The Pan Pacific and South East Asia Women’s Association (PPSEAWA International) is a non-governmental organization that holds Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1953. PPSEAWA Representatives to the United Nations are granted access to UN premises through annual Grounds Passes to participate in ECOSOC’s work on global economic and social issues. NGOs with special consultative status also can submit written statements for consideration by Member States at ECOSOC forums. For example, I drafted PPSEAWA’s written statement to ECOSOC on the impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic - poverty and hunger, health, decent work, responsible environmental practices, and the increase of gender-based violence - in 2021.
PPSEAWA International is a member of CoNGO, the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. CoNGO is the bridge between the High Level UN Officials and civil society, ensuring NGOs are present at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Geneva, and Vienna. There are 525 member organizations from around the world and 106 associate members in CoNGO.
CoNGO provides regular consultation meetings so NGOs can engage with High-Level UN officials - a direct result of the collaboration during 2021-2025 between Liberato Bautista, CoNGO President, and Mr. Wook-Jin Chang, Chief, NGO Branch, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) at the United Nations. One example of a consultation meeting is the Informal Briefing of Third Committee Chair with Civil Society Organizations in Consultative Status with ECOSOC on the Sidelines of the 77th Session of the General Assembly that I attended on 11 October 2022. The Third Committee discussed questions relating to the advancement of women, the protection of children, indigenous issues, the treatment of refugees, the promotion of fundamental freedoms through the elimination of racism/ racial discrimination/ xenophobia, and the right to self-determination. ECOSOC also resumed NGO Consultation Day on 13 December 2022, and I attended in PPSEAWA’s capacity as CoNGO Vice President-at-Large. CoNGO President Liberato Bautista petitioned for the inclusion of the physical, in-person presence of accredited NGO representatives at UN conferences, consultations, and meetings in the era of the shrinking space for civil society. He also asked that Member States “be open and welcoming to the monitoring and advocacy initiatives of NGOs, both within and outside UN premises”.
Regional Commission in Asia Pacific (CoNGO RCAP)
PPSEAWA helped to establish the Regional Committee in the Asia Pacific (CoNGO RCAP). Mondhiya Bhangsbha, PPSEAWA International President, serves on the Steering Committee. RCAP’s aim is to facilitate participation of civil society organizations in UN activities, cooperate with UNESCAP, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and to review regional and local implementation of the UN’s sustainable and humanitarian development goals.
Work of CoNGO Board Standing Committees
I was appointed in April, 2021, as a PPSEAWA International Representative to CoNGO. PPSEAWA was elected to the CoNGO Board of Directors a few months later, during the 27th CoNGO General Assembly. PPSEAWA served as a Vice-President-at-Large from 2021-2025, then we were elected for a second consecutive term during the 28th CoNGO General Assembly of 27-29 October 2025, continuing as a Vice President-at-Large on the CoNGO Board from 2025-2029.
PPSEAWA participates in two out of four CoNGO Board Standing Committees, on Substantive Committees and on the Agenda 2030 Implementation:
CoNGO Board Standing Committee on Substantive Committees
Its purpose is to elevate the work of NGO Committees around specific UN campaigns and issues. It also provides forums for dialogue between Member States, High Level UN Officials, and NGOs.
- In 2022, committee members confirmed the list of active NGO Committees at the UN in New York, Vienna, and Geneva and reviewed their work.
- In 2023, we organized a CoNGO Global Webinar on “UN-NGO Relations: Enhancing Multilateralism, Protecting NGO Access, Civic Space, and Democratic Discourse” on 27 October.
- In 2024, we reviewed reports from several substantive committees, available on the CoNGO website.
- In 2025, we planned the Summit of NGO Committees, held on 24 June at the UN Church Center.
CoNGO Board Standing Committee on Agenda 2030 Implementation
- In 2022, committee members discussed CoNGO’s role at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in July.
- In 2023, we organized a CoNGO Global Webinar on “Pursuing Global Justice: Agenda 2030, sustainable development, and humanitarian action” on 5 June 2023. We also prepared statements for the SDG Summit during the General Assembly in September.
In 2024, we reviewed the Zero Draft of the Pact for the Future and prepared a commentary from civil society viewpoint for the upcoming Summit of the Future at the UN in September.
Endorsing Joint Statements to the United Nations
PPSEAWA’s membership in CoNGO has increased our collaborations with other organizations around substantive matters aligned with the advancement of gender equality and concerns in the Asia Pacific region. For example, PPSEAWA International endorsed the following joint statements to the United Nations:
- 2021. NGO Statement to the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, in Glasgow on the “Challenges of Climate Change” calling for governments to take immediate measures and actions to mitigate, and adapt to climate change, especially to ensure the most vulnerable members do not bear the burnt of the climate crisis;
- 2022. Statement to the Sixtieth Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development, (CSocD60) affirming Inclusive and resilient recovery from COVID-19 for sustainable livelihoods, well-being and dignity for all: eradicating poverty and hunger in all its forms;
- 2022. Statement Against the War in Ukraine, and denouncing the use of gender-based sexual violence as a war tactic;
- 2022. Statement to the 55th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD55) urging countries, businesses, and development agencies to act now to ensure that economies and workplaces meet and enable human rights standards, including gender equality;
- 2023. Statement Supporting the Full and Productive Employment and Decent Work for Women, calling for measures to prevent and protect against gender-based discrimination and violence in the workplace, at the 61st Session of the United Nations Commission on Social Development (CSocD61);
- 2024. PPSEAWA signed a petition calling for a United Nations Convention to protect the human rights of older persons, which was presented during the 14th Session of the United Nations Open-ended Working Group on Ageing;
- 2025. International Women’s Day Statement 2025, calling on Member States to ensure immediate legal action to protect all women and girls from the risks presented by AI and all other forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), at the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women;
- 2025. Appeal for a Nuclear Abolition Day, presented to the UN High Level Plenary Meeting on the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on September 26 and to the plenary meeting of the UN First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), of Member States to discuss disarmament issues and resolutions to be adopted by the UN General Assembly;
- 2025. PPSEAWA signed the “No Peace Without Women Petition” to call on the UN Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, World leaders, governments, the United Nations, and regional organizations to take immediate and measurable action to fully implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS agenda) and CEDAW General Recommendation No. 40 - this petition will be delivered to the UN Secretary-General, UN Security Council, and regional bodies (AU, EU, League of Arab States, OAS, ASEAN) ahead of CSW70 2026.
These joint statements give testimony to CoNGO’s strength - to bring diverse NGOs working in consultation with the United Nations, in cooperation with each other towards the implementation of agreed-upon UN Goals.