United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC)
iasparliament
June 09, 2025
Prelims : Current events of National and International Importance
Why in News?
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently announced that India has been elected to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations for the term 2026-28.
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the six main organs of the United Nations (UN).
Aim– It is responsible for coordinating the UN's work on economic, social, cultural, humanitarian, and health issues.
Established by - UN Charter.
It is to advance the 3 dimensions of sustainable development - economic, social, and environmental.
It is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, forging consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed-upon goals.
It is also responsible for the follow-up to major UN conferences and summits.
Member States -ECOSOC is composed of 54 members, elected by the UN General Assembly for three-year terms.
It oversees several important bodies, including the 14 UN specialized agencies, 10 functional commissions, and 5 regional commissions.
Additionally, ECOSOC receives reports from nine UN funds and programs and issues policy recommendations.
Recent happenings- India has been recently elected to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations for the term 2026-28.
Earlier, the Permanent Mission of India at the United Nations marked Dr BR Ambedkar's 135th birth anniversary with a special commemorative event at the UN headquarters in New York, attended by global leaders.
The event centered around the theme "The timeless appeal of Dr Ambedkar's vision within the UN and beyond," underscoring his influence on both India and the global community."
