1

WRITTEN EXAMINATION
(Instructions en français à la page 33)

General Instructions

The written part of the 2015 Young Professionals Programme examination consists
of two parts:

A General Paper, which assesses your drafting skills, must be written in either
English or French. Please note that the General Paper will be marked last.

A Specialized Paper, which assesses your substantive knowledge and your

analytical skills. You must write in one of the six official UN languages (Arabic,
Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish). Please note that the multiple choice
items part of the Specialized Paper will be marked first and is eliminatory.

In total, 150 points are allocated for the General Paper and 650 points for the
Specialized Paper. For each paper, specific instructions are provided.

The total time allotted to the two papers is 4 hours 30 minutes. The management
of time is your responsibility. Please note that the suggested time for each part of
the examination is indicated, along with the maximum number of points that can
be attained.

Do not write your name or any information that could identify you in this booklet
or the answer booklet except on the second page of the answer booklet. Non-
compliance with this rule will result in automatic disqualification. You may make
any notes that might be helpful to you on this booklet. Such notes will not be
taken into account in grading your answers.

You must write your answers to any written questions in black or blue pen only,
clearly and legibly. Multiple choice items must be answered with a pencil.
Indicate or write your answers on the dedicated pages of the answer booklet.

Anything written outside of the designated pages will not be considered.

Additional space for preliminary drafting, outlining, note taking or calculations is

provided separately.

Do not remove any page from this booklet or from the answer booklet. If any
page of any of the booklets is removed, your entire examination will be
disqualified.

This booklet must be returned together with the answer booklet.

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GENERAL PAPER: SUMMARY

Instructions

Please summarize the following 974 word text by reducing it to approximately one
third of its original length; the summary should have around 325 words in English.
You should use your judgment in deciding what the main ideas are and which
points should be stressed while respecting the balance of the original. Clarity and
organization will be among the elements taken into account in evaluating your
summary. Your summary must be written in your own words and not copied directly
from the text. Failure to meet these guidelines will result in loss of points.

You must write clearly and legibly. If your paper cannot be read by the evaluators,
it will not receive credit. You may use double spacing if you wish.

Important: write your summary in black or blue pen on the dedicated pages of the
answer booklet.
 3

Suggested time: 45 minutes

Maximum score: 150 points
TEXT

The spread of democracy around the world is one of the most significant
achievements of our times. Elections sit at the heart of this, making possible the act
of self-determination envisaged in the Charter of the United Nations. The
Organization’s history is interwoven with elections extending back to shortly after its
founding, when, in the late 1940s, it observed elections on the Korean Peninsula.
During the subsequent era of trusteeship and decolonization, it supervised and
observed plebiscites, referenda and elections worldwide. Today, the United
Nations continues to be a trusted impartial actor providing electoral assistance to
approximately 60 countries each year, either at the request of Member States or
based on a Security Council or General Assembly mandate. Electoral assistance is
based on the principle established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
that the will of the people, as expressed through periodic and genuine elections,
shall be the basis of government authority. Electoral assistance also recognizes the
principles of state sovereignty and national ownership of elections, and that there
is no single model of democracy. The main goal of United Nations electoral
assistance is to support Member States in holding periodic, inclusive and
transparent elections that are credible and popularly perceived as such and
establishing nationally sustainable electoral processes. The provision of electoral
assistance by the United Nations is a team effort involving a number of
programmes, funds, agencies and departments under the mandate provided by
the General Assembly. The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs is
designated by the Secretary-General as the UN Focal Point for Electoral Assistance
Activities, with a leadership role in ensuring system-wide coherence and
consistency and in strengthening the institutional memory and the development,
dissemination and issuance of United Nations electoral assistance policies. The
Electoral Assistance Division, within the Department of Political Affairs (DPA),
supports the United Nations Focal Point in ensuring system-wide coherence and
consistency in the provision of United Nations electoral assistance. This includes
undertaking electoral needs assessments, recommending parameters for all
United Nations electoral assistance, advising on the design of projects, developing
electoral policy, maintaining institutional memory, and providing technical
guidance and support in the implementation of electoral projects. The United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN system’s main provider of
technical electoral assistance, which is delivered as part of its mandate to lead
democratic governance assistance at the country level. In peacekeeping or post-
conflict environments, electoral assistance is generally provided through
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components of field missions under the aegis of the Department of Peacekeeping

