Ramallah- 04/02/2016: The Committee on Non- Governmental Organizations of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) recommended granting the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms “MADA” a special consultative status, during its regular session “between 25th of January and 3rd of February 2016) ECOSOC/6727-NGO/818) at the UN headquarters/ New York”.
Granting “MADA” a special consultative status for the (ECOSOC) in the United Nations, is considered a significant and complementary step, to MADAs’ objectives in defending media freedoms and promoting freedom of expression, rather than contributing and strengthening medias’ role in our society and to assure the protection of human rights and public freedoms in Palestine.
Supposedly, the committee is to hold its second session on the 16th of February 2016 in order to submit their report to the UN- Economic and Social Council for approving the final/ formal decision.
Granting a special consultative status in April/2016 will enable” MADA” the access not only to the ECOSOC, but also to its many subsidiary bodies, and to the various human rights mechanisms of the United Nations, ad-hoc processes, as well as special events, and will also allow MADA the privilege of participating in a wide variety of United Nations-sponsored meetings and activities. It will also enhance MADAs’ contribution to support the development aims of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations at large, throughout the protection mechanisms and the preparation of parallel/ shadow reports.
Finally, this step is considered as an international recognition of the prominence role of MADA, which will support its presence in the international arena, particularly, that we already are an active member in several international networks and alliances such as (The Global Network Defending and Promoting Free Expression-IFEX-, Global Forum For Media Development-GFMD-, Press Emblem Campaign-PEC, The Freedom of Information Advocates Network-FOIAnet).
For further info regarding the session please click the following link:
http://www.un.org/press/en/2016/ecosoc6727.doc.htm
