ENB:11:01
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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.