United Nations Economic and Social Council facts for kids

"ECOSOC" redirects here. For the political ideology, see Eco-socialism.

Quick facts for kids United Nations Economic and Social Council

United Nations Economic and Social Council chamber at United Nations headquarters
Org type	Principal organ of the United Nations
Status	Active
Headquarters	New York City, United States; Geneva, Switzerland

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the six main parts of the United Nations. Its job is to help coordinate the UN's work on economic and social issues around the world. This includes working with many special agencies, commissions, and groups.

ECOSOC is a key place for countries to talk about global economic and social problems. They also create ideas and plans for UN member states and the wider UN system. It has 54 member countries. Also, over 1,600 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can join in ECOSOC's work.

ECOSOC meets once a year for four weeks in July. Since 1998, it also holds a meeting in April with important finance leaders. The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) also meets under ECOSOC. This forum checks how countries are doing with the Sustainable Development Goals, which are goals for a better future by 2030.

Leading ECOSOC
Who Are the Members?
ECOSOC's Commissions
- Functional Commissions
- Regional Commissions
Other Groups ECOSOC Works With
Specialized Agencies
Working for a Green Future
Making ECOSOC Better
The ECOSOC Meeting Room
See also

Leading ECOSOC

The person who leads ECOSOC is called the President. They are chosen for a one-year term. The President is usually from a small or medium-sized country. This job rotates among different world regions to make sure everyone gets a fair chance.

Paula Narváez from Chile became the 79th President of ECOSOC on July 27, 2023. She took over from Lachezara Stoeva.

Who Are the Members?

ECOSOC has 54 member countries. These countries are chosen by the United Nations General Assembly every year. They serve for three years, with terms that overlap. Seats are given out to make sure all parts of the world are fairly represented. Countries can be chosen again right after their term ends.

How Membership Changed Over Time

When the United Nations Charter was first signed in 1945, ECOSOC had 18 seats. There wasn't a formal system for choosing members yet. However, a pattern quickly formed for how seats were given out.

As more countries joined the United Nations, especially after many countries gained independence, this pattern started to change around 1961.

In 1965, the Charter was updated. ECOSOC grew to 27 seats. At this time, formal regional groups were introduced. The seats were divided among these groups:

7 seats for African countries
5 seats for Asian countries
3 seats for Eastern European countries
5 seats for Latin American and Caribbean countries
7 seats for Western European and other countries

In 1973, the Charter was changed again, and ECOSOC grew to 54 seats. The current seat distribution is:

14 seats for African countries
11 seats for Asia-Pacific countries
6 seats for Eastern European countries
10 seats for Latin American and Caribbean countries
13 seats for Western European and other countries

Current Members

Term	African States	Asia-Pacific States	Eastern European States	Latin American & Caribbean States	Western European & Other States
2024 – 2026	Kenya Mauritania Nigeria Senegal Zambia	Japan Nepal Pakistan	Poland Vacant	Haiti Paraguay Suriname Uruguay	France Germany Liechtenstein Spain Turkey United Kingdom
2023 – 2025	Botswana Cape Verde Cameroon Equatorial Guinea	China Laos Qatar Republic of Korea	Slovakia Slovenia	Brazil Colombia Costa Rica	Denmark New Zealand Sweden
2022 – 2024	Côte d'Ivoire Tunisia Tanzania Eswatini Mauritius	Afghanistan India Oman Kazakhstan	Croatia Czechia	Belize Chile Peru	Belgium Italy Canada United States

Other Organizations that Participate

Many other international organizations can also join ECOSOC's meetings. Some participate regularly, while others join for specific topics.

ECOSOC's Commissions

ECOSOC has different types of commissions that focus on specific areas.

Functional Commissions

These commissions deal with particular topics. Here are some active ones:

Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) - focuses on drug control.
Commission on Population and Development (CPD) - looks at population trends.
Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) - promotes science and technology.
Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) - works for gender equality.
Statistical Commission - deals with global statistics.
Commission for Social Development (CSocD) - focuses on social issues.
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) - works on preventing crime.
Forum on Forests (UNFF) - discusses forest management.

Some commissions have been replaced by new groups:

The Commission on Human Rights was replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006.
The Commission on Sustainable Development was replaced by the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in 2013.

Regional Commissions

These commissions focus on economic and social issues in specific regions of the world:

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) - for Europe.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) - for Africa.
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) - for Latin America and the Caribbean.
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) - for Asia and the Pacific.
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) - for Western Asia.

Other Groups ECOSOC Works With

ECOSOC also oversees other committees and expert groups. These groups help with planning, working with non-governmental organizations, and discussing important global topics like development, human rights, and managing information.

Specialized Agencies

The specialized agencies of the United Nations are independent organizations. They work within the UN system but manage their own activities. They report to ECOSOC, but they have their own ways of working. Some of these agencies existed before the UN was created! Others were started by the UN to help with new global needs.

Here are some of the specialized agencies that report to ECOSOC:

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) - works to end hunger.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) - sets rules for air travel.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) - helps poor people in rural areas.
International Labour Organization (ILO) - promotes fair working conditions.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) - helps with global money issues.
International Maritime Organization (IMO) - deals with shipping safety.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) - manages global communication.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - promotes education, science, and culture.
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) - helps countries develop industries.
United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) - promotes responsible tourism.
Universal Postal Union (UPU) - helps postal services work together.
World Bank Group (WBG) - provides money and advice to countries.
World Health Organization (WHO) - works for global health.
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) - protects inventions and creative works.
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) - deals with weather and climate.

Working for a Green Future

ECOSOC plays a role in talking about important global issues like climate change. For example, in 2011, a UN report called for a lot of money to be spent on "green technologies." These are technologies that help the environment. The report warned that using too many fossil fuels was harming our planet.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that growth and protecting the environment should work together. The report concluded that we cannot keep doing things the same way.

Making ECOSOC Better

The way global systems are managed can be very complex. This has sometimes made it hard for ECOSOC to have a big impact on international trade, money, and investment policies. Because of this, there have been ideas to improve ECOSOC and make it more effective.

In 2005, a big change was approved to make ECOSOC a better place for countries to talk about global trends and actions. The goal was to help countries, financial groups, businesses, and regular people work together. ECOSOC continues to adapt and improve how it helps the world.

The ECOSOC Meeting Room

The meeting room for the Economic and Social Council is in the United Nations Conference Building. It was a gift from Sweden. A Swedish architect named Sven Markelius designed it. Wood from Swedish pine trees was used for parts of the room.

You might notice that the pipes and ducts in the ceiling above where the public sits are visible. The architect wanted them to be seen. He believed that anything useful could be left uncovered. This "unfinished" ceiling is a symbol. It reminds everyone that the economic and social work of the United Nations is never truly finished. There is always more to do to make life better for people around the world.