Civil society organisations around the world are calling for competitive elections to the United Nations Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations (Committee on NGOs), emphasizing the importance of inclusive and transparent processes. For NGOs to engage meaningfully with the UN, they must first obtain ECOSOC consultative status, a process managed by the Committee, which acts as a gatekeeper for civil society access. The composition of the Committee directly affects which civil society voices are heard in multilateral decision-making spaces, making competitive elections crucial for accountability and legitimacy.
Many regional slates for the upcoming April 2026 elections are already closed or risk being non-competitive, meaning candidates may be elected without offering a genuine choice. Only the Eastern European group currently offers competition, highlighting a democratic deficit in the process. Competitive elections allow Member States and civil society to evaluate candidates’ records, ensure a diversity of voices and expertise, and strengthen confidence in the Committee’s commitment to inclusiveness, transparency, and principled engagement with civil society.
In a joint letter to Member States, civil society organisations urged regional groups to field more candidates than available seats, confirm and announce candidacies in a timely manner, and commit to a transparent, participatory election process. The letter stresses that a competitive slate reinforces civil society access, enabling the UN to uphold its principles of inclusive and informed decision-making.
The appeal is backed by a broad coalition of NGOs spanning Africa, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Western Europe and Other States, and international organisations. Signatories include prominent groups such as Amnesty International, CIVICUS, the American Civil Liberties Union, Humanists International, ILGA Asia, and many regional human rights, environmental, and social justice organisations. These groups collectively highlight the need for elections that ensure the Committee on NGOs reflects a strong, accountable, and representative approach to supporting civil society globally.
