Welcome to the United Nations
8th February 2024, UN Headquarters New York, CSocD62 Event organized by Club de Madrid and co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the UN and UN DESA, it aimed at improving the present and safeguarding the future for both people and the planet, the exchange laid the groundwork for the proposed Summit for Social Development in 2025. Additionally, it offered strategic insights into fostering social development and social justice through targeted social policies.
Key discussions centered on the imperative need to prioritize addressing the upstream root causes of challenges hindering the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This included advocating for a Global Digital Compact and the Pact for the Future initiatives to support future policy development and enable a holistic approach to tackle systemic issues. Upholding SDG commitments and securing stakeholder involvement emerged as crucial for fostering collaborative efforts towards shared objectives, with a particular emphasis on including traditionally marginalized groups due to issues of identity, religion, gender, and ethnicity.
Promoting regional stability was highlighted as paramount in preventing conflict and ensuring uninterrupted progress in social development. Investment in capacity building, skills development, and enhancing youth employability across diverse sectors were emphasized as essential strategies for fostering inclusive growth and addressing inequalities. Setting concrete objectives and adopting long-term thinking towards technological advancement and skills training were deemed indispensable for sustainable development.
The importance of establishing effective global cooperation was stressed, building on the past SDG Summit to facilitate ongoing dialogue and concerted action towards the Summit of the Future. The upcoming Summit for Social Development in 2025 was identified as a crucial opportunity to make social rights a reality for everyone, everywhere, marking a moment of necessary transformation.
Discussions emphasized the necessity of moving beyond GDP as a measure of progress and embracing quantitative standards for poverty reduction to gain a comprehensive understanding of societal well-being and guide effective policy interventions. The significance of focusing on the future of work, decent work, and social protection policies was underlined, echoing discussions from the ECOSOC special meeting held in Santiago in January.
The exchange boasted participation from key figures such as Mr. Danilo Türk, President of CdM, and former President of Slovenia (2007-2012), alongside Ms. Paula Narváez, President of ECOSOC, Permanent Representative of Chile to the UN, Mr. Gabriel Bastos, Secretary of State for Social Security of Portugal, Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of the UN, Ms. Gomin Camacho, CEO of Ethnic Relations Commission of Guyana, Member of CdM’s WYDE Network of Young Decision-Makers, and Mr. Dan Perell, Co-Chair of the Coalition for the UN We Need.
Together, they emphasized the critical role of managing transformations in the world of work and the pivotal importance of inclusive social development practices and cooperation among states to address societal challenges and promote unity and inclusivity. Generating trust and political will emerged as pivotal aspects requiring deliberate efforts, highlighting the need for promoting international cooperation and fostering shared societies. Through intentional efforts to promote cooperation, foster shared values, and prioritize common goals, the path towards driving positive global change was illuminated.
For more information: Club de Madrid's 2023 Policy Dialogue on Rethinking Social Development for People and Planet.
For more information about the 62nd Commission for Social Development (CSocD62), please visit: https://social.desa.un.org/csocd/62nd
Source: Club de Madrid