NGOs call for fairer ECOSOC accreditation process

The Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC), together with 125 civil society organizations, has issued an open letter urging the UN to improve the timeliness, fairness, and transparency of the ECOSOC NGO accreditation process. The letter was sent on 18 March 2026 to the UN Secretary‑General, the ECOSOC President, the Committee on NGOs, and relevant Permanent Missions.

The organizations highlight significant delays in the review of applications: at the Committee’s 2026 session, 237 new and 381 deferred applications are under consideration, with some NGOs facing repeated deferrals over several years despite submitting complete responses.
These delays, the letter notes, disproportionately impact NGOs working in drug‑related areas, undermine civil society participation, and weaken trust in UN processes.

The signatories call for practical improvements, including clearer timelines, more consistent questioning, avoidance of repetitive requests, and better communication with applicants. They also encourage Member States to explore solutions for long‑pending cases

VNGOC reaffirmed its commitment to supporting constructive reforms and ensuring diverse civil society voices can contribute meaningfully to UN policymaking.

The full letter and the list of 125 signatories are available here.