This report adopts a decent work perspective to approach the challenge of promoting employment and reducing poverty in rural areas by examining issues of employment, social protection, rights and social dialogue in rural areas in an integrated way.

This book presents an overview of the dialogues that took place in the Economic and Social Council on the theme of ?Creating an environment at the national and international levels conducive to generating full and productive employment and decent work for all, and its impact on sustainable development. This publication also assesses the progress of the ECOSOC reform and follow up to the 2005 World Summit. It also includes the Secretary-General's report as well as the Ministerial Declaration on the theme of the ECOSOC High-Level Segment of 2006.