2008 GENERAL SEGMENT

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Date: - Location: UNHQ

At the 2008 General Segment, the Economic and Social Council reviewed the reports of its subsidiary bodies and other United Nations entities working in the economic and social fields. The subsidiary bodies include the Council's functional commissions, regional commissions, expert and ad hoc bodies. The Council assessed the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major UN conferences and summits and reviewed, in particular, progress made in the implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries as well as the coordinated implementation of the Habitat agenda. The question of mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the UN system was also addressed. In addition, the Council reviewed the work of some UN inter-agency mechanisms, such as the Ad Hoc Inter-Agency Task Force on Tobacco Control and the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Informatics.

PROGRAMME

DOCUMENTATION

ITEM 6 - Implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits

ITEM 6 (a) - Follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development

  • Summary by the President of the Economic and Social Council of the special high-level meeting of the Council with the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ( A/63/80-E/2008/67 )  

ITEM 6 (b) - Review and coordination of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010

  • Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 (A/63/77-E/2008/61)

ITEM 7 - Coordination, programme and other questions  

ITEM 7 (a) - Reports of coordination bodies  

  • Report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination on its forty-eighth session (A/63/16, Supp. No. 16)
  • Annual overview report of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination for 2008 ( E/2008/58 )

ITEM 7 (b) - Proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009

  • Relevant sections of the proposed strategic framework for the period 2010-2011 (relevant fascicles of A/63/6)

ITEM 7 (c) - International cooperation in the field of informatics  

  • Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Informatics on the need to harmonize and improve United Nations informatics systems for optimal utilization and accessibility by all States, including the findings of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Informatics and an assessment of its work and mandate ( E/2008/65 )

ITEM 7 (d) - Long-term programme of support for Haiti

  • Report of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti ( E/2008/90 )

ITEM 7 (e) - Mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system  

  • Report of the Secretary-General on mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes of the United Nations system ( E/2008/53 ) ( see also under item 14 (a) )

ITEM 7 (f) - Ad hoc advisory groups on African countries emerging from conflict

  • Report of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau ( E/2008/55 )

ITEM 7 (g) - Tobacco or health

  • Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Ad Hoc Inter-Agency Task Force on Tobacco Control ( E/2008/59 )

ITEM 8 - Implementation of General Assembly resolutions 50/227, 52/12 B, 57/270 B and 60/265, including 61/16

  • Updated report of the Secretary-General on the role of the Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, in light of General Assembly resolutions 50/227, 52/12 B, 57/270 B and 60/265, including resolution 61/16 ( A/63/83 – E/2008/77 )

ITEM 9 - Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations

  • Report of the President of the Council on consultations held with the Chairman of the Special Committee on the situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples ( E/2008/47 )
  • Report of the Secretary-General on assistance to the Palestinian people ( A/63/75-E/2008/52 )
  • Report of the Secretary-General on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations (A/63/61)

ITEM 10 - Regional cooperation

  • Report of the Secretary-General on regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields ( E/2008/15 )
  • Report of the Secretary-General on regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields ( E/2008/15/Add.1 )
  • Report of the Secretary-General on regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields ( E/2008/15/Add.2 )
  • Economic trends for the economies in the Economic Commission for Europe region, 2007 ( E/2008/16 )
  • Overview of the Economic Report on Africa , 2008 ( E/2008/17 )
  • Summary of the survey of economic and social conditions in Asia and the Pacific, 2008 ( E/2008/18 )
  • Summary of the economic survey of the Latin America and the Caribbean, 2007 ( E/2008/19 )
  • Summary of the economic and social developments in the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia region, 2007-2008 (E/2008/20)

ITEM 11 - Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem , and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan

  • Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem , and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan ( A/63/74-E/2008/13 )

ITEM 12 - Non-governmental organizations

  • Report of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations on its 2008 regular session (E/2008/32 ( Part I ) and (Part II))

