Commission

Major Conferences and Outcomes

Mandate

Composition

Follow-up Process

Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)

- United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Rio Declaration, Agenda 21

- World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa: Johannesburg Declaration and Plan of Implementation

- Reviewing progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; as well as providing policy guidance to follow up the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation at the local, national, regional and international levels

- High-level forum for sustainable development within the United Nations system. 

- 53 member States: 13 from Africa; 11 from Asia; 10 from Latin America and the Caribbean; 6 from Eastern Europe; and 13 from Western Europe and other states

- One-third of the members are elected annually and outgoing members are eligible for re-election.

- Other States, United Nations organizations, accredited inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations can attend sessions of the CSD as observers.

- Annual meeting in New York, in two-year cycles. Each “Implementation Cycle” includes a “Review Session” and a “Policy Session”.

- Review Sessions held in April / May for a period of 2 to 3 weeks in the first year of the cycle

- Policy session held in February / March for one week in New York

- Multi-year programme of work with a separate thematic focus each year and a of cross-sectoral issues

Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)

- The United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995, Beijing China: Beijing Declaration and Plan of Action

- The 23^rd Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly, NY USA: Political Declaration and further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, 2000 (5^th year review)

- prepare recommendations and reports to the Council on promoting women's rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields

- make recommendations to the Council on urgent problems requiring immediate attention in the field of women's rights.

- follow-up to the World Conference on Women and review the critical areas of concern in the Platform for Action and to develop its catalytic role in mainstreaming a gender perspective in United Nations activities

- began with 15 members,

- now consists of 45 members elected by the Economic and Social Council for a period of four years: 13 from African states; 11 from Asian states; 4 from Eastern European states; 9 from Latin American and Caribbean states; and 8 from Western European and Other states.

- Annual Meeting for a period of ten working days.

- multi-year work programme of Work with predetermined themes for each session of the commission

Commission for Social Development

- World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1995

- The 24th Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Geneva Switzerland: Further initiatives for Social Development 2000 (5th year review)

- The 43rd Session of the Commission for Social Development 2000 (10th year review)

- key UN body in charge of the follow-up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action

- strengthen international cooperation for social development, in the context of the comprehensive and detailed framework of commitments and policies for action by Governments, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations provided by the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development

- As a result of the Summit, the membership expanded from 32 to 46 members in 1996

- Annual Meeting in New York, usually in February for a period of 8 working days

- Multi-year programme of work built around the follow-up to and review of the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development, incorporating also the review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups