UN COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

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Context:  Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj accepted the chairpersonship at the UN Headquarters in New York .

Details:

• This is the first time since 1975 that India has become Chair of the Commission for Social Development

About:

• The Commission for Social Development is a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council.
• The Commission serves as the primary inter-governmental body to deliberate upon and strengthen international cooperation on social development issues, according to the official release.
• The 62nd session’s theme is “Fostering Social Development and Social Justice through Social Policies to accelerate Progress on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to achieve the overarching goal of poverty eradication”.
• The theme emphasises the important connection between social development and social justice as fundamentals to achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
• The Commission for Social Development’s main responsibility is to review, on a periodic basis, issues related to the follow-up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development and the outcome of the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly.

Purpose:

• Since the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995, the Commission for Social Development (CSocD) has been the key United Nations body in charge of the follow up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action.
• Originally known as the Social Commission but renamed in 1966, CSocD was established by ECOSOC res. 10 (II) (1946).
• Its purpose was to advise ECOSOC on social policies of a general character and, in particular, on all matters in the social field not covered by the specialized inter-governmental agencies.
• Since 2006, the Commission has taken up key social development themes as part of its follow up to the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit.

Meetings:

• CSocD meets annually in New York, usually in February.

Membership:

• Originally 18, membership has been increased several times, most recently in 1996, and now stands at 46.
• Members are elected by ECOSOC based on the equitable geographical distribution for four-year terms.
• Until 2002, terms began on 1 January and ended on 31 December.
• Under ECOSOC decision 2002/210, terms now begin immediately after the Commission’s regular session and end at the conclusion of a regular session.

Bureau:

• The Bureau comprises a chair and four vice-chairs.
• Bureau members are elected by the Commission at the first meeting of a regular session, held immediately after the end of a regular session for the sole purpose of electing a new bureau.

https://theprint.in/world/india-elected-chair-of-62nd-session-of-un-commission-for-social-development/1375861/