Operations (DPKO) or the DPA. Military and police components of peacekeeping
missions support national law enforcement agencies in providing security for
electoral processes. Other UN actors involved in providing electoral assistance
include the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations
Volunteers, UN Women, the United Nations Office for Project Services, UNESCO,
the Peacebuilding Fund, and the United Nations Democracy Fund. Over the last
20 years, the United Nations has provided electoral assistance to more than 110
Member States and/or territories that have requested support. In the forthcoming
report 2015 biennial report of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly on
the UN’s work in support of democratic elections, 68 countries are documented as
having received UN support. UNDP provides electoral assistance to develop
sustainable electoral management capacities, to foster inclusive participation in
elections, particularly of women and youth and other underrepresented groups,
and to coordinate donor support to electoral processes. This includes seven
countries where special political missions are deployed and eight where
peacekeeping missions are deployed. Where more than one UN actor is involved
in providing electoral assistance (for example, DPKO and UNDP), support should
be provided in an integrated manner. United Nations electoral assistance has
been a crucial and successful component in peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and
in establishing and deepening democratic governance. As democracy has
spread, so has the role of elections as the means to establish legitimate
government. The United Nations has been engaged in elections in all regions of
the world, with assistance provided recently in the Afghanistan, Mali, Somalia,
Jordan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Iraq, to name just a few. The UN made two
important contributions in 2011-12: the rapid assistance provided to the Tunisian
authorities in response to a request for technical assistance during their transition
and the continued support provided to the Libyan authorities during their transition
and the elections for the first Constituent Assembly. In 2013, the United Nations
provided technical and logistical support to Malian authorities in the conduct of
Presidential elections. In addition, the United Nations is currently in the process of
supporting electoral reform in Afghanistan. The United Nations also has established
relations with regional and intergovernmental organizations involved in electoral
assistance, including the African Union, the European Union, the International
Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, the Organization of American
States, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, League of Arab
States (LAS) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and the
Southern African Development Community, as well as with sub-regional
organizations like Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS). Other
partners are the many international non-governmental organizations working in
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the field of electoral assistance. These include institutions such as the Carter
Center, the Electoral Institute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa, and the
International Foundation for Electoral Systems. These relationships provide
opportunities for collaboration on electoral support activities as well as for sharing
lessons and experiences. It is recognized that addressing the capacity of an
electoral management body in isolation will not necessarily produce credible
elections. There also needs to be a focus on the overall political environment in
which the elections take place. The United Nations therefore also makes efforts to
build capacity outside the electoral authorities. This involves working with voters,
the media, political parties and civil society, as well as other actors and institutions
of democratic governance such as parliament and the judiciary.
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SPECIALIZED PAPER: SOCIAL AFFAIRS

Instructions

This specialized paper consists of two sections: Part I, fifty (50) multiple choice items,
and Part II, five (5) constructed response items.

For marking purposes, the multiple choice items will serve as a first eliminatory point.
The constructed response items might serve as a further filter.

A total weight of 650 points is assigned to the specialized paper of the examination,
which are distributed as follows:

POINTS %
Part I 3 points each 23%
Multiple choice (50 x 3 = 150)
items
Part II 500 77%
Constructed
response items
TOTAL 650 100%

In Part I (multiple choice items), you must use a pencil only.

In Part II (constructed response items), you must write your answers clearly and legibly
in black or blue pen only.

Write your answers into the dedicated sections of the answer booklet. Anything written
outside of the designated pages will not be considered.

You are responsible for the management of your time. Please note that the suggested
time for this part of the examination is indicated, along with the maximum number of
points that can be obtained.

You must write all answers to the Specialized Paper in one of the following
languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish.

SPECIALIZED PAPER, PART I: MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS

Suggested time: 70 minutes
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Maximum score: 150 points

Instructions: Answer the following 50 multiple-choice items on the dedicated

page in the answer booklet. Indicate your answer to each question by filling in
the appropriate circle. Every question has only one correct answer. Points will
not be deducted for wrong answers.
IMPORTANT: You must use a pencil to mark your answers by making a heavy
black mark that fills the circle. Do NOT use ink or ballpoint pen to answer the
multiple-choice items.

1. The proportion of people living in extreme poverty decreased from 57 per

cent in 1990 to 41 per cent in 2015. However, the absolute number of
people living in extreme poverty increased by 18 per cent from 1990 to
2015. This trend indicates that monitoring the eradication of extreme
poverty over time should also take into account the ________________.

a. crude death rates of the population

b. growth rate of the population
c. level of extreme poverty at baseline
d. life expectancy at birth

2. Cooperative financial institutions generally serve people of limited

incomes not reached by commercial banks and extend credit and
savings services to individuals and microentrepreneurs who are not able
to secure such services from commercial banks. This characteristic of
cooperative financial institutions is best described as a promotion of
which of the following development aim:

a. Financial inclusion
b. Financing for development
c. Improved entrepreneurship
d. Poverty eradication
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Answer the following two questions (Questions 3 and 4) using ONLY the
information contained in the excerpts below.

