The Growth in the Numbers of NGOs Accredited to
the UN Economic and Social Council in Each Year
Number
of NGOs
4,500
4,000
3,500
All NGOs
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
General and
Special Status
500
General Status
0
1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
General Status: having a large membership and working on most ECOSOC questions
Special Status: large regional/national NGOs or specialist NGOs of high status
All NGOs: including also the ECOSOC Roster of small or very specialist NGOs
This graph may be freely used and reproduced, provided that the author’s name and the web page, are
cited as follows
Peter Willetts, “Information on Consultative Status for NGOs with the UN Economic and Social
Council”, at www.staff.city.ac.uk/p.willetts/NGOS/NGO-HOME.HTM
In addition, if use is desired for commercial purposes, the author should be informed ( p dot willetts at
city dot ac dot uk), but no charge will be made.
Complete lists of all NGOs accredited to ECOSOC, for each year from 1999 to 2014, are also available
from links at www.staff.city.ac.uk/p.willetts/NGOS/NGO-HOME.HTM#CSECOSOC.
 Peter Willetts, May 2015.