The Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) is an independent, international, non-profit membership association of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It facilitates the participation of NGOs in United Nations debates and decision-making and works to ensure that NGO voices be heard throughout the international arena.

September 2012, Soroptimist International was among 24 other NGOs requesting that CoNGO publish the creation of regional NGO Committees on the Status of Women in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Pacific and the Arab States. We are one of the widest reaching NGO’s working on behalf of women so it was great that we could use our global reach and formally support the request.  The creation of NGO CSW committees requires 20 current signatures in the by-laws. By signing the letter we are simply saying that we support the creation of additional NGO CSW committees. Soroptimist International is very active in these regions and we believe it is important that they have a voice.

At a recent meeting held in Geneva, we received the great news that the CoNGO board had publish the creation of the NGO CSW committees in the above regions. They have been publish as “substantive committees”. This means the committees’ specialisation will be regional, but that they may also act globally. These committees will be able to provide information on issues in their regions and discuss this at conferences. They will be able to assist the international community in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and other decisions made at the UN in relation to the advancement of women in their respective regions. 

Any Soroptimists from the respective regions, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa who will be near to the these committees (TBA) we will be kindly asking for you to get in touch with us so that we can see how you can help in terms of reporting and gathering information. More information on the exact locations will be published soon.  

Please contact us at hq@soroptimistinternational.org in the meantime, if you have any questions.