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Resilient care and support systems are not merely social safety nets but are fundamental drivers for eradicating poverty and safeguarding human dignity, experts and delegates emphasized during the sixty-fourth session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD64) on 4 February 2026. Convening its sixth meeting at United Nations Headquarters, the Commission held a high-level panel discussion titled “Eradicating poverty and ensuring dignity through resilient care and support systems.” The dialogue underscored the urgent need to transition from viewing care as a private burden to recognizing it as a public good essential for sustainable development.
Opening the discussion, moderator José Antonio Ocampo, Co-Director of the Economic and Political Development Concentration at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), highlighted that the global care economy is at a turning point. Speakers noted that without robust support infrastructures, the burden of care continues to fall disproportionately on women and girls, limiting their economic opportunities and perpetuating cycles of poverty.
Li Xin, Director General of the International Poverty Reduction Center in China, addressed the panel as the first speaker, sharing national experiences where poverty reduction was elevated to a core governance priority. He illustrated how integrating care policies with broader social protection schemes can lift vulnerable populations out of poverty while providing necessary support for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
The discussion builds on the momentum of the Second World Summit for Social Development held in Doha in November 2025. Delegates emphasized that today’s deliberations are a direct follow-up to the Doha Political Declaration, which called for concrete measures to build inclusive societies.
Throughout the session, Member States shared best practices and challenges, exploring how governments can finance these systems amidst fiscal constraints. The consensus emerged that investments in the care economy yield high social and economic returns by creating jobs, fostering gender equality, and ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of the 2030 Agenda.
The Commission for Social Development will continue its sixty-fourth session through 10 February, with further discussions expected to focus on emerging issues in social development and the implementation of commitments made at the Copenhagen and Doha Summits.
For more information about CSocD64, please visit:
https://social.desa.un.org/csocd/64th-session
