Existence of NGOs at the United Nations has nowadays become more obscure than ever. The pattern of their participation in governmental negotiations has changed so frequently that it’s almost difficult to discern whether it’s going forward or backward. Great contributions of NGOs at UN -sponsored world conferences in the 1990s made the Secretary-General say, “NGOs, which represent the people, guarantee the legitimacy of the UN.”A “Decade of Civil Society”was almost promised for the 21st century.
But today world conferences are not organized because of US opposition, with the threat of further delaying in paying its mandatory contributions. And NGOs are thus deprived of their best chances in engaging in global issues. Instead, General Assembly special sessions or informal interactive hearings are convened. NGOs complain that they cannot exert as much impact as before due to the limit in the number of participating NGOs and opportunities for their speeches.
Another problem closely connected is emerging private sector. In post -Cold War paradigm of the UN, transnational corporations, once so criticized for violating international human rights norms in such cases as apartheid, are now rather regarded as partner for the UN and treated equally with NGOs.
In conclusion, the pattern and level of NGO participation is decided by world political situations and M ember States’attitudes toward NGOs, resulting in “one step forward, two steps backward”. The future depends on the ongoing Security Council reform which all M ember States puts on the top agenda.
