4.5 Working  with  civil society
The direct involvement of people, individually and through non- governmental organizations and other organs of civil society, is essential to the realization of human rights. The Universal Declaration placed the realiza- tion of those rights squarely in the hands of “every individual and every organ of society”. Indeed, the history of human rights protection reflects the collective actions of individuals and organizations. The participation and con- tribution of all sectors of civil society are vital to the advancement of human rights .

a. NGOs and ECOSOC
Article 71 of the Charter of the United Nations provides for consultations between the Economic and Social Council and non-governmental organiza- tions. Several hundred international non-governmental organizations have received consultative status under this Article, which permits them to attend public meetings of the Council, the Commission on Human Rights and the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights as observers, and, in accordance with the rules established by the Council, to make oral statements and submit written documents. NGOs also sit as observers at public working group sessions of  these bodies.
In their interventions at such meetings, the non-governmental organizations place emphasis on human rights situations requiring action on the part of the United Nations and suggest studies which should be carried out and instru-