[i] Consultative status provides NGOs with access to a range of fora at the UN, including the Human Rights Council, ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, UN conferences, and special events organized by the President of the General Assembly.

[ii] ECOSOC (54 States) meets annually in July, alternatively in Geneva or New York.  

[iii] 121 of the 246  new applications

[iv] Approval rates for new applications have fluctuated significantly in the last five years: 60% at the 2013 regular session, 59% at the 2012 resumed session 56% at the 2012 regular session, 50% at the 2011 resumed session, 36% at the 2011 regular session, 18% at the 2010 resumed session, 34% at the 2010 regular session, 33% at the 2009 resumed session, 56% at the 2009 regular session, 80% at the 2008 resumed session, and 62% at the 2008 regular session.

[v] Deferred applications are those that have been reviewed by the Committee at previous sessions but on which the Committee has not come to an agreement.

[vi] 40 of 180 deferred applications

[vii] Belgium, Bulgaria, India, Israel, Nicaragua, Peru, Turkey, United States (US) and Venezuela voted in favor. China, Morocco, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Senegal and Sudan voted against. Kyrgyzstan and Mozambique abstained. Burundi and Cuba were absent.

[viii] Hosi Wein is an Austrian NGO that advocates for the human rights of gays and lesbians. It received 24 questions between applying for status in 2007 and being recommended for status in 2013.

[ix] ALMA is an Australian organisation advancing both lesbian health professionals’ visibility and lesbian health. It received 54 questions between applying for status in 2007 and being recommended for status in 2013.

[x] The US-based International Wages Due Lesbians and Australian-based Coalition of Activist Lesbians have had consultative status since 1998 and 1999, respectively. Since then, with one exception in 2008 (COC-Netherlands, which was recommended by the Committee by a vote of 7-6 in 2008) and in the case with Hosi-Wein and ALMA in 2013, ECOSOC has granted SOGI groups consultative status only after first overturning negative recommendations from the Committee: Danish National Association for Gay and Lesbians, the European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA-Europe), and the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (2006); the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Québec and the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights (2007); State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transsexuals and Bisexuals of Spain (FELGTB) (2008); Brazilian Federation of LGBT Groups (Associação Brasileira de Gays, Lésbicas e Transgêneros (2009); International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (2010); and the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) (2011).

[xi] SAR, based in the US, is an international network of universities and colleges that promotes academic freedom and defends the human rights of scholars and their communities worldwide. It received 51 questions between applying for status in 2007 and being recommended for status in 2013.

[xii] Lawyers for Lawyers is a Dutch organisation that helps lawyers worldwide to practice law in freedom and independence, and supports lawyers who are hindered or threatened in practicing law. It received 12 questions between applying for status in 2010 and being recommended for status in 2013.

[xiii] Dejusticia is a Columbian human rights organisation, research center and think tank. It promotes democracy, human rights and the Rule of Law in Latin America. It received 4 questions between applying for status in 2011 and being recommended for status in 2013.

[xiv] HURINET fosters the promotion, protection and respect of human rights in Uganda through linking and strengthening the capacity of member organizations at national, regional and international levels. It received 2 questions between applying for status in 2011 and being recommended for status in 2013.

[xv] AUA Americas Chapter is located in the US. It aims to increase public awareness and understanding of the Assyrian culture and people, to promote human rights and indigenous rights, and to provide charitable services to persons of Assyrian descent. It received 9 questions between applying in 2010 and being recommended for status in 2013.

[xvi] Due to ongoing stalling of applications in addition to a substantial rise in new applications received (152% this year over last), the Committee faces  a increasing backlog, which is projected to increase in 2014. The Committee discussed various options to try to address the issue,  but States could not agree on how to move forward except to postpone the discussion to a later date.

[xvii] IDSN is an NGO based in Denmark aims to contribute to the elimination of caste-based discrimination worldwide. Since its application for consultative status in 2007, IDSN has received 60 questions.

[xviii] IFLY is a Belgium-based umbrella organization for liberal and student youth organizations oriented towards the promotion of active citizenship, respect for human rights and the rule of law. Since its application in 2006, the IFLY has received 43 questions.

[xix] CFDA is a France-based NGO whose principal aim is to locate victims of forced disappearances and to shed light on all victims of forced disappearances in Algeria. CFDA has received 73 questions since its application for status in 2008.

[xx] The Alkarama Foundation's overall objective is to promote and protect human rights in the Arab world.  It has received 12 questions since its application in 2011.

[xxi] The Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust, based in India, works to stop violation of rights and to restore peace for indigenous communities. Since its application for consultative status in 2011, the Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust has received 7 questions.

[xxii] The GIHR is a Geneva based non-governmental organization geared to train Arabs in the field of human rights and the laws as well as mechanisms of human rights. It has received 17 questions since its application in 2011

[xxiii] YCSRR is an international organization based in Canada that Youth Coalition is an international organization of young people committed to promoting adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive rights at the national, regional and international levels. It applied for status in 2010 and has received 20 questions since.

[xxiv] EarthRights International (ERI) combines the power of law and the power of people in defense of human rights and the environment, which they define as "earth rights."