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 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:

PAPER TEMPLATE

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:

APPLICATION


“The Second World Summit for Social Development serves as a crucial platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the forging of new alliances and of international cooperation on the three core themes of social development, namely poverty eradication, full and productive employment and decent work for all and social integration. It is through such collective endeavors that we can address the root causes of unmet social development and create a more just and equitable world.”
Statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China (New York, 16 July 2024).

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.

More information…


“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.”

Background Information

The 2025 World Social Summit presents a valuable opportunity to promote inclusion. Its agenda and outcomes should reflect the perspectives of diverse participants, including civil society organizations, local governments, the private sector, financial institutions, and other key stakeholders. The Summit must prioritize broad participation to create truly inclusive outcomes that address the needs of all societal groups.

Inclusion in family policies focuses on ensuring that everyone, regardless of their family situation or whether they have a family, has equal access to social, economic, and caregiving resources. These policies embrace the diversity of family structures, such as single-parent families, childless couples, extended families, and individuals who live alone. By recognizing this variety, inclusive family policies ensure that no one is left out.

This also means that benefits typically designed for families —like parental leave, childcare, housing support, and healthcare— are adapted to meet the needs of individuals without children, single adults, and those in non-traditional living arrangements. The goal is to create a more inclusive social safety net that respects individual choices while acknowledging families’ vital social and economic roles in society.

Therefore, promoting family policies shouldn’t be perceived as non-inclusive if it prioritizes family-based structures at the expense of those who choose not to have a family or live in different arrangements. A truly inclusive approach supports families and individuals, ensuring that people who remain single or child-free still receive equal access to opportunities, resources, and social services. The key is balancing the needs of all citizens.

The previous considerations also acknowledge that having children is beneficial for society as it ensures population renewal, contributing to workforce sustainability and economic growth. Children grow into adults who support aging populations through taxes, social security contributions, and caregiving roles. Families also nurture social cohesion and pass down cultural values. However, benefits depend on broader societal support systems, such as education, healthcare, and social welfare, to ensure that the next generation is well-prepared to contribute positively. Societies with balanced family policies and inclusive frameworks tend to reap these long-term benefits more effectively.

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.

  1. Early childhood development

“Provide inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels throughout the life course – early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary and distance education, including technical and vocational training – so that all people, particularly those in vulnerable situations, may have access to lifelong learning opportunities that help them to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to exploit opportunities to participate fully in society and contribute to sustainable development.” [A/C.3/79/L.13/Rev.1, 81]

  1. Youth social integration

“Address the high rates of youth unemployment, underemployment, vulnerable employment, informal employment and young people not in employment, education or training by developing and implementing targeted and integrated local and national youth employment policies for inclusive, sustainable and innovative job creation, improved employability, skills development and vocational training to facilitate the transition from school to work and to increase the prospects for integrating youth into the sustainable labour market, and through increased entrepreneurship, including the development of networks of young entrepreneurs at the local, national, regional and global levels that foster knowledge among young people about their rights and responsibilities in society, and encourages Member States to invest in education, support lifelong learning and provide social protection for all youth and to request donors, specialized United Nations entities and the private sector to continue to provide assistance to Member States, including technical and funding support, as appropriate.” [A/C.3/79/L.13/Rev.1, 25]

  1. Climate change awareness and adaptation

“Recognize that the negative effects of climate change and environmental disasters have differential impacts, with people in vulnerable situations, poor and rural communities and low-income countries being disproportionately exposed to floods, droughts and other natural disasters, and that they have a lower capacity and assets to recover from such external shocks, and expresses concern that climate change may cause high and volatile food and commodity prices and hit them hardest.” [A/C.3/79/L.13/Rev.1, 29]

  1. Flexibility in workplaces

“Family policies are most effective when addressing the family unit and its dynamic as a whole, including taking into consideration the needs of its members, and notes that family-oriented policies aim in particular at strengthening, and should be designed to enhance, a household’s capacity to escape poverty, ensure financial independence and support work-family balance to help to manage family functions and foster child development.” [A/C.3/79/L.13/Rev.1, 17]

  1. Urban planning response to family needs

“Reaffirm the New Urban Agenda,25 which envisages cities and human settlements that fulfil their social function, including the social and ecological function of land, with a view to progressively achieving the full realization of the right to adequate housing, as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, without discrimination, universal access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation, as well as equal access for all to public goods and quality services in areas such as food security and nutrition, health, education, infrastructure, mobility and transportation, energy, air quality and livelihoods.” [A/C.3/79/L.13/Rev.1, 27]

  1. Value of unpaid care work

“Adopt measures to recognize, reduce and redistribute women’s and girls’ disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic work and the feminization of poverty, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including through poverty eradication measures, labour policies, public services and gender-responsive social protection programmes.” [A/C.3/79/L.13/Rev.1, 7]

  1. Overcoming the intergenerational digital gap

“Continue to take action to bridge the digital divides and spread the benefits of digitalization, expand participation of all countries, in particular developing countries, in the digital economy, including by enhancing their digital infrastructure connectivity, building their capacities and access to technological innovations through stronger partnerships and improving digital literacy, leverage digital technology to expand the foundations on which to strengthen social protection systems, build capacities for inclusive participation in the digital economy and strong partnerships to bring technological innovations to all countries, and reaffirms that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online.” [A/C.3/79/L.13/Rev.1, 55]

  1. Parental education and support

“Invest in family-oriented policies and programmes that enhance strong intergenerational interactions, such as intergenerational living arrangements, parenting education, including for family caregivers, and support for grandparents, including grandparents who are primary caregivers, in an effort to promote inclusive urbanization, active ageing, intergenerational solidarity and social cohesion.” [A/C.3/79/L.12/Rev.1, 26]

  1. Healthy active ageing

“Recognize the challenges related to the enjoyment of all human rights that older persons face in different areas and that those challenges require in-depth analysis and action to address protection gaps, and calls upon all States to promote and ensure the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for older persons, including by progressively taking measures to combat age discrimination, neglect, abuse and violence, as well as social isolation and loneliness, to provide social protection, access to food and housing, health-care services, employment, legal capacity and access to justice and to address issues related to social integration and gender inequality through mainstreaming the rights of older persons into sustainable development strategies, urban policies and poverty reduction strategies, bearing in mind the crucial importance of intergenerational solidarity for social development.” [A/RES/75/131, 4]

  1. Family reunification for migrants

“Promote reunification policies under national law related to migration, with the best interest of the child as the basic concern, while also taking into consideration the overall wellbeing of the family.” [A/C.3/79/L.12/Rev.1, 13]

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