Context:
India Elected to UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2026-28 Term
UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC):
- Headquarters: Located in New York, USA.
- Established: Created in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the United Nations (UN).
- Purpose: Serves as the primary platform for global dialogue, consensus-building, and coordination to achieve international development goals.
- Total Members: 54 nations.
- Election Process:
- 18 members elected annually by the UN General Assembly.
- Members serve 3-year terms.
- Voting Rights: Each member nation has 1 vote.
- Functions & Responsibilities –
- Coordination of UN Entities – Oversees 14 UN specialized agencies, 10 functional commissions, and 5 regional commissions.
- Ensures harmonized international efforts across various sectors.
- Policy Recommendations – Reviews reports from nine UN funds and programs.
- Provides policy directives to the UN system and member states.
- Key Mandates Under the UN Charter –
- Economic & Social Development: Works toward higher living standards, full employment, and overall progress.
- Global Problem-Solving: Identifies solutions for economic, social, and health challenges.
- Cultural & Educational Cooperation: Facilitates global collaboration in culture and education.
- Human Rights & Fundamental Freedoms: Promotes universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Source: BS
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
1. The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) has a ‘Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air.
2. The UNCAC is the ever-first legally binding global anti-corruption instrument.
3. A highlight of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) is the inclusion of a specific chapter aimed at returning assets to their rightful owners from whom they had been taken illicitly.
4. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is mandated by its member states to assist in the implementation of both UNCAC AND UNTOC.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
The protocol against the smuggling of Migrants by land, sea and air comes under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and not UNCAC. United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) includes “Returning Assets to their rightful owners from whom they have been taken illicitly”.