United Nations: Economic and Social Development

UN and its affiliated agencies play an important role in the promotion of international co-operation in the economic and social fields. The United Nations considered that stable peace cannot be achieved without economic and social development of all nations.

Hence, much of the UN’s resources are devoted to economic and social activities. Since 1960 economic and social development of the newly independent poor countries has been the main preoccupation of the United Nations.

Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC)

The General Assembly provides general direction and supervision for economic and social activities. ECOSOC concentrates solely on this work and has operated with the assistance of functional commissions.

A few other bodies exist in the economic and social field which are not as directly subject to ECOSOC direction or control, but which are closely related to ECOSOC activities. These agencies include:

  1. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
  2. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
  3. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCR)
  4. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
  5. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
  6. World Food Programme
  7. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Development Assistance Activities

Established in 1965, UNDP is the leading development agency of the UN system. UNDP projects are:

  • Promoting gender equality
  • UNDP Food Security Programme has addressed the feminization of agriculture & women’s empowerment
  • It announced the establishment of a new UNDP Democratic Governance Trust Fund to launch programmes in public sector reform
  • Improving parliamentary system conflict prevention & peacebuilding in the least developed countries
  • UNDP in partnership with the Indian government has initiated a project in Kutch district to promote productive use of renewable energy
  • UNDP supported project on Community Health Financing Initiative
  • UNDP launched a new initiative to provide technology training in community education centres across the developing world

United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

Created in 1946, UNICEF concentrates exclusively on the task of improving the lot of disadvantaged children.

  • UNICEF has undertaken projects on health, education, malaria eradication, nutrition, rural development, family and child welfare and emergency aid to promote child welfare.
  • In recognition of its social and humanitarian efforts, UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.
  • It focuses on India in a very big way. 

Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

It concentrates on rural development, this Rome based agency works for alleviation of poverty & hunger by promoting agriculture development, improved nutrition, and easy access of food.

World Bank Group

The United Nation are the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) or World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Also called the Bretton Words institutions.

  • IMF provides temporary funds to aid governments in correcting balance of payment deficits.
  • The World Bank group is the largest multilateral source of funds for development projects for infrastructure development.
  • World Bank’s loan falls into two broad categories. Investment loans are long-term loans aimed to create the physical and social infrastructure necessary for poverty reduction and sustainable development.
  • Other sources of multilateral financing for development include regional banks - the Inter-American Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank.