Welcome to the United Nations
The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) invites Member States, UN entities, international and regional organizations, civil society, academia, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders to contribute to the forthcoming report of the UN…
Major Events
20 February 2026
Social Development Issues
UNDESA DISD facilitates and promotes the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, including designing guidelines for policy development and implementation; advocating means to mainstream ageing issues into development agendas; engaging in…
UNDESA DISD works to promote greater awareness and increase involvement by civil society in the work of the United Nations on social policy and development issues as it relates to the mandate of the Division.
UNDESA DISD works closely with the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) to promote the important role of cooperatives in social and economic development.
UNDESA DISD works to advance the rights of persons with disabilities in society and development, with mandates stem from the World Programme of Action (1982), Standard Rules (1994) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (…
The World Summit for Social Development put the goal of full and productive employment at the forefront of the UN development agenda and recognized that the generation of productive employment was the most effective means of reducing poverty and…
UNDESA DISD promotes the objectives of the International Year of the Family 1994 and it follow-up processes. It advocates mainstreaming of family issues into national, regional and international development agendas and promotes family-oriented…
The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples (PFII) is an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council with a mandate to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human…
Extraordinary economic growth and widespread improvements in well-being have failed to close the deep divides across countries and within societies. More than 70 per cent of the world population now live in countries where income inequality has…
The World Social Summit identified poverty eradication as an ethical, social, political and economic imperative of mankind and called on governments to address the root causes of poverty, provide for basic needs for all and ensure that the poor…
The World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995 defined an inclusive society as “a society for all’, in which every individual, each with rights and responsibilities, has an active role to play (United Nations, 1995, para 66). Such…
The Secretary-General Report on “Strengthening the global framework for leveraging sport for development and peace” provides a review of progress towards the implementation of the United Nations Action Plan on Sport for Development and Peace and…
UNDESA DISD aims to build an awareness of the global situation of young people, as well as promote their rights and aspirations. The mandate of the Focal Point on Youth is predominantly based on the World Programme of Action for Youth. The Focal…
What Does UN DISD do?
Intergovernmental support
UN DESA DISD provides support and servicing to intergovernmental processes by facilitating agreement on resolutions, strategies and international standards and norms through the Commission for Social Development, the Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other intergovernmental forums, such as the Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
Analysis
UN DESA DISD undertakes global comparative studies on policy and programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and advises Member States and other stakeholders as they tackle global issues.
