UNRISD Global Consultation: Paving the Road to the Second World Summit for Social Development

17 Jul 2025: In preparation for the upcoming Social Summit in November, the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) launched a global consultation process in July 2024, to better understand public concerns on key social development challenges. Engaging its diverse network, the survey gathered insights from a variety of participants, asking them to identify the most pressing contemporary social development challenges and key demands for policy makers to address them. 

Regional Perspectives on Pressing Issues

• Africa:
  • Participants expressed the importance of extending social protection systems to informal workers, investing in education for women and girls, and addressing youth unemployment by aligning education systems with labour market needs.
  • Participants also called for urgent action to bridge the digital divide and promote inclusive social development in Africa.
• Central Asia:
  • Participants underscored poverty reduction as a key priority for most Central Asian countries.
  • They also expressed that the global social development agenda must be rooted in justice, equity, and inclusion, with a strong emphasis on human dignity and rights. The agenda should elevate women’s roles, care economies, youth potential, and environmental sustainability.
• Asia:
  • Participants emphasized the need to strengthen social protection systems, particularly in light of demographic shifts and aging populations across many Asian countries.
  • Experts also emphasized the importance of bridging the widening digital and urban-rural divides as technology in the region advances.
  • They also highlighted the need to address entrenched inequalities including social exclusion of Indigenous Peoples in the region.
• Civil Society in Nordic Countries:
  • The Nordic consultation highlighted key areas for further action to advance inclusive social development, building on the region’s strong foundation of universal welfare systems through addressing persistent inequalities, bridging digital divides, and protecting human rights and democratic governance.
  • They also called to deepen multilateral governance and civil society engagement to tackle complex global challenges.
• Latin America/Caribbean (LAC):
  • Participants stressed the importance of addressing both longstanding and emerging social challenges in the region. These include structural inequalities affecting Indigenous Peoples, extreme poverty, and insufficient social protection for informal labour markets.
  • They also highlighted that currently, the Latin American economy is not benefitting sufficiently from technological progress due to a digital divide, restricting equitable access to education and economic opportunities. They called for an expansion of broadband access in rural areas and providing digital literacy training as the next step.

Importance of Inclusivity

519 participants participated in the global consultation, across regions, sectors, and demographic groups, bringing in their expertise and lived experiences to the discussion on social progress. This reinforced the principle that inclusive engagement is essential for shaping equitable and impactful social development policies. The insights gathered through this process offer valuable input into the priorities and expectations communities hold for the upcoming Social Summit. As preparations for the summit continue, these perspectives can help ensure that policy outcomes are grounded in real-world needs and guided by voices from all corners of society.

The complete findings are available in the full reports by UNRISD.