UPSC Mains 2017 GS Paper 2 Q10: model answer
What are the main functions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)? Explain different functional commissions attached to it.
What the question wants
Explain the main functions of the UN Economic and Social Council and its functional commissions.
How to structure it
Functions + commissions: factual question; be precise.
- ECOSOC
- Functions
- Functional commissions
- India
How to think it through
ECOSOC is one of the six principal organs under Chapter X of the Charter. It has 54 members elected for three years. Eight functional commissions. Name them all; marks are for precision.
Model answer
ECOSOC is one of the six principal organs of the UN, created by Chapter X of the Charter. It has 54 members elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms.
Main functions
- Coordinates the economic, social and environmental work of 15 specialised agencies and many programmes.
- Makes recommendations on development, health, education and human rights.
- Hosts the High-Level Political Forum on the SDGs.
- Consults with NGOs: over 6,000 have consultative status.
- Calls international conferences and drafts conventions.
Functional commissions
1. Statistical Commission.
2. Commission on Population and Development.
3. Commission for Social Development. 4. Commission on the Status of Women. 5. Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
6. Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
7. Commission on Science and Technology for Development.
8. United Nations Forum on Forests.
It also has five regional commissions, such as ESCAP in Bangkok.
India
India has served many terms on ECOSOC and uses it to push development finance, the SDGs and South–South cooperation. Its Commission on the Status of Women and narcotics work also matter to India's domestic policy.
Draw: A tree: ECOSOC trunk, branches for functional and regional commissions.
Keywords, cases and data to drop in
Chapter X, Articles 61–72, 54 members, HLPF, consultative status, eight functional commissions, five regional commissions (ECA, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, ESCWA).
Where most answers lose marks
- Mixing up functional commissions with specialised agencies like the WHO.
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Question text as printed in the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) question paper. The model answer is original Battle IAS work; use it to learn structure, not to memorise.
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