This document discusses the role of NGOs in international governance and decision making processes. It notes that in 1972, 250 NGOs attended the UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, helping to develop rules for NGO participation and engaging in parallel forums. This marked the beginning of increasing NGO involvement in global conferences related to the environment and sustainable development. By 1992, over 1,400 NGOs were accredited to the Rio Earth Summit and over 25,000 individuals participated in a parallel NGO forum. The document outlines how NGO participation has continued growing, with over 3,200 organizations accredited to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.

1. NGO Diplomacy
Yuyun Wahyuningrum
Senior Advisor on ASEAN and Human Rights, Human Rights
Working Group (HRWG)
E-mail: wahyuningrum@gmail.com

2.  In 1972, 250 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
attended the UN Conference on the Human
Environment, held in Stockholm.
 These NGOs served as technical experts, helped
develop the rules for NGO participation, participated in
plenary sessions and committee meetings, and engaged
in several parallel forums designed to strengthen their
connections with one another.
 This event emerged the beginning of a “slow yet steady
liberalization of the NGO system occurring over the
following two decades”.
 Since Stockholm, NGO involvement in international
decision-making processes related to the environment
and sustainable development has escalated, as
demonstrated by their participation in the two
subsequent global conferences.

3. 
In 1992, more than 1,400 NGOs were accredited to United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in
Rio de Janeiro, and more than 25,000 individuals from 167
countries participated in the parallel Global Forum, where
NGOs negotiated alternative treaties and engaged in
extensive networking.

Paragraph 38 of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action
(VDPA) contains a crucial recognition regarding the role that
NGOs play “in the promotion of all human rights and in
humanitarian activities at national, region- al and international
levels”.

Since then, while NGOs have been able to slowly carve their
rightful place, it is still of concern that many human rights
defenders across the globe pay a heavy price, sometimes with
their lives, for doing their work.

In 2002, more than 3,200 organizations were accredited to the
World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg,
where NGOs were central to the creation of partnerships for
sustainable development.

4. NGOs
NGOs
Civil Society Organisations
Non State Actors

5. What is NGO and what are the
types of NGO that currently exist?

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any nonprofit, voluntary citizens' group which is organized on a
local, national or international level.

Task-oriented and driven by people with a common
interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian
functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and
monitor policies and encourage political participation through
provision of information.

Some are organized around specific issues, such as human
rights, environment or health. Some focus on
advocacy, humanitarian aid, campaign, research, community
development etc.

They provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning
mechanisms and help monitor and implement international
agreements.

Their relationship with offices and agencies of the United Nations
system differs depending on their goals, their venue and the

6. Civil Society Organizations
(CSO)
“Civil society refers to the arena of uncoerced collective action around
shared interests, purposes and values. In theory, its institutional forms
are distinct from those of the state, family and market, though in
practice, the boundaries between state, civil society, family and market
are often complex, blurred and negotiated. London School of
Economics Center for Civil Society www.ise.ac.uk
 Civil society comprises the realm of organizations that lie between the
family at one extreme and the state at the other (Hegel 1821)
 Civil society is the sphere of institutions, organisations and individuals
located between the family, the state and the marketin which people
associate voluntarily to advance common interests (Anheirer 2004)


“associations of citizens (outside their families, friends and businesses) entered
into voluntarily to advance their interests, ideas and ideologies. The term does not
include profit-making activity (the private sector) or governing (the public sector)”
(Cardoso et al. (2004), We the peoples: civil society, the United Nations and global
governance. Report of the Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations-Civil Society
Relations, UN document UN A/58/817, http://www.un.org/reform/a58_817_english.doc)

7. Contemporary dimensions of civil society
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) therefore are a wide array of
organisations: community groups, non-governmental organisations
(NGOs), labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable
organisations, faith-based organisations, professional
associations, and foundations (World Bank 2006).
Civil society embraces:
Institutionalised groups: such as religious organisations, trades
unions, business associations and co-operatives.
Local organisations: such as community associations, farmers’
associations, local sports groups, non-governmental
organisations and credit societies.
Social movements and networks (DFID 2006).