ITEM 13 - Economic and environmental questions

  • Updated report of the Secretary-General on the role of the Economic and Social Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, in light of General Assembly resolutions 50/227, 52/12 B, 57/270 B and 60/265, including resolution 61/16 ( A/63/83 – E/2008/77 )

ITEM 13 (a) - Sustainable development

  • Report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on its sixteenth session ( E/2008/29, Supp. No. 9 )
  • Report of the Committee for Development Policy on its tenth session ( E/2008/33, Supp. No. 13 )

ITEM 13 (b) - Science and technology for development

  • Report of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development on its eleventh session ( E/2008/31, Supp. No. 11 )
  • Report of the Secretary-General on progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society at the regional and international levels ( A/63/72-E/2008/48 )

ITEM 13 (c) – Statistics

ITEM 13 (d) – Human settlements

  •   Report of the Secretary-General on the coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda ( E/2008/64 )

ITEM 13 (e) – Environment

  • Report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its tenth special session ( A/63/25 )
  • Note by the Secretary-General on the continued usefulness for the Member States of the Consolidated List of Products whose consumption and/or sale have been banned, withdrawn, severely restricted or not approved by Governments ( A/63/76-E/2008/54 )

ITEM 13 (f) – Population and development

  • Report of the Commission on Population and Development on its forty-first session ( E/2008/25, Supp. No. 5 )

ITEM 13 (g) – Public administration and development

  • Report of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration on its seventh session ( E/2008/44, Supp. No. 24 )

ITEM 13 (h) – International cooperation in tax matters

  • Report of the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters on its third session (E/2007/45, Supp. 45)

ITEM 13 (i) – Assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions

No request for advance documentation

ITEM 13 (J) – Cartography

  • Report of the Ninth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names ( E/CONF.98/136 )
  • Report of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names on the work of its twenty-fourth session ( E/2007/89 )

ITEM 13 (k) – Women and development

  • Relevant sections of the report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its fifty-second session ( E/2008/27 , Supp. No. 7 )

 ITEM 14 – Social and human rights questions

  • Updated report of the Secretary-General on the role of the Economic and Social Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, in light of General Assembly resolutions 50/227, 52/12 B, 57/270 B and 60/265, including resolution 61/16 ( A/63/83 – E/2008/77 )

ITEM 14 (a) – Advancement of women

  • Report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its fifty-second session ( E/2008/27, Supp. No. 7 )
  • Report of the Secretary-General on future work to strengthen the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women ( E/2008/62 )
  • Report of the Executive Board of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women on its fifth session ( E/2008/73 )
  • Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
  • Report of the Secretary-General on mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes of the United Nations system ( E/2008/53 ) ( see also under item 7(e)

ITEM 14 (b) – Social development

  • Report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-sixth session ( E/2008/26, Supp. No. 6 )

ITEM 14 (c) – Crime prevention and criminal justice

  • Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its seventeenth session ( E/2008/30, Supp. No. 10)

ITEM 14 (d) – Narcotic drugs

  • Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-first session ( E/2008/28, Supp. No. 8)
  • Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2007 ( E/INCB/2007/1 )

ITEM 14 (e) – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

  • Oral report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
  • Letter dated 29 February 2008 from the Permanent Representative of Djibouti to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General ( E/2008/63 )
  • Letter dated 30 May 2008 from the Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Moldova to the United nations addressed to the Secretary-General ( E/2008/84 )

ITEM 14 (f) – Comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

No request for advance documentation

ITEM 14 (g) – Human Rights

  • Report of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on its thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth sessions (E/2008/22, Supp. No. 2)
  • Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
  • Report of the Committee on the Rights of the Child
  • Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children

ITEM 14 (h) – Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

  • Report of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on its seventh session ( E/2008/43, Supp. No. 23 )

ITEM 14 (i) – Genetic privacy and non‑discrimination

  • Report of the Secretary-General on genetic privacy and non-discrimination ( E/2008/51 )

ITEM 15 – United Nations research and training institutes

  • Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 62/210, including details on the financial implications, the status of contributions to and the financial situation of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research