Welcome to the United Nations
World Summit for Social Development - WSSD
The primary goal of the World Summit for Social Development (WSSD) was to address social development issues globally and to find ways to alleviate poverty, reduce inequality, and promote social inclusion for everyone. The summit resulted in the adoption of the Declaration on Social Development, which emphasized the importance of eradicating poverty, promoting full employment, and fostering social integration.
Key Themes:
- Poverty eradication and employment generation
- Social integration and full participation of all people in society
- Promotion of productive employment and decent work for all
- Social protection and social services for those in need.
The World Social Summit was a significant event in the international community's efforts to prioritize social development alongside economic growth and environmental sustainability. It underscored the interconnectedness of economic and social policies in achieving sustainable development and laid the groundwork for subsequent global development agendas, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
World Summits
World Summit for Social Development, 6-12 March 1995, Copenhagen, Denmark
Second World Summit for Social Development, 4-6 November 2025, State of Qatar
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.
The SDGs build on decades of work by countries and the UN, including the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