From the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:

1. States Parties, in accordance with their system of organization, shall designate

one or more focal points within government for matters relating to the
implementation of the present Convention, and shall give due consideration to
the establishment or designation of a coordination mechanism within
government to facilitate related action in different sectors and at different levels.

2. States Parties shall, in accordance with their legal and administrative systems,
maintain, strengthen, designate or establish within the State Party, a framework,
including one or more independent mechanisms, as appropriate, to promote,
protect and monitor implementation of the present Convention. When
designating or establishing such a mechanism, States Parties shall take into
account the principles relating to the status and functioning of national
institutions for protection and promotion of human rights.

3. Civil society, in particular persons with disabilities and their representative

organizations, shall be involved and participate fully in the monitoring process.

From the outcome document of the high-level meeting of the General

Assembly on the realization of the Millennium Development Goals and other
internationally agreed development goals for persons with disabilities:

We call upon the Economic and Social Council to give due consideration to the
issue of disability and development, including within the framework of United
Nations operational activities, in accordance with relevant mandates, in order to
enhance awareness and cooperation at all levels, including the participation,
where appropriate, of United Nations agencies, multilateral development banks
and institutions, and other relevant stakeholders, while ensuring coordination and
avoiding possible overlapping.

We underline the importance of closely consulting with and actively involving, as

appropriate, persons with disabilities, including through their representative
organizations, as key actors and stakeholders in the elaboration, implementation
and monitoring of the emerging post-2015 development agenda.
 9

3. With regard to the rights of persons with disabilities, both documents

recommend that________________.

a. civil society organizations be engaged

b. coordination mechanisms be formally established
c. international agencies be involved
d. raising awareness both nationally and internationally be considered
important

4. Based on the language used in the above passages, what do you

conclude from these documents? An outcome document of the General
Assembly carries _________ a convention _________ legally binding.

a. less weight than; and is

b. less weight than; and is not
c. more weight than; and is
d. the same weight as; but is not

5. Which of the following is the strongest impetus for the cultivation of illicit
drugs in communities with high poverty rates?

a. It increases the availability of funding for paramilitary operations to

destabilize regional and national governments
b. It is a livelihood option that can provide income for those who are
economically disenfranchised
c. It provides a means of securing land ownership for previously landless
households and individuals
d. It provides job security for a broader segment of the population than does
the cultivation of food crops

6. Which of the following statements is correct regarding the number of

people in each migrant category worldwide?

The number of ________ is larger than the number of _______________.

a. displaced persons; internal migrants

b. internal migrants; international migrants
c. international migrants; internal migrants
d. refugees; international migrants

Answer the following five questions (Questions 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11) using
ONLY the information contained in the four texts below.
Text A
According to the World Bank, 75
per cent of those living in
extreme income poverty
resided in rural areas in 2002,
while only about 52 per cent of
the world population was living
in such areas. The
Multidimensional Poverty Index
(MPI), which considers
overlapping deprivations in
education, health and living
standards, also shows that the
greatest incidence of poverty is
in rural rather than urban areas
of developing countries, even
where the overall prevalence of
poverty is low.
Text C
A study of 20 countries showed
that child mortality rates in
urban slums were, on average,
two times higher than in other
urban areas. In three of these
countries, child mortality was
even higher in slums than in rural
areas. In India, 53 per cent of
urban children in the bottom
wealth decile were stunted,
while stunting affected only 26
per cent of urban children in the
top half of the urban distribution
and 41 per cent of rural children
in the top half.
10
Text B
Data from the Demographic
Household Survey for 33
developing countries showed
that the proportion of
underweight children in rural
areas declined from 30.7 per
cent in the late 1990s to 28.3
per cent in the late 2000s
while remaining almost
constant, although at much
lower levels–6.4 and 6.2 per
cent–in urban areas. In sub-
Saharan Africa, adult mortality
rose in urban areas, from an
average 124.5 per thousand
in the 1990s to 141.1 per
thousand in the late 2000s,
while declining in rural areas.
Text D
The urban-rural gap in health,
education and other skills,
and household endowments
is compounded by such
factors as differentials in
wages and employment
opportunities. Such
compound disadvantages,
together with social and
political exclusion, make rural
populations more likely to
experience long-term poverty
in what it is often referred to
as spatial poverty traps.
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7. Rural populations receive lower returns on human capital investments.

a. Text A
b. Text B
c. Text C
d. Text D

8. Evidence suggests that improvements in health and nutrition during the past
decade have often been achieved more quickly in rural than in urban areas
of developing countries.

