Implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly - 2021 Report

In the present report, the Secretary-General emphasizes the need to strengthen national action and regional and international cooperation for social development, focusing on a significant increase and/or more efficient utilization of the resources allocated to social development, in order to achieve the goals of the World Summit for Social Development, taking into consideration the multifaceted impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and its consequences, especially on social development. He examines the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on social development and underscores the importance of developing long-term social policies to enhance people’s capacities and resilience for future shocks, and of preserving social spending to support such national policies and strategies so that countries can recover better and get back on track to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Secretary-General also presents the outcomes of the fifty-ninth session of the Commission for Social Development and concludes by setting out policy recommendations for consideration by the Assembly.