Dakar High‑Level Preparatory Meeting for the 2026 UN Water Conference, 26 January

High‑Level Opening Segment

Statement of the Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Excellencies, Distinguished Ministers, Representatives of Member States, Indigenous Peoples, Colleagues,

It is an honour to address you today on behalf of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs is pleased to announce that the 2026 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace will spotlight the theme “Sport: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers,” underscoring sport’s unique capacity to foster connection, inclusion, and peace in an increasingly fragmented world. As a universal language that transcends cultural, social, and boundaries, sport serves as a powerful catalyst for social transformation.

On 15 December 2025, the UN General Assembly adopted by recorded vote, the resolution on “Rights of Indigenous Peoples” - Item 68(a) (A/RES/80/191).

Among other issues, the resolution:

The United Nations will commemorate the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on Wednesday, 3 December 2025, with a global virtual event at the UN Headquarters in New York, from 10 to 11:30am (EST) under the theme “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.”

On 26 November 2025, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on the International Day for Indigenous Women and Girls (A/RES/80/10), to be commemorated every 5 September.

The Second World Summit for Social Development wrapped up on Thursday with nations warning that global progress on poverty and inequality will stall unless countries move faster from promises to implementation.

The Summit took place 30 years after the landmark 1995 Copenhagen meeting that put social justice at the heart of sustainable development. Since then, many countries report dramatic gains in education, health and poverty reduction – but also widening inequality, demographic pressures, climate vulnerability and conflict.

On 11 November 2025, the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee (Third Committee) of the 80th session of the General Assembly discussed and considered the draft resolution, "The Rights of Indigenous Peoples" [item 68 (a)].

The Committee took up the draft resolution “Rights of Indigenous Peoples” (A/C.3/80/L.17). Among other issues, the resolution:

The UN Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) today co-hosted the official closing ceremony of the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025), with a celebration demonstrating how ‘Cooperatives Build a Better World’. ​​Cooperatives are people-first businesses owned and run by their members.

From 4 to 6 November 2025, world leaders, policymakers, civil society, youth, and private sector representatives will gather in Doha, Qatar for the Second World Summit for Social Development, a milestone event to renew global commitment to inclusive and people-centred development.

Doha, 4–6 November 2025 — Discussions on population ageing will feature prominently at the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha. Sessions across the programme will explore demographic trends, policy responses and opportunities to adapt social systems to ageing societies:

4 November