a. Text A
b. Text B
c. Text C
d. Text D

9. On average, the prevalence of economic hardship is lower in urban areas.

a. Text A
b. Text B
c. Text C
d. Text D

10. Urban poverty tends to be less persistent over time.

a. Text A
b. Text B
c. Text C
d. Text D

11. Despite the comparative advantage of urban areas, health disparities can
be greater in urban areas than in rural areas.

a. Text A
b. Text B
c. Text C
d. Text D
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12. The unemployment rate in region B has been falling at a rapid pace over the
past decade – from 9 per cent in 2003 to 6 per cent in 2013. The urban
unemployment rate declined at an even faster pace, going from 11 per
cent in 2003 to 6 per cent in 2013. Yet, between 2013 and 2014 the
unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points – the first increase since
2009.

The information presented in the passage above suggests that:

a. Changes in the urban unemployment rate are a good proxy for the overall
pace of labour market improvements
b. Changes in the urban unemployment rate are a good proxy for the region’s
overall labour market performance
c. The pace of labour market improvements have declined consistently since
2009
d. The pace of labour market improvements slowed down between 2013 and
2014

13. Which of the following is a policy that could be identified as a demand-side

approach to supporting a shift to sustainable consumption and production
patterns?

a. Laws that require targeted emissions levels

b. Legally required product labelling on the ecological costs of products
c. Public policies regulating the management of manufacturing byproducts
d. Public policy that requires incremental targeted increases in the use of
renewable energy sources in production

14. Which of the following instruments addresses the following in the most
comprehensive manner: “States shall take effective measures and, where
appropriate, special measures to ensure continuing improvement of their
economic and social conditions. Particular attention shall be paid to the
rights and special needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and
persons with disabilities”?

a. Declaration on Social Progress and Development

b. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
c. Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and
Development
d. Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development
 13

Answer the following four questions (Questions 15, 16, 17 and 18) using ONLY
the information contained in the chart below.

This chart shows the distribution of countries in the developing regions by status
of gender parity target achievement in primary, secondary and tertiary
education in 2000 and 2012 (percentage). The following four questions are with
reference to this chart.
education education education

2012 31 4 65
Primary Secondary Tertiary

2000 40 3 57

2012 30 36 34

2000 35 26 39

2012 29 64 7

2000 45 52 4

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Target not reached (females disadvantaged)
Target reached
Target not reached (males disadvantaged)

15. In the chart, what percentage of countries in the developing regions

achieved the gender parity target for secondary education in 2012?

a. At most 26 per cent

b. At least 30 per cent
c. Less than 36 per cent
d. At least 60 per cent

16. In this chart, the greatest proportion of countries have disparities at the
expense of _____________.

a. males in primary education

b. males in tertiary education
c. females in primary education
d. females in tertiary education
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17. Between 2000 and 2012, in relative terms, the most progress was made in
reducing gender disparities for _______________.

a. males in primary education

b. males in tertiary education
c. females in primary education
d. females in tertiary education

18. The chart highlights the following point about assessing trends in gender
parity in education:

a. Focusing on parity alone can mask changes in disparities among groups

b. Reducing disparities for one group can increase disparities for another
group
c. Trends in disparities can reverse once time is taken into account
d. Trends in parity can stall once disparities among groups are taken into
account

19. The new development agenda of the United Nations recognizes that cities
can lead the way towards economically, socially and environmentally
sustainable societies but that a holistic approach to urban planning and
management is needed to improve the living standards of urban and rural
dwellers alike. The most appropriate policy approach in this regard would
be to promote ______________________.

a. an affordable and sustainable national public transport system

b. regional development zones to link rural-urban areas
c. the growth of intermediate-sized cities through economic stimulus
d. the strengthening of regulation to discourage rural-urban migration

20. Which of the following is the main driver of an ageing population?

a. Declining fertility
b. Gender parity in adult mortality
c. Healthier lifestyles
d. Negative net migration
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Answer the following three questions (Questions 21, 22 and 23) using ONLY the
information contained in the chart below.

This chart shows crude death rates by cause of death and by region in 2000 and
2012.

