Russian muftiate received special status at the UN
The Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia (DSMR) received a special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the chairman of the meeting, Mufti Albir Krganov, told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
“We are grateful to the committee for making such a positive decision. Another NGO of Russia, represented by the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia, received this high status, which gives us the opportunity to take part in various kinds of meetings, taking into account the fact that we have already passed accreditation as an organization they know.
We work on other platforms, in particular, the OSCE, not to mention interreligious and Islamic international organizations – this gives us the opportunity to convey to experts, to respected members of organizations, opinions on certain topical issues that concern people today of all countries, ”said Krganov.
The JSMR website notes that the decision was made on the basis of the recommendation of the UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations dated July 21, 2021.
The mufti noted that at the UN level he would raise the issue of providing medicines to patients with orphan diseases in countries that do not have sufficient funds for this. Previously, he was included in the expert council of the Circle of Kindness fund for seriously ill children.
Consultative status with ECOSOC, according to information on the UN website, provides non-governmental organizations with the opportunity to interact with many of the UN subsidiary bodies and structures dealing with human rights issues and special groups, for example, on small arms. NGOs also get access to special events organized by the Chairman of the General Assembly.
ECOSOC is the main body responsible for coordinating the economic and social activities of the UN and the organizations within its system. It is central to the UN system’s efforts to advance all three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental. Among the functions of the council is assistance in solving international socio-economic problems and issues of protecting human health, international cooperation in the field of culture and education.
The council has 54 members who serve for three years. The council holds several short organizational sessions each year, with frequent participation from civil society, and a four-week substantive session in July, alternating between Geneva and New York. “Prior to this act, we also took part in various UN events – we were in Geneva and in the United States,” said Krganov in a conversation with RIA Novosti.
