NGOs under European Convention on Human Rights / Tymofeyeva

based on the Resolution of the ECOSOC No.1996/31 titled ‘Consultative relationship between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations’. 69 Aswe see, noneof the coreUNhumanrights treaties contains adetailedexplanationof the ‘non-governmental organisation’. Human rights bodies extensively use information provided by NGOs. 70 However, they do not try to specify in their instruments, who these organisations are. Based on these agreements, it is only possible to conclude that political parties are different subjects from NGOs. The last ones must carry out only those activities that are compatible with the purposes of the United Nations and strongly cooperate with the UN in certain areas of public life. We may find a more specific definition of the term ‘NGO’ on the web pages of the United Nations Department of Public Information for NGOs 71 and the Executive Committee of Non-Governmental Organizations Associated with the United Nations. 72 They provide the following answer to the question of what an NGO is: “A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, 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 services and humanitarian functions, bring citizens’ concerns to Governments, monitor policies and encourage political participation at the community level. They provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements. Some are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, the environment or health. Their relationship with offices and agencies of the United Nations System differs depending on their location and mandates.” 73 This idea reflects the status NGOs possess within the United Nations, namely they primarily serve the aim of assisting this universal international organisation in fulfilling its mission at the local level. It is interesting that the UN Department of Public Information for NGOs and the Executive Committee of NGOs Associated with the UN do not distinguish between NGOs and INGOs. For them, any voluntary citizens’ group, either on a domestic or international level, is covered by the phrase ‘non-governmental organization’. The next important point is that only groups of people, which do not pursue an aim of gaining a profit, may be called NGOs. These people must also be ‘citizens’ of the country. The word ‘citizen’ in the Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries has two meanings. 74 The first is that the citizen is a legally recognised subject or national of a state, either native or naturalized. This definition may signify that foreigners and stateless persons are excluded from 69 Resolution of the ECOSOC No. 1996/31 of 25 July 1996. Official Records of the Economic and Social Council , 1996, Supplement No. 1. 70 TOMUSCHAT, 2008, cited above, p. 184. 71 See accessed 20 July 2015. 72 See < http://ngodpiexecom.org/> accessed 20 July 2015. 73 The Executive Committee of Non-Governmental Organizations Associated with The United Nations Department of Public Information web page is available from accessed 20 July 2015. 74 Oxford dictionary online and Cambridge dictionary online accessed 20 July 2015.

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