UN council accredits religious rights group stalled by panel
One of the U.N.’S main bodies voted Wednesday to grant accreditation to a British-based group that promotes religious freedom, overriding a U.N. committee that had deferred action on the matter for years.
Britain had argued that the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, which decides what groups can participate in U.N. activities, is biased against human rights groups.
The 54-member Economic and Social Council voted 28-9 with 12 abstentions to approve consultative status for Christian Solidarity Worldwide, giving the group the right to attend open meetings and conferences at the Geneva-based Human Rights Council and other U.N. bodies.
The organization had applied for U.N. accreditation since 2009, but its application was repeatedly deferred by the 19-member accreditation committee. After the committee voted in February to again defer action, Britain launched a campaign to get the council to overturn the decision and accredit the group.