Since 20 September 2013, the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly has been addressing social development. They are focusing specifically on the 1) implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development, 2) the significance of social development, including questions relating to the world social situation and to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family, 3) follow-up to the International Year of Older Persons: Second World Assembly on Ageing, and 4) the initiative of United Nations Literacy Decade: Education for All.

Over the months, representatives have been contributing their voices and ideas to what the UN can do for social development. On 24 October, the Representative from Senegal spoke on behalf of Armenia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Panama, Portugal, the Republic of Moldova and Senegal about policies and programmes involving youth. He emphasized that this generation of youth is one of the largest ever and that the UN needs to ensure they have access to education, health programs, gender equality, and empowerment.

On 17 October, the Representative of Peru, on behalf of Guatemala, Mongolia and Peru, spoke to the Third Committee about promoting social integration through social inclusion. Peru especially expressed the need for social inclusion in the economy to promote inclusive and equitable economic growth that can overcome the challenges of unemployment. This is necessary to achieve poverty eradication and inequality reduction.

Among the other speeches by the Member States, themes that were emphasized included “Literacy for Life: Shaping Future Agendas”, “Cooperatives in Social Development” and “Preparations for the International Year of the Family”.