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TERMS OF REFERENCE
COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Background
The sixty-fourth session of the Commission adopted resolution 64/1 on “Restructuring of the conference structure of the Commission”. In accordance with this resolution, the subsidiary structure of the Commission shall consist of the following eight committees:
1. Committee on Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Development;
2. Committee on Trade and Investment;
3. Committee on Transport;
4. Committee on Environment and Development;
5. Committee on Information and Communications Technology;
6. Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction;
7. Committee on Social Development;
8. Committee on Statistics.
Agenda Setting for Committee Meetings in 2008
In line with the general terms of reference, committee sessions will be organized with the intention of providing more focused, holistic and integrated inputs to the Commission session. The committees would examine priorities and emerging issues in the technical area of purview, discuss the regional and subregional dimensions of global mandates, identify areas for regional collaboration, suggest potential partners to be involved, and provide ESCAP with suggestions on areas for inclusion its future strategies and work programmes, including the need for any new regional mandates.
Although the primary area of focus would be on the technical specialty of each committee, an examination of multi-sectoral implications and possible interlinkages with other ESCAP subprogrammes would be pursued. Most importantly, consideration of how the committee deliberations and outcomes could best contribute to the theme topic of the Commission session would be given high prominence.
The Committee on Social Development
I. The Committee shall address the following issues:
(a) Implementation of internationally agreed commitments, including those agreed at the United Nations on social development, population, ageing, disability, youth and disadvantaged groups, gender equality and health;
(b) Policy options, strategies and good practices in social policy and protection;
(c) Social policies and financing aimed at building inclusive societies.
II. Within its areas of purview, the Committee shall:
(a) Review and analyze regional trends;
(b) Identify priorities and emerging issues and consult on regional approaches, taking into consideration subregional aspects;
(c) Promote regional dialogue, including its subregional synergies, and an exchange of experiences on policies and programmes;
(d) Consider common regional positions as inputs to global processes and promote regional follow-up to their outcomes;
(e) Propose issues for consideration by the Commission as possible resolutions;
(f) Monitor the implementation of Commission resolutions;
(g) Promote a collaborative approach to addressing the development challenges of the region, where appropriate, between Governments and civil society, the private sector and United Nations and other international institutions at the regional and subregional levels;
III. The following areas shall be mainstreamed into the work of the Committee:
(a) Implementation of the relevant internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals;
(b) Poverty reduction and sustainable development;
(c) Gender equality;
(d) Priority needs of least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States.
IV. The Committee shall meet biennially for a maximum duration of five days for each session. In those years when a ministerial conference or intergovernmental meeting is held covering issues normally discussed in the Committee, the Committee need not be convened.
V. Within their respective areas of purview, the Committee shall provide the secretariat, including its regional institutions, with guidance in reviewing the proposed strategic framework and programme of work.
VI. Unless otherwise specified by the Commission, the rules of procedure of the Commission, including those pertaining to the decision-making process, shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the Committee.
VII. The secretariat may consult the chairperson and other members of the bureau of a Committee session for advice until the next bureau is elected at the following session, whereupon that bureau may be consulted, as may be required.
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