United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Photograph by Milton Grant
Wide view of the Economic and Social Council chamber. It was
designed by Sven Markelius of Sweden and was furnished by that country. The
galleries of the Council have 404 seats for the public and 40 for the press. 01
August 1982 United Nations, New York
The United Nations Economic and Social Council, or ECOSOC, was established in 1945. It is one of the six principal organs of the UN and was formed to manage international social and economic problems. This committee also presides over 14 specialized agencies, functional commissions, and five regional commissions. Members come from a variety of places from developed countries, like the United States, the United Kingdom, and China, to countries like Bangladesh, Cameroon, and Ghana, but it is the developing nations who are most affected by the work of this committee. These 54 countries are elected to the council by the General Assembly and will remain on the council for 3 years.
The goal of ECOSOC is to discuss social and economic issues and make suggestions for improvement. They focus on promoting better standards of living and full employment while progressing socially and economically. For example, in 2000, the UN set up the Millennium Developmental Goals in hopes of ending poverty around the world. Approximately 84.7% of people in urban areas of Bangladesh, for instance, live in the slums (“Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction (UPPR) Project”). Since 2000, the government of Bangladesh has collaborated with the UN to improve living conditions and lessen poverty for over 600,000 poor people in cities of Bangladesh. The Millennium Developmental Goals have made much progress since 2000, and the UN hopes to obtain these goals by 2015.
The ECOSCO also tries to find ways to solve economic, social, and health problems and to form a partnership with member states to maintain international culture and education. Furthermore, ECOSOC makes sure to promote individual and civil rights and freedoms for all. In order to deal with these issues, the committee may start studies or send out reports on the issues. They often set up international conferences and the follow-ups for them. To fund these different programs, the committee relies on donations from member governments
Every year, ECOSCO must do an Annual Ministerial Review. This review examines the progress made toward the goals of the committee and suggests ideas for improvement. During the review, there is an assessment of the United Nations Development Agenda, a thematic review, and presentations by different countries, developed and developing. Also, the Developmental Cooperation Forum occurs twice a year. During this conference, attendees look at progress and any trends in developmental cooperation.
ECOSOC has had a significant impact and has played a key role in reform all over the world. As mentioned earlier, the Millennium Developmental Goals have successfully helped developing and impoverished countries to give a better life to those living in very poor living conditions. The fight against poverty continues to be a key issue today. Also, in 2010, ECOSCO had a ground breaking session where they focused on gender equality and the rights of women, which they believe will bring more peace and acceptance to the world community.
Works Cited
“Annual Ministerial Review.” http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/amr/index.shtml.
“Background Information.” http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/about/.
“Development Cooperation Forum.”
http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/newfunct/develop.shtml.