Engagement Opportunities in the lead up to WSSD2 2025

A key multistakeholder platform for discussing food security and nutrition policies. Outcomes from the CFS can directly inform the Summit’s discussions on sustainable food systems and their role in advancing social development goals.

A youth-led global movement focusing on transforming agrifood systems. The Forum’s outcomes can provide innovative ideas and youth perspectives to the Summit's deliberations on future sustainable development strategies.

The meeting will be held during the 86th session of the Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management (Geneva, 8-10 October 2025) and will address challenges related to housing affordability and other topical issues such as sustainability, and energy-efficiency of housing. Ministers will be invited to agree on pledges or practical commitments in this regard.

This meeting brings together city leaders from all the UN regions for facilitating dialogue among cities, member States and international organizations. UNECE had transmitted to the UN Secretary General the outcome statement adopted by the Forum of Mayors at its 4th meeting, « the Cities Summit for the Future » (Geneva, 30 September-1 October 2024), which highlighted the essential role and concrete commitments of local and regional governments in implementing the Pact of the Future, including its action 6. The City leaders recalled inter alia that local and regional governments are guardians of public trust and in the position to ensure equity and resilience through the provision of public services and social protection systems.

Organized by the League of Arab States in collaboration with ESCWA and other UN partners.
Ministerial discussion that will focus on the priorities of the Arab region within the framework of WSSD2, and on the most pressing social development issues facing the region in light of the geopolitical developments

Organized by ESCWA with a focus on social protection and its impact on the SDGs in the context of lead-up to WSS2. Multiple preparatory meetings of the Arab working group on social protection will be engaged on WSS2 preparations (February in Riyadh and June in Algiers).

This conference addresses global policies to combat hunger, with a particular focus on rights-based approaches. Its outcomes can directly inform the Summit’s discussions on food security as a component of social development.

Organized by ESCWA and UNRISD, the meeting will bring together a wide range of stakeholders such as experts, activists, researchers, and academics to present Arab perspectives on inclusive development, justice, poverty eradication, decent work, climate adaptation, digital transformations, social contract renewal, and other pressing development issues. The outcomes of this dialogue will contribute to the Summit through a policy brief summarizing regional insights and proposals, in line with similar consultations in other world regions.

Organized by ESCWA in collaboration with partner UN agencies and the League of Arab States . The Forum will include a high-level ministerial discussion “On the road to WSSD2”, actionable recommendations for the region will derive from the session

Organized by the Arab NGO Network for Development, Engaging CSOs and youth in WSSD2 regional preparations

Multistakeholder meeting to review SDG progress in the UNECE region (Europe, North America, Central Asia, Israel) and exchange on acceleration actions; civil society consultation (1 April): self-organized and inclusive consultation coordinated by the regional civil society engagement mechanism. Both the RFSD and the preparatory civil society consultation will discuss issues closely related to the Second World Summit for Social Development, such as social and economic inclusion as part of the in-depth review of SDGs 3, 5 and 8. Inputs could feed into the summit through various channels, including inputs by member States, UN system and civil society.

Focused on malnutrition and nutrition investments, the Summit’s outcomes can contribute to addressing the social dimensions of food systems, a key theme for the Summit’s agenda.

Organized by the Executive Bureau of the Council of Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs of the GCC States in cooperation with ESCWA. Meeting among representatives from ministries of labour, social development and foreign affairs of the GCC countries to discuss the Food for Thought paper.

ESCWA’s Executive Secretary briefed Arab Permanent Representatives on the various regional preparatory processes for WSSD2 during CsocD63.

Engaging school children in five countries across the region in WSS2 themes and raising awareness of impact at community level. The challenges facing the Arab region, including conflicts, food shortages, widespread poverty, low rates of education and the consequent problems such as displacement, brain drain, food insecurity and aggravated pollution, among others, have been the main topics of "The ESCWA Stories", Volume 4.

In the first half of 2025, ECE member States conduct national stakeholder engagements on future ageing policy priorities to identify the primary challenges at national level in relation to demographic change and ageing. ECE will issue of summary report of these findings in October 2025. This process is primarily intended to inform an update of the regional implementation strategy of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, however, the insights gained will identify gaps and priorities for social development in the context of ageing societies. Inputs could feed into the summit through various channels, including inputs by member States, UN system and civil society.