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Since its inception in 1948, the Quaker United Nations Office in New York and Geneva has been able to promote Friends concerns for peace and the needs of God's world and God's people through accreditation with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN. This office works under the name of FWCC, which has Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC. Special Status, as outlined below, is granted to organisations with a specialized knowledge in one specific subject or geographic area in which the UN works. organisations with General Status must demonstrate a wider geographic base and subject area.

In July 2002, FWCC was moved from Special Status to General Status. By this move, the UN has recognized that Friends do work of importance in a very broad range of international concerns. Our new status gives our representatives at the QUNO offices easier access to UN bodies, the ability to submit longer statements than those with Specific Status on specific areas of UN work, and also to suggest agenda items to the Economic and Social Council.

Some of the work that has led to this recognition:

• Study of financing for development, leading to the writing of a booklet as a guide to the topic, which is in great demand.
  
• Involvement in the Campaign to Ban Landmines.
  
• Co-operation with groups from many countries working on the supply of and demand for small arms.
  
• New work on the prevention of violent conflict; promoting alternative ways to deal with disputes.
  
• 25 years' work to end the recruitment and deployment of child soldiers, which has led to an international agreement. Work continues in the areas of children's human rights, status in justice systems, labor and health.
• Seminars over many years on forests which have brought this concern firmly into the UN consciousness.
• Promotion (by volunteer FWCC representatives) of restorative justice - moving from a punitive approach to involving offender, victim and community in setting things right. The UN bodies concerned have now taken up the restorative justice principle.
  
• Opportunities over many years for diplomats, UN staff and other to meet in a quiet, non-combative setting, to listen to one another and to work informally.
  
• Support of the process to reform the UN Security Council.
  
• Assisting the World Trade organisation to hear the voices of developing nations, unrepresented workers, small farmers and indigenous peoples; working for better protection of labor rights and traditional crop varieties, and availability of medicines.
• Work on conscientious objection to military service which led to the UN recognizing
  it as a human right
• An international Quaker presence at the World Conference against Racism, offering opportunities for listening and dialogue in a climate of anger and suspicion.

And much more.

Currently, there are 2143 Non-Governmental organisations (NGOs) affiliated with the UN in all possible status categories. Of that number, only 130 have been accorded General Status.

ECOSOC Resolution on NGOs

The numbered paragraphs below come directly from ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31, and further delineate NGO relationships with the UN:

21.- In establishing consultative relationships with each organisation, regard shall be had to the nature and scope of its activities and to the assistance it may be expected to give to the Council or its subsidiary bodies in carrying out the functions set out in Chapters IX and X of the Charter of the United Nations.

22.- organisations that are concerned with most of the activities of the Council and its subsidiary bodies and can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Council that they have substantive and sustained contributions to make to the achievement of the objectives of the United Nations in fields set out in paragraph 1 above, and are closely involved with the economic and social life of the peoples of the areas they represent and whose membership, which should be considerable, is broadly representative of major segments of society in a large number of countries in different regions of the world shall be known as organisations in General consultative status.

23.- organisations that have a special competence in, and are concerned specifically with, only a few of the fields of activity covered by the Council and its subsidiary bodies, and that are known within the fields for which they have or seek consultative status shall be known as organisations in Special consultative status.

24.- Other organisations that do not have general or special consultative status but that the Council, or the Secretary-General of the United Nations in consultation with the Council or its Committee on Non-Governmental organisations, considers can make occasional and useful contributions to the work of the Council or its subsidiary bodies or other United Nations bodies within their competence shall be included in a list (to be known as the Roster). This list may also include organisations in consultative status or a similar relationship with a specialized agency or a United Nations body. These organisations shall be available for consultation at the request of the Council or its subsidiary bodies. The fact that an organisation is on the Roster shall not in itself be regarded as a qualification for general or special consultative status should an organisation seek such status.

25.- organisations to be accorded special consultative status because of their interest in the field of human rights should pursue the goals of promotion and protection of human rights in accordance with the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.

26.- Major organisations one of whose primary purposes is to promote the aims, objectives and purposes of the United Nations and a furtherance of the understanding of its work may be accorded consultative status

The entire resolution, containing all relevant information, can be found at http://www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo.

Letter Granting General Status

The following letter was sent from the NGO Section of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the UN to the Friends World Committee for Consultation in November of 2002:

We would like to inform you that the Economic and Social Council, at its Substantive Session on July 2002, decided to grant General consultative status to the organisation, "Friends World Committee for Consultation".

The organisation may now designate official representatives to the United Nations - to the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and the United Nations offices in Geneva and Vienna. Designated representatives must pick up their passes in person at the designated site. Needless to say, the regular presence of your organisation will allow your organisation to implement effectively and fruitfully the provisions for this consultative relationship.

Please note, in particular, Parts II, IV, and VII and the Council Resolution 1966/31 describing the procedures for carrying out your consultative relationship with the Council. Also, kindly note that in Part IX, paragraph 61c which requests that organisations in General and Special consultative status submit quadrennial reports on their activities for the four-year period 2002-2005 to the Committee in 2006. You will be advised of the modalities for completing your report in due course. Meanwhile, we suggest that you maintain detailed records of your activities.

The United Nations issues a calendar of meetings and conferences, which can be obtained by your representatives at the United Nations sites. Every year, you will receive from this office the "Calendar of United Nations meetings open to participation by or of special interest to NGOs in consultative status". The latest copy of the calendar and other NGO-related information can also be found on the NGO Sections homepage at http://www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo.

Finally, should you wish to indicate your status with the United Nations of your letterhead, please use the following wording: "NGO in General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations". The United Nations emblem may not be used, unless expressed approval has been granted by the Legal Office of the United Nations. This is neither granted for stationery use, nor for any printed materials describing your organisation.

We look forward to a productive relationship with your organisation and its representatives.

The Quaker United Nations Office is deeply pleased that the UN has granted FWCC General Consultative Status.