The UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, in charge of granting NGOs UN-accreditation, is currently meeting in New York. UN NGO status allows NGOs to participate in UN meetings, and can include circulating documents on the official UN website and speaking rights.
The UN NGO body that accredits NGOs includes countries infamous for NGO harassment and intimidation: China, Cuba, Iran, Mauritania, Russia, Pakistan, Sudan and Venezuela. They frequently manage to derail many applications of western NGOs.
On January 29, 2015 the Committee reviewed an application from the WARBE Development Foundation, based in Bangladesh and co-founded by the European Union. The organization is working "to improve the lives of those migrating" and "ease the suffering of victims of exploitation". Iran, the Committee's newly-elected Vice-Chair, responded to the application by asking a question "about the way the organization elects its members." As a result, the decision on UN accreditation was postponed.
China blocked decision on the Coordination of Associations and People for Freedom of Conscience, a French-based NGO on the grounds that the organization has "a surplus" and China wanted to know what it is being used for. China also blocked decision on the Advocates for International Development, an NGO from the United Kingdom and demanded it "use the correct United Nations terminology for Taiwan Province of China."
Further, Cuba blocked the application of the United States-based Center for Media and Peace Initiative. The Center is working on "the promotion of conflict-resolving media practice around the world primarily through training of media professionals." Cuba postponed the Center's application by asking questions on "courses held by the Center in Sierra Leone" and on a "Seminar on women in media."