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Summary notes for NGO communications concerning human rights situations Subject terms for NGO communications concerning human rights situations: geographic linkage
The
document symbols for NGO written statements in some document series
include the
acronym NGO.
Assign the Content Code B21 to NGO communications
or statements issued as individual documents, and to documents
compiling
communications from non-governmental organizations. Do not assign the code B21 to applications
for NGO consultative status.
Assign Content
Code A20 in
addition to
code B21 when NGO written
statements
transmit text of adopted declarations, and assign the topical subject (tag 650) DECLARATIONS (TEXT). Uniform
title authority records are not systematically established for
declarations of
non-governmental organizations, but they are generally established for
declarations with distinctive titles adopted at conferences or seminars.
If
the fact that a document contains an NGO communication is not evident
in the
document title (tag 245), add a note (tag 520)
identifying
the organization responsible for the document contents (see example 2).
Phrases
concerning the consultative status category of
organizations are generally omitted from statements of responsibility
transcribed in tag 245
subfield $c, by customary
UNBIS practice (see
examples 3 and 4).
Do not assign the topical subject (tag 650) NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS when non-governmental organizations are the authors, but not the subjects, of documents.
089 $b B21 089 $b B21 In Example 2, the indexer's note identifies the non-governmental organization transmitting the written statement, since it is not specified in the document title.
Example 3: Single NGO communication 089 $b B21 In Example 3,
statement of responsibility
appears on document as: Exposición escrita presentada por la Asociación
Americana de Juristas, organización no gubernamental reconocida como
entidad consultiva
especial. The phrase concerning consultative status of the organization
is
omitted from 245 $c.
Example 4: NGO communication transmitting a declaration 089 $b B21 In Example 4,
statement of responsibility
appears on document as: Statement submitted by Sulabh International, a
non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic
and
Social Council. The phrase concerning consultative status of the
organization
is omitted from 245 $c.
Example 5: Applications for NGO consultative status 089 $b B19 In Example 5,
non-governmental organizations are subjects but not authors of the
document.
NGO written statements are often issued under an agenda item title that is more general than the specific topic of the written statement (see, for instance, example no. 3 above). Usually, neither a specific title for the written statement nor a summary appears on the document title page. In that case, the indexer should analyze the written statement and summarize the subject matter or describe the contents in a summary/annotation note (tag 520). Since NGO written statements are usually issued unedited, and without summaries or specific titles, analysis of their contents is sometimes challenging; it is helpful to focus on introductory paragraphs and closing statements in determining the specific subject.
In some cases a specific title for the written statement may be provided by the submitting organization, as part of the submitted text. If the title of the written statement is precise and specific, the indexer may choose to quote it (preceded by an introductory phrase such as Transmits communication entitled "…") or reformulate it in the summary note. Titles of NGO statements are generally not recorded in a Contents Note (tag 505) or variant title field (tag 246).
Formulating
a clear summary/annotation note to describe the specific subject or
contents of
a written communication is helpful in selecting appropriate subject
terms. As a
general rule, the subject terms selected should reflect the
summary/annotation
note and not necessarily the more general agenda item title appearing
on the
title page. Summary notes describing the contents of written statements commonly begin with the word Concerns but other introductory verbs are used if appropriate, e.g.: Addresses, Affirms, Alleges that, Asserts that, Calls for, Calls upon, Charges that, Condemns, Discusses, Draws attention to, Expresses, Presents, Recommends, Requests, States that, Transmits, Urges, etc.
Summary notes for NGO communications concerning human rights situations In formulating summary notes for NGO written statements that concern human rights issues in specific countries, the indexer should use language that is as neutral as possible, especially since titles and contents of NGO communications may contain language that is strongly negative or critical. Accusations of human rights violations such as torture, summary or arbitrary executions, arbitrary detention, etc., should either be (a) referred to with neutral language in summary notes (prisoner treatment, treatment of detainees, human rights situation in…, situation of …., etc.; (b) qualified with terms or phrases such as alleged, allegedly, allegations of, reports of, reported cases of, issue of, problem of, question of, etc.; or (c) it should be clearly indicated that the language is that of the submitting NGO either by citing text between quotation marks or by using introductory phrases such as Asserts that…, States that…, Charges that…, etc. The standard summary note for a written statement concerning a human rights situation in a country, without evident focus on a particular aspect or aspects, is: 520 $a Concerns human rights situation in [country]. When a written statement concerns a general human rights situation, but then focuses on a specific aspect, a useful formulation for summary notes is: 520 $a Concerns [general human rights issue], with particular reference to [specific aspect]. If a written communication transmits a statement bearing a distinctive title (e.g. Statement on…, Declaration on…) consider citing the transmitted statement between quotation marks instead of formulating a summary note. Example: A/HRC/11/NGO/48 245 10 $a Human
rights situation in Palestine
and other occupied Arab territories : $b written statement
520 $a Concerns
human rights situation in Uzbekistan. 520 $a Alleges that
violent crimes are committed by state officials in Myanmar as a result
of absence of
rule of law. 520 $a Transmits
communication entitled "Religious freedom and political prisoners in
Tibet". 520 $a Concerns the right to housing in China, with particular reference to the human rights impact of forced evictions. For more examples, please follow this . Subject terms for NGO
communications concerning human
rights situations: geographic linkage In general, "negative" terms for human rights violations (HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT, SUMMARY EXECUTIONS, ARBITRARY EXECUTIONS, ARBITRARY DETENTION, RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, etc.) are not linked with geographic terms for countries. "Neutral" terms are linked with geographic terms for countries: HUMAN RIGHTS, PRISONER TREATMENT, DETAINED PERSONS, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, ARMED INCIDENTS, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, RACE RELATIONS, etc. Examples of geographic linkage: 650 17 $a PRISONER
TREATMENT
Maintained
by the Department of Public Information (DPI), Dag Hammarskjöld
Library. Comments as well as suggestions for further
additions/enhancements may be directed to the Dag Hammarskjöld Library.
Last updated: 16 October 2009 |