September 03, 2025
Sailors for the Sea Japan obtained consultative status from United Nations Economic and Social Council
At the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) meeting held on July 29, 2025, it was decided to grant consultative status to Sailors for the Sea Japan（SFSJ）.
ECOSOC is one of the three UN councils that discusses and makes recommendations on international issues in the economic and social fields. NGOs that have obtained consultative status are permitted to participate in official and informal meetings, including the UN General Assembly, express opinions in writing and verbally, and host side events.
The United Nations has strengthened its relationships with many NGOs and made efforts to utilize their knowledge in order to solve a wide range of complex and urgent global issues. ECOSOC is the only major UN body that accredits NGOs to participate in UN consultations, and through this framework, the UN obtains valuable expert advice from NGOs. NGOs also have the opportunity to express their views and make recommendations to the Council.
As of August 2025, 6,657 NGOs worldwide have obtained consultative status with ECOSOC, making them important partners of the United Nations. In Japan, 80 organizations have obtained this status, and SFSJ is the first NGO in Japan specializing in the ocean conservation.
Specifically, going forward, SFSJ will have the following rights:
-Participation in UN sessions, events, and conferences at the UN Headquarters in New York, the Geneva Office, and the Vienna Office -Submission of written statements -Presentation to the council -Consultation with the council -Use of UN facilities -Hosting of side events
SFSJ has been eligible to participate in UN ocean-related conferences, and has actively participated in such events as cooperating in organizing a side event at the UN General Assembly held in New York in 2019, giving a speech in the plenary hall and speaking at an official side event at the 2nd UN Ocean Conference held in Lisbon, Portugal in 2022, and speaking at an official side event at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference held in Nice, France in 2025.
In addition, in 2021, our “Blue Seafood Guide” was selected as an example of social implementation in “UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development”.
We would like to utilize this newly granted status to further continue our studies and efforts to address ocean environmental issues from a global perspective, blue economy development, and tackle issues facing the international community.
ECOSOC is one of the three UN councils that discusses and makes recommendations on international issues in the economic and social fields. NGOs that have obtained consultative status are permitted to participate in official and informal meetings, including the UN General Assembly, express opinions in writing and verbally, and host side events.
The United Nations has strengthened its relationships with many NGOs and made efforts to utilize their knowledge in order to solve a wide range of complex and urgent global issues. ECOSOC is the only major UN body that accredits NGOs to participate in UN consultations, and through this framework, the UN obtains valuable expert advice from NGOs. NGOs also have the opportunity to express their views and make recommendations to the Council.
As of August 2025, 6,657 NGOs worldwide have obtained consultative status with ECOSOC, making them important partners of the United Nations. In Japan, 80 organizations have obtained this status, and SFSJ is the first NGO in Japan specializing in the ocean conservation.
Specifically, going forward, SFSJ will have the following rights:
-Participation in UN sessions, events, and conferences at the UN Headquarters in New York, the Geneva Office, and the Vienna Office -Submission of written statements -Presentation to the council -Consultation with the council -Use of UN facilities -Hosting of side events
SFSJ has been eligible to participate in UN ocean-related conferences, and has actively participated in such events as cooperating in organizing a side event at the UN General Assembly held in New York in 2019, giving a speech in the plenary hall and speaking at an official side event at the 2nd UN Ocean Conference held in Lisbon, Portugal in 2022, and speaking at an official side event at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference held in Nice, France in 2025.
In addition, in 2021, our “Blue Seafood Guide” was selected as an example of social implementation in “UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development”.
We would like to utilize this newly granted status to further continue our studies and efforts to address ocean environmental issues from a global perspective, blue economy development, and tackle issues facing the international community.
