UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC)

Subject: International Organizations

Context: India has been elected to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, ECOSOC for the term 2022-24.

Concept:

The UN Charter established ECOSOC in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the United Nations.
The Council consists of 54 Members States, which are elected yearly by the General Assembly for overlapping three-year terms.
Seats on the Council are allotted based on geographical representation with 14 allocated to African states, 11 to Asian states, six to eastern European states, 10 to Latin American and Caribbean states and 13 to western European and other states.

Mandate:

It is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, forging consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals.
It is also responsible for the follow-up to major UN conferences and summits.

ECOSOC’s annual High-Level Segment includes:

High-Level Political Forum, which reviews implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is convened under the auspices of the Council every July.
Development Cooperation Forum reviews trends and progress in development cooperation.
Specialized agencies: The specialized agencies of the United Nations are autonomous organizations working within the United Nations System, meaning that while they report their activities to the Economic and Social Council, they are mostly free to their own devices.