Difference between revisions of "United Nations Economic and Social Council" - New World Encyclopedia
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ECOSOC has 54 members, elected by the General Assembly for staggered three-year terms. ECOSOC coordinates the work of fifteen specialized agencies, ten functional commissions and five regional commissions. In addition the Council receives reports from eleven UN funds and programs. Also, ECOSOC consults with representatives from private sector, academics and 2,100 registered nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). | ECOSOC has 54 members, elected by the General Assembly for staggered three-year terms. ECOSOC coordinates the work of fifteen specialized agencies, ten functional commissions and five regional commissions. In addition the Council receives reports from eleven UN funds and programs. Also, ECOSOC consults with representatives from private sector, academics and 2,100 registered nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). | ||
| − | ECOSOC meets once a year in July for a four week session, alternating between New York and Geneva, [[Switzerland]]. Since 1998, it has held another meeting each April with finance ministers heading key committees of the [[World Bank Group|World Bank]] and the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF)known as the Bretton Woods Institutions. The purpose of these meetings is to strengthen partnerships for achieving development goals. The General Council of the World Trade Organization and the Trade and Development Board of the [[UNCTAD|UN Convention on Trade and Development]] are now also participating in the meetings. | + | ECOSOC meets once a year in July for a four week session, alternating between New York and Geneva, [[Switzerland]]. Since 1998, it has held another meeting each April with finance ministers heading key committees of the [[World Bank Group|World Bank]] and the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) known as the Bretton Woods Institutions. The purpose of these meetings is to strengthen partnerships for achieving development goals. The General Council of the World Trade Organization and the Trade and Development Board of the [[UNCTAD|UN Convention on Trade and Development]] are now also participating in the meetings. |
Viewed separate from the specialized bodies it coordinates, ECOSOC’s functions include information gathering, advising member states, and formulating and making policy recommendations to the General Assembly and the member states. In addition, ECOSOC is well-positioned to provide policy coherence and coordinate the overlapping functions of the UN’s subsidiary bodies. It is in these roles that it is most active. | Viewed separate from the specialized bodies it coordinates, ECOSOC’s functions include information gathering, advising member states, and formulating and making policy recommendations to the General Assembly and the member states. In addition, ECOSOC is well-positioned to provide policy coherence and coordinate the overlapping functions of the UN’s subsidiary bodies. It is in these roles that it is most active. | ||
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== Functional Commissions == | == Functional Commissions == | ||
| + | Typically, the Functional Commissions of ECOSOC meet formally on an annual basis and focus their work on a multiyear plan to face issues that are relevant to their sphere of activity. Members of the Commissions work hard to negotiate consensus on the official hoped for solutions to problems the world faces related to their sphere of work. During the annual meetings, nongovernmental organizations affiliated with ECOSOC are invited to attend the Functional Commissions, give input on topics the NGOs have special knowledge of, lobby the delegations to the Commissions and sometimes hold parallel events. | ||
| + | Following are the Functional Commissions: | ||
*UN Commission for Social Development [http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd] | *UN Commission for Social Development [http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd] | ||
*UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs [http://www.unodc.org/unodc/cnd.html] | *UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs [http://www.unodc.org/unodc/cnd.html] | ||
| Line 54: | Line 56: | ||
== Regional Commissions == | == Regional Commissions == | ||
| + | The Regional Commissions meet within their specific region to deliberate on problems and issues unique to the respective regions. This gives the Regional Commissions opportunities to bring forth knowledge, experience and realities, seek solutions themselves but also communicate to ECOSOC and the Functional Commissions regarding matters within the regions. | ||
*United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) | *United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) | ||
*United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) | *United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) | ||
Revision as of 20:15, 19 May 2007
Template:Infobox UN
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations assists the General Assembly in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development. ECOSOC's broad mandate charges it with promotion of higher standards of living, full employment, identifying solutions to international problems of an economic, social or health nature, facilitating cooperation in the arenas of culture and education as well as fostering universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. This broad authority touches over 70% of the human and monetary resources of the whole UN system.
Organizational Structure and Pattern of Work
ECOSOC has 54 members, elected by the General Assembly for staggered three-year terms. ECOSOC coordinates the work of fifteen specialized agencies, ten functional commissions and five regional commissions. In addition the Council receives reports from eleven UN funds and programs. Also, ECOSOC consults with representatives from private sector, academics and 2,100 registered nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
ECOSOC meets once a year in July for a four week session, alternating between New York and Geneva, Switzerland. Since 1998, it has held another meeting each April with finance ministers heading key committees of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) known as the Bretton Woods Institutions. The purpose of these meetings is to strengthen partnerships for achieving development goals. The General Council of the World Trade Organization and the Trade and Development Board of the UN Convention on Trade and Development are now also participating in the meetings.
