Pourquoi la CGLQ a-t-elle demandé le statut consultatif à l'ECOSOC ?

Le statut consultatif auprès de l'ECOSOC permet à une ONG de participer officiellement aux travaux des Nations Unies : présenter des rapports, organiser des événements et faire entendre la voix des personnes LGBT sur la scène internationale.

Pourquoi le Comité des ONG a-t-il initialement refusé la demande ?

Plusieurs États membres du Comité des ONG se sont opposés à l'octroi du statut consultatif à des organisations travaillant sur les questions d'orientation sexuelle, car l'homosexualité était alors criminalisée dans plus de 80 pays.

Comment la CGLQ a-t-elle finalement obtenu le statut ?

Après le refus du Comité des ONG, la CGLQ s'est adressée directement à l'ECOSOC, qui a voté en juillet 2007 en faveur de l'octroi du statut consultatif à la CGLQ.

February 27, 2026 Reading time: 7 min

ECOSOC History – CGLQ's Efforts at the UN

In brief: CGLQ undertook a lengthy process to obtain consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Despite an initial rejection by the NGO Committee in 2007, the Economic and Social Council ultimately granted this status to CGLQ in July 2007, making it the only Quebec LGBT NGO accredited by the UN.

Background to the application

The Coalition gaie et lesbienne du Québec (CGLQ), a nonprofit organization founded in 1992 with a mission to promote, represent and defend the rights of Quebec's gay and lesbian community, submitted an application for consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This initiative was part of a broader movement by several international LGBT organizations seeking an official voice within the UN system.

Consultative status allows nongovernmental organizations to present oral and written reports at UN meetings, organize events on UN premises and share their analyses of the abuse and discrimination experienced by LGBT people around the world.

Review by the NGO Committee

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, a subsidiary body of ECOSOC, is responsible for reviewing applications for consultative status. During its 2007 regular session, the Committee reviewed 23 applications at its 11^th and 12^th meetings.

The Committee recommended general consultative status for the organization “International Cooperation for Development and Solidarity,” which already held special consultative status, and special consultative status for three other organizations. However, following a vote, it declined to recommend this status for CGLQ.

Document reference: ECOSOC/6254, NGO/615 – Department of Public Information, News and Media Accreditation Service, New York.

The hearing and initial rejection

CGLQ Executive Director Me Yvan Lapointe was questioned twice by members of the NGO Committee regarding the organization's application for consultative status.

As Me Lapointe reported in December 2006: “It emerged very clearly from these two discussions with Committee members that several countries are still not ready to discuss sexual orientation. Many of them are very afraid that the equal rights achieved in some countries, such as Canada, will lead to increased demands in their own countries.”

It should be remembered that, at the time, homosexuality was still criminalized in more than 80 countries and punishable by death in about ten countries. This rejection clearly demonstrated that the efforts of LGBT NGOs remained necessary to have sexual orientation recognized as a fundamental human right.

The ECOSOC vote

Faced with the NGO Committee's rejection, CGLQ had to appeal directly to the UN Economic and Social Council to obtain consultative status. ECOSOC, composed of 54 Member States, has the power to overturn negative recommendations from its NGO Committee.

This appeal process was shared by several LGBT organizations during this period. In December 2006, ECOSOC had already overturned negative recommendations to grant status to the Danish National Association for Gay and Lesbians, ILGA-Europe and the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany.

The 2007 victory

In July 2007, ECOSOC ultimately granted consultative status to CGLQ, as well as to the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights (RFSL). This decision represented a major victory for the inclusion of LGBT voices within the United Nations system.

Since then, CGLQ has remained the only Quebec LGBT NGO with observer and reporting status at ECOSOC. This privilege allows it to report discrimination, violence and inequality affecting LGBT people to international institutions.

ILGA panel recording

A recording of Me Yvan Lapointe's speech at the ILGA panel on ECOSOC and the United Nations Human Rights Council (October 2006) is available online.

Audio link: listen to the recording of the ILGA-ECOSOC panel (MPG format)

Frequently asked questions about ECOSOC history

Why did CGLQ apply for ECOSOC consultative status?

ECOSOC consultative status allows an NGO to participate officially in the work of the United Nations: submitting reports, organizing events and making the voices of LGBT people heard internationally. CGLQ wanted access to this tool to report discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Why did the NGO Committee initially reject the application?

Several Member States on the NGO Committee opposed granting consultative status to organizations working on sexual orientation issues. Since homosexuality was then criminalized in more than 80 countries, some governments feared that UN recognition of these NGOs would encourage demands for equality in their own countries.

How did CGLQ ultimately obtain status?

After the NGO Committee's rejection, CGLQ appealed directly to ECOSOC, which has the power to overturn negative recommendations from its subsidiary body. In July 2007, ECOSOC voted to grant CGLQ consultative status, affirming that discrimination has no place within the United Nations system.