1,600

1,400
Deaths per 100,000 population

1,200 314

1,000

800 305

600
428 914 903 360
464
400 375
515 537 510 593

200

0
2000 2012 2000 2012 2000 2012 2000 2012 2000 2012 2000 2012
Africa Americas South-East Asia Europe Eastern Western
Mediterranean Pacific
Communicable diseases Non-communicable diseases Injuries

21. In 2000, how many regions had crude death rates above 1 per 100 persons?

a. 1
b. 2
c. 4
d. 6

22. In 2012, in how many regions were at least 40 per cent of all deaths due to
non-communicable diseases?

a. 3
b. 4
c. 5
d. 6
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23. Which region experienced the fastest decline in the crude death rate?

a. Africa
b. Eastern Mediterranean
c. Europe
d. South-East Asia

24. Which of the following indicators best describes the state of health of a
population?

a. Crude death rate

b. Life expectancy at age 60
c. Life expectancy at birth
d. Neonatal mortality rate

Review the suggested combined policy approaches below and choose that
which best addresses each of the three scenarios described in Questions 25, 26
and 27:

Combined policy A Combined policy B

Increase attention in education to Introduce conditional cash transfers

technical and entrepreneurial skills
that meet the needs of the business
sector; improve educational quality
and implement programmes for
adult literacy; invest in urban
sanitation and infrastructure,
including low-income housing
schemes.
or similar forms of temporary
assistance that require enrolment of
children through the secondary
level; implement programmes for
adult literacy; improve educational
quality and increase attention to
technical and entrepreneurial skills
that meet the needs of the business
sector.

Combined policy C Combined policy D

Implement an agriculture-led Increase attention in education to

industrialization strategy that is
redistributive in nature and extends
support to small farmers in the form
of credit and training; invest in
infrastructure; focus on high-
potential sectors; and increase
investment in science and
technology education and
innovation systems.
technical and entrepreneurial skills
that meet the needs of the business
sector; increase investment in
science and technology education
and innovation systems; invest in
urban sanitation and infrastructure,
including low-income housing
schemes.
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25. Country X has a 95 per cent literacy rate and 40 per cent of secondary school
graduates go on to complete tertiary education. Urbanization is proceeding at
a rapid pace but with the creation of high urban poverty and slum expansion,
with increasing levels of dengue fever and other vector-borne diseases in
urban settings. Unemployment and informal employment remain marked
challenges, particularly among youth. The service sector contributes by far the
greatest proportion of GDP, followed by light manufacturing, with agriculture
contributing less than 10 per cent.

a. Combined policy A
b. Combined policy B
c. Combined policy C
d. Combined policy D

26. In country Y gender disparity in education is high. In addition, poverty rates

are high and women have very low labour force participation rates. Forty per
cent of the population lives in rural, arable areas with the greatest proportion
of the population aged 10-15. Sharecropping and subsistence agriculture are
a significant aspect of rural life. Manufacturing and services contribute to more
than 70 per cent of GDP.

a. Combined policy A
b. Combined policy B
c. Combined policy C
d. Combined policy D

27. Unemployment and informal employment remain consistently high in country

Z and has worsened in recent decades. Sixty-five per cent of the population
lives in rural, arable areas with the greatest proportion of the population aged
15-24. Sharecropping and subsistence agriculture are a significant aspect of
rural life. Enrolment levels in the country drop sharply at the secondary level,
and rural-urban migration has been high, as has the prevalence of slums.
Manufacturing currently contributes around 9 per cent of GDP.

a. Combined policy A
b. Combined policy B
c. Combined policy C
d. Combined policy D
 18

Answer the following three questions (Questions 28, 29 and 30) using ONLY the
information contained in the text below.

Population ageing is projected to have a profound effect on the number of

workers per retiree in various countries as measured by the potential support
ratio (PSR), defined as the number of people aged 20 to 64 divided by the
number of people aged 65 and over. Currently, region A countries, on
average, have 13 people aged 20 to 64 for every person aged 65 or above,
while region B countries have an average PSR of 8, region C countries 8,
region D countries 5 and region E countries at or under 4. Region F, at 2, has
the lowest PSR in the world, although seven region E countries also have PSRs
below 3. By 2050, 7 region B countries, 24 region E countries and 4 countries
of region C are expected to have PSRs below 2.

28. Based on the above passage, which region of the world currently has the
greatest relative proportion of older persons?

a. Region C
b. Region D
c. Region E
d. Region F

29. Based on the above passage, which of the following statements is true?

a. By 2050, some countries in region C will have the same PSRs as several
region E countries
b. Currently the proportion of people aged 65 or higher is greater in region C
than it is in region A
c. Region D has an older population than region E
d. Seven region E countries have lower potential support ratios than region F

30. Inferring from the passage above, what is the most likely and significant
policy implication of declining PSRs in a country?

a. Fiscal sustainability of pension systems

b. Portability of accrued social security benefits
c. Rapidly aging workforce
d. Weakened health care systems
 19

31. Which of the following best describes the unintended policy displacement
caused by current drug control policies across the world? The shift of
political attention from ______________ to ________________.

a. general health care; health care for the drug addicted

b. the provision of foreign development aid; drug control aid
c. prevention and treatment; law enforcement and security
d. undocumented immigration and border control; the prevention of the flow
of illicit drugs

Answer the following two questions (Questions 32 and 33) using ONLY the
information contained in the table below. This table shows the number of
women and births, by age group, of women in country X.

