Australia and the United Nations
Economic and Social Development
The gap between the hopes and expectations for economic development and economic stability in developing countries has unfortunately widened in recent years. This has created an unprecedented problem which calls for a multilateral approach in which institutions with special competence like the specialised agencies, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and more generalised bodies like the Second Committee of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, have complementary roles to play.
Economic development continues to be an important consideration in the UN and in specialised agencies. Some of the major bodies dealing with international economic and social issues in which Australia takes part are:
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The UNDP has been the central planning, funding and coordinating agency for technical cooperation under the UN development system for 45 years. Its main objectives are to eliminate poverty, create jobs, regenerate the environment and advance the status of women. These are seen as priorities in achieving sustainable human development. UNDP aims to assist developing countries accelerate their own economic and social development by providing planning, policy and technical advice. It does this by working with people and governments in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Arab States, and Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Australia, a long term contributor, continues to recognise UNDP's central role and provides core funding annually. The UNDP is headquartered in New York.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the world's largest internationally funded source of population assistance to developing countries. Since it began operations in 1969, the Fund has provided assistance across virtually all developing countries.
UNFPA's program encompasses reproductive health, population and development strategy and advocacy. Reproductive health care includes: family planning; safe motherhood; counselling and prevention of infertility, and preventing and treating reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. Improving reproductive health is essential for improving health generally, but it is also the key to women's empowerment and social and economic development.
Australia's long-standing support for UNFPA has included financial contributions to the Fund's regular budget. Australia and UNFPA also undertake jointly funded aid projects in developing countries. The UNFPA is headquartered in New York.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). UNICEF was established in 1946 to meet the emergency needs of children in post-war Europe. Over the years its mandate was expanded to address the long-term needs of children in developing countries, with a shift in emphasis from emergency relief to a comprehensive concern for the role of women and children in overall human development. In 1991 and 1992 the agency's scope was further broadened to cover economies in transition such as those of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, now almost universally ratified, is the framework for UNICEF activities which are geared to ensuring that child development is synonymous with the fullest attainment and protection of children's rights. Specifically, the major areas of UNICEF activity include health, nutrition, water and environmental sanitation, education and emergency relief. Australia has been a member of UNICEF since its inception in 1946. Australia is a large donor to UNICEF and also provides substantial bilateral funds to projects undertaken by UNICEF in developing countries. UNICEF is headquartered in New York.
UN Conference On Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established in 1964 as one of the organs of the UN General Assembly. Its principal function is to promote international trade with a view to accelerating economic growth in developing countries, in particular the least developed among them. It does this by providing analysis and technical assistance to developing countries on a range of trade and interrelated issues in the areas of finance, technology, investment and sustainable development. UNCTAD is headquartered in Geneva.
[More information about the UN]