8. Non-state actors
 NON-STATE ACTORS: non governmental organisations,
organisations representing indigenous peoples, organisations
representing national and/or ethnic minorities, local traders'
associations and citizens' groups, cooperatives, trade unions,
organisations representing economic and social interests,
organisations fighting corruption and fraud and promoting good
governance, civil rights organisations and organisations
combating discrimination, local organisations (including
networks) involved in decentralised regional cooperation and
integration, consumer organisations, women's and youth
organisations, teaching, cultural, research and scientific
organisations, universities, churches and religious associations
and communities, the media and any non-governmental
associations and independent foundations, including independent
political foundations.
 gather the main structures of organised society outside government
and public administration; are independent of the state; are active in
different fields;

9. What have NGO‟s done so far in contributing to solve
global problem and what kind of cooperation it has
done with other institution?
 Global problem? Poverty? The failure of human rights
protection mechanism around the world? Inequality?
 Along the years, civil society defines its role as :

the vehicle of citizen‟s participation,

the voice for the voiceless,

the promoter to the social cohesion and equality,

the architect of social capacities,

supporter of the structural reform,

The watch dog to ensure that the Association is
accountable, and

act as an important check-and-balance for the promotion
and protection of human rights in the region.

10. Role of NGO at UN Human
Rights Council
 NGOs bring a different picture from those presented by
governments on the ground human rights situation
 Engage with different actors, in particular, special
procedures mandate holders
 Advocacy at the HRC is long and tedious but it pays off
 Need for clear goals and strategy
 Credibility is important

11. NGO Participation at the HRC
Sessions

Written statements



Deadline for submission before start of the session
Circulation as official UN document in UN languages
Oral intervention

Directly relevant to agenda item

Limited time

Joint statements are encouraged

Organization of parallel events

Lobbying, Networking…

Negotiations on draft resolutions

Can also be done at the country, not necessarily have to go to Geneva

16. How to negotiate with states to promote
NGO‟s interest?
Regional
Lobby,
Network &
Advocacy
Government/Intergovernmental bodies
National
Lobby,
Network,
Advocacy &
Campaign
 Top Down: Creation of
demand through
regional/international
organizations.
 Bottom Up: mobilizing civil
society/ people from below

17. INSIDE
Dimension of
engagement
INSIDE
OUTSIDE
Government/
Intergovernm
ental bodies
OUTSIDE
Repertories of action and strategies towards policy
processes
Cooperative attitude: active engagement in policy-making
processes through lobbying, advocacy and participation in multistakeholder processes. Policy processes are seen as “potential
gain”. Insiders are the least independent from the political
process.
Confrontational attitude: “engagement” through pressure from
the outside (counter-summits, campaigns, norm change…) and
disruptive direct actions. Policy processes are perceived as
“threats”.

18. INSIDERS VS Outsiders
 PRESSURE FROM THE OUTSIDE through confrontational
tactics: marching, attacking the „red zone‟, showing the
weakness or the contradictions of „the system‟, raise public
consciousness, „show the king is naked‟
 ENGANGEMENT with policy-makers trying to provoke
change „from within‟
 Accept the rules of the game in order to gain access to policy
arenas
 „Insiders‟ use techniques like persuasion, lobbying,
campaigning
 Critiques: Who is representative of CS/global public good?
Risk of „watering down‟ criticism in favor of participation

19. Achievements? (Indonesia
context)
 Influenced the formulation of the UN Resoution
such as the Resolution on Combating
Intolerance, Negative Stereotyping and
Stigmatization of, and Discrimination, Incitement to
Violence and Violence Againts, Persons Bases on
Religion or Belief during the 16th Session of UN
Human Rights Council in March 2011 and
Resolution related to the protection of the rights of
migrant workers – together with the Philippines –
during the 66th Committee Session III UN General
Assembly in November 2011

20.  Ratification of UN Convention on Migrant Workers
 Report to treaty bodies, concluding comments of
CAT that include Indonesia‟s real situation.
 ASEAN and OIC – civil society as the State‟s
representative
 Opening up number of spaces for people
participation