Report of the 56th Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD56)

Report of the 56th Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD56)

9 April 2018

The fifty-sixth session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD56) was held on 10 February 2017 and from 29 January to 7 February 2018, with the priority theme of “Strategies for eradicating poverty to achieve sustainable development for all ”. This was the policy year of the two-year review and policy cycle. The Commission also reviewed relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups, the social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa ’s Development and the emerging issue: “Towards sustainable and resilient societies: innovation and inter-connectivity for social development ”.

The Commission decided that the priority theme for the 2019 session would be “Addressing inequalities and challenges to social inclusion through fiscal, wage and social protection policies”. It also decided to review the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities by proceeding to the review of the outcome document of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the realization of the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development goals for persons with disabilities, “The way forward, a disability-inclusive development agenda towards 2015 and beyond”.

The Commission adopted four draft resolutions that were recommended for adoption by the Economic and Social Council, on: (a) Future organization and methods of work of the Commission for Social Development; (b) Strategies for eradicating poverty to achieve sustainable development for all; (c) Social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development; and (d) Third review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002.