30 states 19/ chosen by ECOSOC directs UNICEF policies and meets annually. In 1975 the Board met at UN Headquarters in New York from May 14 to 30. Program Commitments The Executive Board approved by consensus commitments totalling $112.2 million for programs. Of this sum, $98.7 million was for new project aid, mostly for use in 1975 and 1976, although some was for later years; the balance of $13.5 million was for administrative services for 1976 and a supplementary budget for 1975. The approved aid provided for projects in the following areas: Africa, $14.4 million; East Asia and Pakistan, $31.7 million; South Central Asia, $8.6 million; Eastern Mediterranean, $7 million; and the Americas, $9.2 million. In addition, $3.4 million was designated for interregional projects and $24.5 million for program support services for all the above. At the time of the Board meeting, UNICEF aid was going to 109 countries and territories: 45 in Africa, 23 in the Americas, 28 in Asia, 12 in the Eastern Mediterranean, and 1 in Europe. The Board also "noted" six potential projects, which would cost an additional $7 million, as being worthy of support should financing through special assistance become available. It also endorsed a number of special assistance programs for which additional special contributions up to $60 million would be required. In addition, special assistance to Indochina was estimated at between $15 and $45 million, with the exact figure dependent upon discussion with the governments concerned regarding appropriate plans. (Current U.S. policy and legislation prohibit direct or indirect aid to Viet-Nam, Laos, and Cambodia. The United States does not contribute to special programs for aid to these countries.) By the end of 1975 UNICEF estimated that some 48% of its program expenditures were going to maternal and child health care; 27% to nonformal, formal, and prevocational education; 14% to child nutrition; 7% to country planning and project preparation; and 4% to children's social services. On November 6, 1975, as authorized by the General Assembly in 1973, the first regular UNICEF pledging 19/ Members in 1975 were Bulgaria, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, France, Federal Republic of Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, U.S.S.R., United Kingdom, United States, and Yugoslavia... conference was held at UN Headquarters. From pledges made or reasonably anticipated, a total of $104.3 million was expected by UNICEF for 1976, of which $68.5 million would be for general resources and $35.8 million for specific purposes. The United States did not make a specific pledge because the necessary appropriation was still under consideration in the Congress. However, the U.S. Representative on the Executive Board, Michael Scelsi, reiterated at the conference the strong U.S. support for UNICEF and the many varied programs it had undertaken for children around the world. Basic Services for Children In presenting his annual report to the Board, the Executive Director referred to the deteriorating situation of children which had been foreseen in 1974 when the Board adopted a "Declaration of an emergency for children in developing countries as a result of the current economic crisis."" The Declaration had subsequently been endorsed by both ECOSOC and the General Assembly. An analysis made since the 1974 session of the Board showed that there had been a widespread deterioration in development programs and national services affecting children. Trends on three continents showed such ill effects as interruption to construction of schools and health centers, increased mortality as a result of malnutrition and protein deficiency, trebling of prices of protein-rich foods, unpaid salaries of teachers and health workers, and scarcities of drugs and vaccines in rural clinics. The Executive Director considered the situation an aggravation of the "quiet emergency to which UNICEF had called attention for some years. He was convinced, however, that the trend could be reversed, and that the world could meet the most essential needs of its children at initial capital costs that the world as a whole could afford, and at recurring costs which the countries directly affected could themselves bear after the lapse of some time. He urged that developing countries be encouraged to commit themselves to developing and supporting the type of basic services best suited for their children, and that those countries or organizations in a position to do so be encouraged to direct significantly more resources to helping in the expansion of such services. He emphasized that such basic services to children as those in the interrelated fields of food and nutrition, clean water, health measures, family planning, basic education, and supporting services for mothers were an indispensable link to progress. The Board adopted, with U.S. support, a resolution incorporating these views of the Executive Director and appealing to the General Assembly to consider at its seventh special session the situation of children and the necessary measures for meeting their needs. The Executive Board also approved placing more emphasis on the nutrition of children in vulnerable groups as a long-term component of basic services, and it endorsed the continuing role of supplying food and nutrition assistance in emergency situations. This decision was based on the recommendations of a study prepared under the direction of Professor Jean Mayer of Harvard University and on recommendations of the Executive Director, which took into account the resolutions adopted by the 1974 World Food Conference. On July 30 ECOSOC adopted without vote a resolution requesting the preparatory committee for the seventh special session to recommend appropriate measures for meeting the needs of children and appealing to all governments to increase their contributions to UNICEF. In the omnibus resolution adopted during its special session, the Assembly made only passing reference to basic services, by calling on WHO and UNICEF to intensify the international effort to improve health conditions in developing countries by providing primary health