The Kids First Fund, a U.S.-based not-for-profit organization aimed at helping abused and abandoned children in Latvia, has been granted special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, the fund announced Sept. 6.

“This designation opens the door for the Kids First Fund to help contribute to the creation of policy on issues related to children’s rights worldwide,” fund President Jay Sorensen said in a press release. “The United Nations also may engage the Kids First Fund in supporting the action plans and declarations adopted by the United Nations.”

The status allows the fund to designate official representatives to the United Nations headquarters in New York and to U.N. offices in Geneva and Vienna. Board members John DeGregorio, Rogers Grigulis, Irma Kalniņa and Sorensen will be the designated Kids First Fund representatives.

The Kids First Fund, as an organization under the special category of consultative status, may circulate position statements at Economic and Social Council meetings. Organizations granted status also may attend General Assembly special sessions and international conferences called by the United Nations. More than 2,700 nongovernmental organizations have consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.