Contributions of the United

The article discusses fundamental development challenges facing the United Nations system today and in the future: challenges related to the global economy, to the notion of development and to the functioning of the UN system. The author notes that there is an urgent need to strengthen global economic and environmental governance. Critical questions are raised with regards to prevail-ing development models. A broader, more people-oriented approach is required including cultural and social dimensions. Special attention is paid to the contro-versial family and the evasive gender equality. Finally, reforms of the main UN and the World Bank are discussed