Viewed separate from the specialized bodies it coordinates, ECOSOC’s functions include information gathering, advising member states, and formulating and making policy recommendations to the General Assembly and the member states. In addition, ECOSOC is well-positioned to provide policy coherence and coordinate the overlapping functions of the UN’s subsidiary bodies. It is in these roles that it is most active.
President of ECOSOC
The 2007 president of ECOSOC is Dalius Čekuolis, of Lithuania. The president is elected for a one-year term and chosen from among the small or midsized powers represented on ECOSOC.
Reform
Amendments to the United Nations Charter expanded ECOSOC from 18 to 27 members in 1965, and to 54 members in 1971.
Through much of its history, ECOSOC has served primarily as a discussion vehicle for economic and social issues. ECOSOC had little authority to force action. So a number of member states were concerned that its utility was marginal. However, beginning in 1992, the US and other nations began an effort to make ECOSOC more relevant by strengthening its policy responsibilities in economic, social, and related fields, particularly in furthering development objectives.
The resulting reform made ECOSOC the oversight and policy setting body for UN operational development activities. The reform also established smaller executive boards for the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) The executive boards provide these agencies with operating guidance and promote more effective management. In addition, the reform gave ECOSOC a strong hand in ensuring that all relevant UN agencies coordinated their work on issues of common interest, such as narcotics control, human rights, poverty eradication and HIV/AIDS prevention.
One positive impact of this reform was that the UN development system began to respond more coherently and efficiently to humanitarian crises around the world. Former Secretary General Annan's recent reform initiatives made strengthening coordination among relief agencies a high priority.
Another constructive reform was the 1994 ECOSOC decision to authorize creation of a new joint UN program on HIV/AIDS. This program (UNAIDS) unified the existing AIDS-related resources and expertise of the World Health Organization, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNESCO, and the World Bank into one consolidated global program, eliminating duplication of effort and enhancing the ability of member states to cope with the AIDS pandemic. It began operating in January 1996.
Functional Commissions
Typically, the Functional Commissions of ECOSOC meet formally on an annual basis and focus their work on a multiyear plan to face issues that are relevant to their sphere of activity. Members of the Commissions work hard to negotiate consensus on the official hoped for solutions to problems the world faces related to their sphere of work. During the annual meetings, nongovernmental organizations affiliated with ECOSOC are invited to attend the Functional Commissions, give input on topics the NGOs have special knowledge of, lobby the delegations to the Commissions and sometimes hold parallel events.
Following are the Functional Commissions:
- UN Commission for Social Development [1]
- UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs [2]
- UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice[3]
- UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) [4]
- UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) [5]
- UN Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW) [6]
- UN Commission on Population and Development [7]
- UN Statistical Commission [8]
Regional Commissions
The Regional Commissions meet within their specific region to deliberate on problems and issues unique to the respective regions. This gives the Regional Commissions opportunities to bring forth knowledge, experience and realities, seek solutions themselves but also communicate to ECOSOC and the Functional Commissions regarding matters within the regions.
- United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)
- United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
- United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
- United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
- United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
Specialized Agencies
The Specialized Agencies are autonomous organizations working with the United Nations and each other, inter alia through the coordinating machinery of the Economic and Social Council.
- ILO - International Labour Organization
- FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization
- UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
- WHO - World Health Organization
- World Bank Group
- IBRD - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- IDA - International Development Association
- IFC - International Finance Corporation
- MIGA - Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
- ICSID - International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
- IMF - International Monetary Fund
- ICAO - International Civil Aviation Organization
- IMO - International Maritime Organization
- ITU - International Telecommunication Union
- UPU - Universal Postal Union
- WMO - World Meteorological Organization
- WIPO - World Intellectual Property Organization
- IFAD - International Fund for Agricultural Development
- UNICEF - United Nations Children Fund
- UNIDO - United Nations Industrial Development Organization
- UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
- IRO - International Refugee Organization(ceased to exist in 1952)
- INCB - International Narcotics Control Board
Other Entities
- United Nations Forum on Forests
- Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII)
- Sessional and Standing Committees Expert, ad hoc and related bodies
Consultative status
- See Consultative Status. See also Union of International Associations
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
See also
- United Nations System
- UN General Assembly
- UN Security Council
- UN Trusteeship Council
- UN Secretariat
- International Court of Justice
- Copenhagen Consensus
- French Economic and Social Council; Economic and Social Committee of the European Union
External links
- United Nations Economic and Social Council
- United Nations Economic and Social Development page
- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
- Congo - Conference of UN NGO's
- Global Policy Forum - Social and Economic Policy at the UN
- United Nations - Official site
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