Economic and Social Council

Structure… 54 member nations, elected by the General Assembly Seats are chosen by geographic region… 14 to Africa 11 to Asia 6 to Eastern Europe 10 to Latin America & Caribbean 13 to Western Europe & other States

Mission… Four goals… promote higher standards of living, full employment identify solutions to economic, social and health problems facilitate international cultural and educational cooperation encourage universal respect for human rights

Organization… Headed by a president elected for a one-year term Meets once a year for four weeks in July Also meets in the spring with finance ministers of the World Bank and IMF Alternates meeting in New York and Geneva Did you know… meeting room in NYC was donated by Sweden

Organization… Five regional commissions that address development needs specific to its area Commissions on specific topics, such as crime prevention, sustainable development, population, women

Specialized Agencies Are autonomous; their work is coordinated through ECOSOC Examples include… World Health Organization Food & Agriculture Organization World Bank World Meteorological Organization International Maritime Organization Universal Postal Union

Programs and Funds UN Environmental Program United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) UN Population Fund Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees World Food Program

International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights Adopted Dec. 1966; entered into force 1976

Includes right to employment and a fair wage, health, adequate standard of living, education Countries/people have the right to self-determination Along with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights, is considered part of the International Bill of Rights

Nobel Peace Prizes 1954 Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees 1965 UNICEF 1969 International Labor Organization to emphasize the link between social justice and peace 1981 Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees

UNICEF In Bulgaria… after floods in summer 2005, worked with Bulgarian government to deliver clean water, sanitation equipment & other supplies Helped to train teachers and other professionals to spot and prevent violence among children

Convention on the Rights of Child html html Adopted by the UN in 1989 It has been ratified by 194 nations; of those 190 are UN member nations United States and Somalia have not ratified the Convention

Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF… David Beckham F-9QrUo&feature=related Appointed 2005 Traveled to Sierra Leone 2008

UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Leader of International Decades Int’l Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

United Nations Designations International Year of Youth International Decade for Action – Water for Life

Sources