Age group Number of women Number of births

15-19 22 255 1 068
20-24 21 720 3 210
25-29 19 693 3 649
30-34 14 634 2 623
35-39 13 677 1 833
40-44 11 563 911
45-49 9 453 318
Total 112 995 13 612

32. What is the range of the age-specific fertility rates (low value to high value)
in country X?

a. 34 to 120
b. 34 to 185
c. 318 to 1068
d. 318 to 3649

33. Country Y has the same age-specific birth rates as country X but the crude
birth rate is lower. What could be a reason for the lower crude birth rate in
country Y? Country Y _____________.

a. has a higher mortality rate

b. has an older age distribution of women
c. has lower rates of childbearing outside of standard reproductive ages
d. is more economically developed
 20

Answer the following three questions (Questions 34, 35 and 36) using ONLY the
information contained in the passages below.

Extract from the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing

“Promote, in accordance with applicable international law, including

international agreements acceded to, the accessibility for all, without
discrimination, including the most vulnerable sectors of the population,
to pharmaceuticals or medical technologies, as well as their affordability
for all, including disadvantaged groups…

Housing and the surrounding environment are particularly important for

older persons, inclusive of factors such as: accessibility and safety; the
financial burden of maintaining a home; and the important emotional
and psychological security of a home. It is recognized that good housing
can promote good health and well-being. It is also important that older
persons are provided, where possible, with an adequate choice of
where they live, a factor that needs to be built into policies and
programmes.”

Extract from the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate

fully in all aspects of life, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to
ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others,
to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and
communications, including information and communications
technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or
provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas. These measures,
which shall include the identification and elimination of obstacles and
barriers to accessibility, shall apply to, inter alia:

a) Buildings, roads, transportation and other indoor and outdoor facilities,

including schools, housing, medical facilities and workplaces;
b) Information, communications and other services, including electronic
services and emergency services.

States Parties shall take appropriate measures to:

a) Provide forms of live assistance and intermediaries, including guides,

readers and professional sign language interpreters, to facilitate
accessibility to buildings and other facilities open to the public;
b) Promote other appropriate forms of assistance and support to persons
with disabilities to ensure their access to information.
 21

34. Based on the above passages, older persons and persons with disabilities
should have access to _______.

a. accessible housing
b. affordable housing
c. in-house care
d. secure housing

35. Based on the above passages, older persons should ______.

a. be provided with transportation options

b. feel safe and secure at home
c. have access to assisted care facilities
d. have easy access to information

36. Based on the above passages, what should be ensured by State parties for
persons with disabilities?

a. Access to well-trained carers

b. Hospitals, public and private, with disability access
c. Public libraries with computer screen readers
d. Subsidized hearing aids

37. The Gender Development Index uses gross national income per capita by
sex to measure “command over economic resources”. An advantage of this
measure of earned income is that it is _________________.

a. adjusted for differences in the age structure across countries

b. available for many countries
c. directly measured through time-use surveys
d. inclusive of work in the informal sector

38. In most countries, population and housing censuses are conducted every
______ years.

a. two
b. five
c. ten
d. fifteen
 22

39. The best source of data for measuring mortality is from ___________.

a. censuses adjusted for underenumeration

b. complete vital registration data
c. region-specific life tables
d. surveys with complete birth history information

Answer the following three questions (Questions 40, 41 and 42) using ONLY the
information contained in the table below.

This table shows three indicators related to poverty and improving well-being
for three regions in 1990, 2000 and 2015.

Region Indicator 1990 2000 2015

Proportion of population living in extreme
poverty1 57 59 47
A Under-5 mortality rate2 179 156 80
Literacy rate of women and men aged 15 to 24
years 65 69 74
Proportion of population living in extreme poverty 13 11 5
B Under-5 mortality rate 54 32 18
Literacy rate of women and men aged 15 to 24
years 93 96 98
Proportion of population living in extreme poverty 52 43 23
C Under-5 mortality rate 142 92 82
Literacy rate of women and men aged 15 to 24
years 60 74 87
1
Proportion of population living below $1.25 purchasing power parity
(PPP) per day
2
Number of children who died before reaching the age of 5, per 1,000
live births.

40. To assess the multidimensionality of poverty, the most relevant indicator to

add to the three existing indicators in the table is the ______________.

a. growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) per person employed

b. infant mortality rate
c. net enrolment ratio in primary education
d. proportion of the population using an improved sanitation facility
 23

41. The time trends in the literacy rate across regions show that the annual
percentage point change increased __________________.

a. faster in 1990-2000 than in 2000-2015 in each region

b. faster in 2000-2015 than in 1990-2000 in region C
c. slower in 1990-2000 than in 2000-2015 in each region
d. slower in 1990-2000 than in 2000-2015 in region A

42. Which of the following statements best reflects trends in well-being across
the three regions from 1990-2015?

a. Health and education indicators reflect improvements in well-being over

time more precisely than do poverty indicators based on income
b. Improvements on one dimension of well-being are closely correlated with
improvements in other dimensions
c. Well-being improved over time but the rate of progress varies widely across
indicators
d. Well-being improved over time but the relative ranking of regions across
indicators remained the same

43. The share of industrial employment in total employment appears to be

peaking at lower levels than in the past. Which of the following could be
considered the greatest concern for developing countries regarding the
future significance of industrial development in addressing existing social
development challenges?

a. An increased tax burden as a result of an increasing number of workers

being covered by some form of social protection
b. Enhancement of public education that delivers skills beyond those needed
for industrial development
c. Increased trade deficits resulting in a weakening currency, which negatively
affects relative buying power, which in turn erodes tax revenues for social
programmes
d. Provision of productive jobs for the large number of new labour force
entrants
 24

44. Programme X is a conditional cash transfer programme introduced with the

aim of reducing poverty by improving nutrition and access to health and
education for vulnerable populations. The Government’s long-term
objective was to promote human capital accumulation for future
generations as a way of reducing the intergenerational transmission of
poverty, while in the short term reducing poverty through cash transfers.
Requirements for the programme include regular attendance at school and
health checks.

Programme X is best characterized as an example of what larger category of

policy approaches?

a. Gender empowerment
b. Public education
c. Public health
d. Social protection

45. The excerpt below discusses which impediment to the future development
of cities?

Sound institutions matter for the prosperity of cities, as they provide the superstructure
that enables underlying factors to operate and deliver a maximum of benefits to the
largest possible majority of the population. In many developing countries, the
institutions required for urban prosperity, if any, are poorly developed. Proper
institutions are crucial, both those of a formal nature (constitution, laws and
regulations) and those of an informal nature (social norms, customs and traditions),
which together determine how people, organizations and firms make decisions of an
economic, social and political nature, maximizing potential and optimizing resources.

a. Corruption and weak institutions

b. Poor governance and weak institutions
c. Poor utilization of institutional resources
d. Poorly developed human capital
 25

46. The excerpt below discusses which impediment to the future development
of cities?

In city A the relatively low productivity of high value added sectors has been linked to
lower educational attainment and inadequate investment, particularly in small and
medium-sized enterprises. Similarly, in city B and city C, productivity, and hence
prosperity, is hampered by low skills, as well as by the extent of the informal sector,
where it is difficult to provide adult education and opportunities for upgrading skills.

a. High levels of informality in employment

b. Poor governance and weak institutions
c. Poor utilization of institutional resources
d. Poorly developed human capital

47. __________ data are the most appropriate source for estimating the size and
attributes of small population groups.

a. Administrative
b. Census
c. Household survey
d. Mobile text survey

48. What is the Gender Development Index best able to tell you about the social
situation in a country?

a. The existing gap between male and female human development

b. The existing level of female socioeconomic empowerment
c. The level of human development of females versus that of males
d. The level of human development of males versus that of females

49. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities differs from Madrid
International Plan of Action, because_____________________.

a. all UN Member States are required to adhere to it once approved by the

Economic and Social Council
b. it was approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations
c. it is enforceable under international law and therefore legally binding
d. signatory UN Member States are required to adhere to it
 26

50. A main determinant of slum growth is ______________.

a. Decaying rural infrastructure

b. High unemployment in informal settlements
c. Inequalities in governance and regulations around land tenure
d. Population growth
 27

SPECIALIZED PAPER, PART II: CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE ITEMS

All questions are mandatory. Question 1 will serve as a second eliminatory point.
Questions 2, 3, 4 and 5 will serve as a third eliminatory point.

There are two parts to choose from in question 3. Candidates should choose only
one part to answer. Answering both parts will not result in additional points.

QUESTION 1 Suggested time: 60 minutes

Maximum score: 200 points

Candidates should write their answer under Question 1 in their answer booklets.

You are a Junior Officer in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs at
United Nations Headquarters in New York. Your manager has asked you to
prepare a briefing note for the Director of your division as background for her
participation in a panel discussion of the Economic and Social Council on
“Achieving full employment and decent work after 2015: learning from the past,
preparing for the future”.

Drawing from the information in the table on the next page, prepare a briefing
note, of 350 to 400 words, that:

• Synthesizes the major global employment patterns from 2000 to 2020,

identifying critical regional nuances
• Identifies two challenges and proposes two policy solutions given the trends
in the data
 28

World 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Total vulnerable employment 52 51 47 45 44
Male vulnerable employment 51 49 46 44 43
Female vulnerable employment 55 53 49 46 46
Total unemployment rate 6 6 6 6 6
Male unemployment rate 6 6 6 6 6
Female unemployment rate 7 7 7 6 6
Youth unemployment rate 13 13 13 13 13

Region A 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Total vulnerable employment 11 11 10 10 9
Male vulnerable employment 12 12 11 11 11
Female vulnerable employment 11 9 9 8 8
Total unemployment rate 7 7 9 8 7
Male unemployment rate 6 7 9 8 7
Female unemployment rate 7 7 8 8 7
Youth unemployment rate 14 14 18 16 15

Region B 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Total vulnerable employment 57 52 45 40 38
Male vulnerable employment 52 47 42 38 36
Female vulnerable employment 64 58 49 43 40
Total unemployment rate 5 4 4 5 5
Male unemployment rate 5 5 5 5 6
Female unemployment rate 4 3 4 4 4
Youth unemployment rate 9 9 9 11 12

Region C 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Total vulnerable employment 37 36 31 29 29
Male vulnerable employment 34 33 28 26 26
Female vulnerable employment 50 50 44 42 42
Total unemployment rate 13 12 11 12 12
Male unemployment rate 11 10 8 9 9
Female unemployment rate 22 21 20 21 21
Youth unemployment rate 27 27 25 30 30
 29

QUESTION 2 Suggested time: 50 minutes

Maximum score: 150 points

Candidates should write their answers under Question 2 in their answer booklets.

You are a junior officer in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs at
United Nations Headquarters in New York. Your manager has asked you to
prepare for a high-level panel discussion during the General Assembly session
aimed at increasing the attention given to a particular topic in the national
implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Choosing ONE of the development topics below, draft a note of 300 to 350
words that:
• Introduces the topic
• Justifies its relevance to Member States (i.e. why the topic should be
discussed at this level)
• Provides four guiding questions for panel members

Development topics (choose only one)

1. Harnessing the demographic dividend for development
2. Linkages between international migration and development
3. “Leave no one behind”: persons with disabilities and the 2030 Agenda
4. Sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights: benefits for
development
 30

QUESTION 3 Suggested time: 20 minutes

Maximum score: 50 points

There are two parts (A and B) in question 3. Candidates should only choose ONE
part to answer; answering both parts will not result in additional points. Candidates
should write answers under Question 3 in their answer booklets.

Part A
You are a Junior Officer in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs at
United Nations Headquarters in New York. You are asked to provide civil society
perspectives for a report of the Secretary-General on the implications of
HIV/AIDS on socioeconomic development.

You will have to reach out to international NGOs working on social development
issues and ask for their input based on up-to-date research findings and
information received from their partners in countries. You are particularly
interested in information on the impact of the improved health of HIV/AIDS
patients due to antiretroviral treatment on the various social groups and the
overall development of their communities.

In 100 to 120 words, draft an Email to international NGOs, asking for the
information and specifying the type of information related to social groups and
overall community development that you would like to receive.

Draft your Email message.

Part B
You are a junior officer in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs at
United Nations Headquarters in New York. You received an e-mail from a
journalist who is writing a short feature on world population and sustainable
development. The journalist asks why the United Nations shows that world
population is projected to increase until 2100 and yet, counterintuitively, fertility
rates are projected to decline to below replacement level (below 2 children per
woman).

In 100 to 120 words, draft an Email reply to the journalist’s question and include
one implication for sustainable development.

Draft your Email.

 31

QUESTION 4 Suggested time: 12.5 minutes

Maximum score: 50 points

Candidates should answer this question under Question 4 in their answer

booklets.

You are a junior officer in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs at
United Nations Headquarters in New York. Your colleague is working on a
presentation for a visiting high school student group on the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development. He asks for your help in preparing the presentation.

Prepare a slide that lists three key issues covered by the 2030 Agenda and the
relevance of each issue to youth populations.

Prepare your slide.

 32

QUESTION 5 Suggested time: 12.5 minutes

Maximum score: 50 points

Candidates should answer this question under Question 5 in their answer

booklets.

You are a junior officer in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs at United
Nations Headquarters in New York. Your team is providing inputs to a United
Nations Member State on national monitoring of the implementation of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Your manager has asked you to provide him with two key points which:
• Explain the concept “no one left behind”
• Explain the implication of this for national monitoring of the 2030 Agenda

In less than 100 words, write an e-mail to your manager.

Write your e-mail.

END OF EXAM