Welcome to the United Nations
In 2025, the United Nations will convene the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD) to address ongoing social challenges and renew commitments made in the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action. The second World Social Summit will also catalyze progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by reinvigorating its social pillar grounded in values of social justice, equality and inclusion.
As the only institution within the UN system with a dedicated mandate to research the social dimensions of development, UNRISD has a key role to play on the road to the WSSD in Qatar. For over 60 years we have been a powerful and independent voice, producing a wealth of knowledge and policy guidance that promotes equity, inclusion and justice. With a network of over 20,000 experts and practitioners, UNRISD is a convenor of diverse actors from academia, civil society, and policy circles, providing a space for critical thinking and a plurality of ideas, especially from the global South. We emphasize the importance of integrated policies that address economic, social and environmental goals and advocate for a new social contract based on human rights, social justice and a contract for nature—that is, an eco-social contract. We aim to harness our unique expertise and position to inform the political declaration and the action plan emerging from the Summit, providing evidence-based recommendations and alternative perspectives and convening important stakeholders.
Join us and have your say in our consultation.
Roadmap to WSSD 2025
In the lead-up to the 2025 WSSD, UNRISD is launching a series of research and impact activities to engage our global, multi-sector network to understand public concerns and collect effective policy solutions to the biggest social challenges of our time, including poverty, inequality, lack of decent work and social exclusion. Advancing social development within planetary boundaries is essential for creating fair and sustainable societies for all.
Engage with us: We want to hear from you
To support this mission, we invite you to share your insights on the most pressing social development challenges that need attention today, and your most important asks for Heads of States gathering in Qatar in November 2025. We are launching this global consultation to collect your perspectives and suggestions as key inputs for shaping the outcomes of the WSSD and future implementation of its programme of action. Specifically, we seek your top three social development challenges and top three asks from global leaders coming together at the Summit. Your expertise and insights will play a crucial role in shaping the solutions proposed for a fair and sustainable future.
The extended deadline for submission is 3 February 2025.
Based on the survey and further consultations to be held in the fall, UNRISD will publish a paper that compiles the evidence gathered to inform the drafting process of the political declaration of the WSSD.
We look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with you to inform an active and impactful WSSD 2025.
Source: UNRISD