The United Nations is set to hold elections in April for the 19-member UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, which oversees accreditation for civil society groups. This election comes at a time of increasing pressure on human rights and civil society organizations globally, as governments restrict funding, block foreign grants, and criminalize activist work.
Most candidates in this year’s election are from countries with poor records on civil society, while only the Central and Eastern Europe Group currently has competition. Belarus, known for outlawing civil society and prosecuting human rights defenders, is competing with Estonia and Ukraine for two seats and faces calls for rejection.
Historically, governments that suppress civil society at home have dominated the committee, turning it into a de facto anti-NGO body. Instead of facilitating engagement between NGOs and UN bodies, the committee has frequently blocked applications, particularly from human rights organizations.
In the Asia-Pacific Group, all four candidates have records of restricting civil society. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and India have silenced activists and arbitrarily detained human rights defenders, while China has prevented civil society activity domestically and retaliated against Chinese activists seeking to participate in UN forums.
The Western group also includes countries with problematic records. Israel, Türkiye, and the United States under previous administrations have shown hostility toward civil society groups. While the United Kingdom claims to champion civil society participation, it has implemented laws limiting protest, criminalized pro-Palestine and climate advocacy, and used counterterrorism measures to restrict activism.
In the Latin America and Caribbean group, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Peru are candidates, all of which have taken actions that suppress civil society, including detaining critics and closing or restricting organizations. The African Group has not yet announced any candidates.
Meaningful reform of the UN NGO Committee, as suggested by the United Kingdom, should begin with ensuring that supportive governments outnumber those hostile to civil society. Competitive elections and better candidates are crucial to prevent countries like Belarus and other restrictive governments from gaining membership and continuing the committee’s pattern of blocking civil society engagement.
