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NGO ACTIVITIES:

During the intersessional period, NGOs are expected to pursue two objectives: raising awareness and assisting in the preparations at the national levels. Raising awareness will involve networking with other NGOs, especially environmental NGOs, to encourage broader participation at the next session of the PrepCom, and to ensure that considerations related to human settlements are on the agenda of forthcoming UN and other related conferences. Both "habitat" NGOs, such as Habitat International Coalition, and broader NGOs, such as the International Council of Women, are accredited to these conferences and are expected to provide technical expertise on these matters and to ensure that human settlements get on their agendas. Some NGOs have described themselves as the watchdogs of this process. While general recommendations are taken at the international level, implementation can only be carried out by the governments themselves. NGOs will attempt to ensure that the governments make good on their promises, and will provide information at the regional and local levels. Also at the national level, NGOs will make sure that the drafting of national plans of action (potentially the most important output of Habitat II) is carried out, and that they can take part in the process.