Ageing and Social Progress: Making the Second World Social Summit Count for All Generations

14 July 2025: Following the Second World Assembly on Ageing, the Secretary-General’s report submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 79/147 provides an analysis of the extent to which the commitments made at the World Social Summit for Social Development align with the demographic realities for Member States. As they prepare for the Second World Social Summit to be held in Doha in November, the report includes recommendations to encourage Member States to mainstream ageing in social development, and to strengthen the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2022.

The report aims to ensure that older persons are fully included in the follow-up to the outcomes of the summit. The report highlights the following ageing-related considerations under the three pillars of social development:

Eradication of poverty:

• Social protection gaps: Many older persons, especially women and informal workers, lack adequate pensions or health coverage, leaving them vulnerable to poverty. Only ~49% of women and 63% of men above retirement age receive contributory pensions.
• Care systems undervalued: Long-term care is critical but underfunded; unpaid care (largely by women) is worth ~$10.8 trillion annually yet excluded from economic planning.
• Need for investment: Expanding universal health coverage, social protection floors, and formal care infrastructure reduce inequality, prevents hardship, and strengthens resilience.

Employment:

• Barriers to work: Older workers face discrimination, limited access to reskilling, and digital exclusion, increasing risks of premature labor force exit and insecurity.
• AI and automation risks/opportunities: Technological change can either displace older workers (bias, gig work, job loss) or empower them (assistive technologies, adaptive training).
• Inclusive workforces benefit all: Multigenerational workforces increase resilience and could raise GDP per capita by 19% over 30 years; flexible work, lifelong learning, and safeguards against AI bias are essential.

Social integration:

• Ageism and elder abuse: Age-based discrimination, isolation, and abuse remain widespread yet poorly addressed by existing laws and human rights systems.
• Digital divide: Limited digital access and literacy hinder older persons’ participation in society, expose them to fraud, and block access to services.
• Climate vulnerabilities: Older populations face heightened risks from heat stress, food insecurity, and productivity loss; integrating ageing into climate and development policies is essential.

UN system initiatives are already advancing solutions: in Asia-Pacific, 30 countries have adopted policies on long-term care and digital literacy; in the Arab region, coordinated action is underway to align ageing

priorities; and globally, the Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030) is tackling ageism, loneliness, and elder abuse.

The Secretary-General calls on Member States to:

• Mainstream ageing in all social development policies;
• Prioritize older persons’ issues under the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002); and
• Ensure older persons are fully included in the outcomes of the Second World Social Summit—with a commitment that no one is left behind.

The message is clear: social progress must be intergenerational. By embedding ageing into the Summit’s political declaration and follow-up, governments can strengthen resilience, promote solidarity, and build societies where dignity and inclusion are guaranteed across the life course.

Find the full report here.