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UN General Assembly Reports on Social Development |
The  report outlines key policies and actions that can assist cooperatives in realizing their full potential for supporting Member States to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the outcomes of the World Summit for Social Development. The report provides highlights of the need for cooperatives to focus on strengthening democratic governance, investing in member education and expanding partnerships to scale their impact. With the Second World Social Summit due to convene in November 2025, the report provides an analysis of the role of cooperatives in poverty eradication through the creation of decent work and the advancement of social inclusion. The report also provides…
UN General Assembly Reports on Social Development |
The report contains an exploration of the central role of social capital as a transformative strategy for addressing multidimensional poverty and strengthening inclusive societies. Recognizing that poverty is both economic and relational in nature, the report serves to highlight how investments in trust, participation and social networks can reduce structural barriers, expand opportunities and foster a shared sense of belonging. In the report, national experiences are used to illustrate how social capital can be mobilized across key sectors, including employment, education, health, housing and community development, to address multidimensional poverty. The importance of inclusive…
UN General Assembly Reports on Social Development |
The present note contains the main findings of the World Social Report 2025: A New Policy Consensus to Accelerate Social Progress. Thirty years after the first World Summit for Social Development, the World Social Report 2025 warns of a mounting global social crisis marked by insecurity, inequality, and declining trust. While past decades have brought progress in poverty reduction and well-being, millions remain trapped in precarious livelihoods, informal work, and economic instability. Inequalities persist across income, gender, and generations, while climate change and rapid technological shifts deepen divides. Trust in institutions is eroding, social cohesion is weakening, and…
UN General Assembly Reports on Social Development |
The report contains a review of the progress, gaps and challenges faced in the eradication of poverty, in particular in developing countries. It includes a discussion on the drivers of poverty and highlights solutions, policies and good practices for poverty eradication. The report also includes a summary of the activities undertaken by the United Nations system to implement the system-wide plan of action for the eradication of poverty. It concludes with action-oriented recommendations aimed at accelerating progress towards achieving the objectives of the Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty and the Sustainable Development Goals, including through action in the…
UN General Assembly Reports on Social Development |
A/80/147 - Released on 5 August 2025 11:55 PM EDT: The report analyzes how commitments from the World Summit for Social Development align with current demographic realities as Member States prepare for the Second World Summit for Social Development (4–6 November 2025, Doha). It focuses on the three pillars of social development—poverty eradication, productive employment, and social integration—highlighting policy priorities such as strengthening care systems, adapting to technological change (including AI), preparing for climate-related shocks, combating age-based discrimination, promoting lifelong learning, fostering age-inclusive workforces, and enhancing community participation.…
UN General Assembly Reports on Social Development |
The Human Rights Council, 
Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, 
Reaffirming  the  Universal  Declaration  of  Human  Rights  and  recalling  all  relevant 
international  human  rights  treaties,  in  particular  the  International  Covenant  on  Civil  and 
Political  Rights,  the  International  Covenant  on  Economic,  Social  and  Cultural  Rights,  the 
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms  of Discrimination against Women, the 
Policy Briefs |
This UN DESA policy brief revisits the landmark 1995 World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, which marked a pivotal moment in global efforts to place people at the centre of development. The Summit established a powerful political consensus around eradicating poverty, promoting full employment, and advancing social integration—anchored in a broader vision of social justice, solidarity, and equality.As Member States prepare for the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha this November, the brief argues that it is time to revitalize the integrated and people-centred approach first articulated in Copenhagen. It highlights the limitations of fragmented social policy…
Policy Briefs |
Persistent inequalities based on group characteristics—such as race, ethnicity, disability, and income—continue to shape people’s opportunities from birth through adulthood. Despite commitments under the 2030 Agenda and progress in promoting inclusion, inherited disadvantages still account for a large share of income inequality in many countries. These disparities, often passed from one generation to the next, reflect interlinked barriers in health, education, and employment that prevent entire population groups from fully participating in society.Social exclusion often begins in early childhood and compounds over time. Children from the poorest and most marginalized households are more…
Policy Briefs |
This policy brief presents a global analysis of 171 Voluntary National Reviews (2020–2024) from 141 countries addressing core aspects of family well-being by focusing on policies related to: poverty reduction (SDG1), food security and nutrition (SDG2), health and well-being (SDG3), quality education (SDG4), and gender equality (SDG5). These VNRs demonstrate little and uneven progress in implementing family-oriented policies, compared to the 2016–2019 VNRs. There is modest positive progress in reducing poverty, improving maternal and child mortality, and increasing access to water and sanitation services. However, family-oriented policies addressing extreme poverty and food insecurity have…