Working Groups for the preparations for and follow up of the
Second World Summit for Social Development
We call entry-level professionals or students of social sciences or a related field who have a strong interest in family policies and want to gain experience in the work of international organizations to form working groups on the preparations and follow-up of the Second World Summit for Social Development.
Each group consists of a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 10 members, with an appointed leader. Applicants who do not belong to a group upon registration will be assigned to one that suits them best.
Each participant must send a paper by the end of the year with a literature review of one of the topics below, in accordance with the leader of their group. The paper must be presented according to the guidelines indicated here:
Selected papers will be published on this website, used for different documentation regarding the preparations for the Summit, and presented at different events.
All the documents published will comply with the terms of a Creative Commons Public License Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International.
If you want to be part of this project, please register here:
Background Information
The United Nations General Assembly has decided to convene the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025, to address gaps and recommit to the principles outlined in the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action and give momentum towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It will be held at the level of Heads of State or Government in Qatar from 4 to 6 November. The programme will include two high-level round tables on the following themes:
1. Strengthening the three pillars of social development: poverty eradication, full and productive employment and decent work for all, and social inclusion.
2. Assessing progress and addressing gaps and challenges in the implementation of the commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and its Programme of Action and giving momentum towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“This would be an opportunity to hold a different form of global deliberation and to live up to the values, including trust and listening, that underpin the social contract. The Summit outcome could be an update of the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development, covering issues such as universal social protection floors, and give momentum towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General
The social summit will take place almost 30 years after the historic first World Summit For Social Development, where heads of state and government set out an ambitious common vision of social development aimed at social justice, solidarity, harmony and equality within and among countries, placing people at the center of development.
“Some Member States have expressed a legitimate concern about creating new Agendas in the current context, when the task of realizing the SDGs and the Copenhagen commitments is not yet done. This is not the time to change course. Rather, the Social Summit is an opportunity to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the programme of action of the first Summit, five years ahead of 2030.”
Amina J. Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General
This is another historic milestone in the social action of the United Nations and will give momentum towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Despite progress in eradicating poverty and reducing multidimensional inequalities, the global scenario faces overlapping crises and makes it necessary to review strategies, reaffirm commitments, and mobilize resources. We now face rising geopolitical tensions, growing geoeconomic fragmentation, intensifying effects of climate change, demographic shifts, technological disruptions, the threat of pandemics, wars and conflicts.
“We are at an inflexion point. Insecurity about the future and distrust in institutions are increasing, eroding our social fabric and our ability to collectively achieve common goals. It is time to respond by paving the way towards a resilient, inclusive and sustainable future, with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development as our foundations.”
Paula Narváez, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
When it established the World Day of Social Justice, the General Assembly recognized that social development and social justice are indispensable for the achievement and maintenance of peace and security within and among nations and that, in turn, social development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms. As a matter of fact, many people around the world are not able to see their human rights respected and are not able to be free because they are not respected as a family.
“Stronger international cooperation is urgently needed for immediate progress. The Summit is a critical milestones for advancing the SDGs. The Second World Summit for Social Development will be very uniquely positioned to build on previous commitments and deliver a meaningful outcome that addresses social issues and also generates more impact on people’s lives and livelihoods.”
Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations
The pivotal role of the family in social development is an issue of social justice, and the nexus between attention to families and the promotion of human rights and freedoms is incontrovertible. As we reflect upon the global landscape, it becomes evident that the right to form a family remains precarious for many, particularly marginalized groups such as women and youth.
“The Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025 will be an important opportunity to assess progress, share what works and focus on accelerating towards the SDGs. As ever, the World Health Organization remains committed to supporting our Member States in every way possible to build a healthier, safer and fairer future in Latin America, the Caribbean and everywhere.”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO)
The 63rd session of the Commission for Social Development and the yearly IFFD Briefing next February will be a special occasion to highlight the preparations for the Summit, as the priority theme for the Commission will be “Strengthening solidarity, social inclusion, and social cohesion to accelerate the delivery of the commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development as well as the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Suggested Topics
Therefore, central to our advocacy at the International Federation for Family Development is the recognition of the interplay between the objectives of the Declaration of Copenhagen and the International Year of the Family. These dimensions underscore the multifaceted nature of attention to familial welfare, warranting concerted action.
- Early childhood development
- The science of early brain development can inform investments in early childhood (Harvard University)
- The formative early years of a child’s life demand a nurturing environment and attentive care (UNICEF)
- Investing in the early years is one of the smartest things a country can do (World Bank)
- Youth social integration
- Why is it important to understand youth integration? (Cohesive Society)
- Social integration in youth: Insights from a social network perspective (American Psychological Association)
- Youth employment policies (ILO)
- Climate change awareness and adaptation
- Adaptation as adjustments in ecological, social or economic systems (UNFCC)
- Family communication about climate change (US National Library of Medicine)
- Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses (The Lancet)
- Flexibility in workplaces
- Navigating the complex landscape of flexibility (Forbes)
- Redesigning how we work (Harvard Business Review)
- Redesigning the workplace to be family-friendly (UNICEF)
- Urban planning response to family needs
- Urban planning and quality of life (Elsevier)
- Urbanization and Families (United Nations DESA)
- How UNICEF could engage with urban planning? (UNICEF)
- Value of unpaid care work
- The missing link in the analysis of gender gaps in labour outcomes (OECD)
- Redistribute unpaid work (UN Women)
- Care work and care jobs for the future of decent work (ILO)
- Overcoming the intergenerational digital gap
- How to combat generational digital exclusion (ICT Solutions & Education)
- The economic consequences and generational impact of the digital divide (Harvard Kennedy School)
- The intergenerational digital gap with regard to silver workers (Institute for Forecasting of Slovak Academy of Sciences)
- Parental education and support
- Maximizing the most critical enabling environment (UNESCO)
- Parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices (US National Library of Medicine)
- Positive parenting: concept and applications (United Nations)
- Healthy active ageing
- What do we know about healthy aging? (US National Institutes of Health)
- The Active Ageing Index (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and European Union)
- Healthy ageing and functional ability (World Health Organization)
- Family reunification for migrants
- Family reunification (UNHCR)
- Family reunification (IOM)
- Family reunification / reunion (Council of Europe)