services. However, it was a different situation at the 30th regular session. On November 28, the General Assembly adopted without a vote a resolution entitled "Activities of the United Nations Children's Fund to expand basic services for children in developing countries." The resolution had been introduced in the Second Committee by the Philippines and sponsored in its final form by 35 countries, including the United States. The resolution endorsed the provision of basic services as proposed by the UNICEF Executive Board in May, urged the developed countries to provide assistance at a level more commensurate with needs, and invited the Board to consider the matter in depth at its next session and to submit a report through ECOSOC to the Assembly at its 31st session. International Year of the Child In 1974 ECOSOC had asked the UNICEF Board to consider a proposal for holding an international year of the child in order to publicize the plight of children around the world. The Board arrived at no decision on the question, however, and decided to transmit to ECOSOC the essence of the views of the Executive Director and Board members. The former believed that to be successful an international year would require wide support, especially from governments, and adequate preparation and financing. The Board was divided, but delegates generally agreed on the necessity for the full support of a wide spectrum of governments. The United States thought that the time was not opportune for an international observance. It believed that all governments should give priority to development activities for the benefit of children, but that past experience with similar special years indicated that they had not always elicited adequate financial support. Furthermore, the United States believed that there was already widespread awareness of the needs of children. On July 30 ECOSOC adopted without vote a resolution requesting the Secretary General, in cooperation with organizations of the UN system and interested nongovernmental organizations, to submit a report on the measures necessary for ensuring the adequate preparation, support, and financing of an international year of the child, preferably the year 1979, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. On November 28, the 30th General Assembly adopted without vote a resolution endorsing the ECOSOC decision. Administrative Matters A major concern of the Board at its May meeting was determining how UNICEF might enlarge and improve its own capacity to respond to new demands. A management survey, prepared by the Scandinavian Institutes for Administrative Research at the Board's request, was delivered at the meeting. The Board endorsed the survey as providing a set of general principles along which UNICEF should work and endorsed the Executive Director's plans for follow-up action over the next 3 years. The recommendations for strengthening the organization included more delegation of responsibility to field offices and wider use of their experience; more emphasis on personnel management, career development, staff training, and the development of professional skills; and more attention to internal coordination at headquarters. While considering the management survey, a number of states called attention to the small number of women in professional posts, especially at the higher level, within the UNICEF organization and suggested that greater efforts be made to improve the situation. The Board therefore adopted a resolution, strongly supported by the United States, that requested the Executive Director to make proposals to bring about the increased participation of qualified women, and urged governments to consider the inclusion of more women among candidates for UNICEF posts. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT The Commission for Social Development, a 32-member20/ functional commission of ECOSOC, held its 24th session at UN Headquarters, January 6-24, 1975. The most significant discussions were on (1) the world social situation and the mid-term review and appraisal of the International Development Strategy for the Second UN Development Decade, which the Commission considered together; (2) rehabilitation of disabled persons; (3) migrant workers; (4) a unified approach to development analysis and planning and the closely related subject of the development of social indicators; and (5) popular participation and its practical implications for development. World Social Situation and Consideration of these two items constituted the most important concern of the Commission in 1975. The basic document was the 1974 Report on the World Social Situation (a document issued by the UN Secretariat at 4-year intervals) which showed markedly different rates of progress in this area among countries. The report concluded that there was a need (1) for an explicit commitment to the International Development Strategy and to the principles of the 1969 Declaration on Social Progress and Development; (2) to improve the social policy-making process with the attendant setting of specific targets and objectives; and (3) to establish targets at the national level to be achieved in regard to food, population, and environment. The majority of the delegates spoke favorably of the report. The U.S. Representative, Jean Picker, expressed the hope that the report would encourage countries to recognize the importance of social development during the mid-term review of the International Development Strategy. In discussing various aspects of the report, Mrs. Picker commented specifically on the sections concerned with population, food and agriculture, and women. With respect to the latter, Mrs. Picker declared that: women constitute more than half of the world's population and human resources. No country can afford to lose the contribution which they can make to economic and social progress.' 20/ Members in 1975 were Austria, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Mali. Mauritania, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Romania, Sudan, Thailand, Ukrainian S.S.R., U.S.S.R., United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, and Zaire. |