginning, ECOSOC has been the main entry point into the UN system for NGOs. ECOSOC remains the only main UN body with a formal framework for NGO participation. In 1946, 41 NGOs were granted consultative status by the Council; by 1992 more than 700 NGOs had attained consultative status and the number has been steadily increasing ever since to over 4,900 organizations in 2018.