The Second World Summit for Social Development: It’s Time to Deliver Solutions

This November, the international community will gather in Doha, Qatar, for the Second World Summit for Social Development. The occasion marks 30 years since the first World Summit for Social Development and the adoption of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action—a bold and ambitious promise to place people at the centre of development. Through 10 foundational commitments, world leaders pledged to eradicate poverty, promote full employment, and build inclusive, just and resilient societies. It was a vision for the twenty-first century, grounded in dignity, equity and shared prosperity.

With the expected adoption of the Doha Political Declaration, the Second World Summit for Social Development offers a chance not only to recommit to the promise of Copenhagen, but also to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda and ensure that we identify and address today’s social challenges. It is a moment to advance innovative policy solutions that accelerate social progress and leave no one behind. It is also an opportunity to reaffirm that multilateralism is very much alive and that meaningful progress is possible through inclusive cooperation.

Much has been achieved since Copenhagen. Extreme poverty has been halved. More children, especially girls, are attending school. Digital transformation has expanded access to services, and global health advancements have extended life expectancy and helped tackle diseases.

Yet, critical challenges remain. Inequalities in income, opportunity and access to services persist. Millions continue to be excluded due to the digital divide. Climate change and conflict continue to threaten hard-won progress, and vulnerable groups – including older persons, Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities – still face systemic barriers to full participation in society.

The Summit presents a unique opportunity for meaningful engagement to address these challenges at all levels. From high-level political dialogue to policy-oriented discussions, we are counting on Member States, the private sector, civil society and all stakeholders to bring forward their experiences, their successes and their lessons learned, making the Summit a pivotal platform for dialogue, cooperation and joint solutions.

To support this mission and follow up on stakeholders’ promises, we have launched the Doha Solutions Platform—a dedicated online repository for new or newly resourced commitments and initiatives aimed at tackling barriers to poverty eradication; full and productive employment, and decent work for all; and social integration. The Platform is designed to spotlight transformative and scalable solutions during the Summit. It will remain, beyond the event, a living resource to track and amplify ongoing efforts aligned with the commitments of Copenhagen and the Doha Political Declaration.

The priorities outlined in these commitments – including the core promise to eradicate poverty, promote full employment, and build inclusive, just, and resilient societies, as well as the cross-cutting priorities Member States highlight in the Doha Political Declaration – are not abstract ideals. They are the daily work of communities, governments and partners across every country and region.

Among the issues and efforts in focus in Doha are:

• Rebuilding trust in institutions through transparent and accountable governance;
• Empowering people through inclusive, equitable and quality education, and lifelong learning;
• Securing food and nutrition;
• Ensuring adequate, safe, accessible and affordable basic services;
• Advancing high standards of physical and mental health;
• Harnessing technology and artificial intelligence to close digital divides while safeguarding human rights;
• Advancing gender equality, including by redistributing unpaid care work and ensuring women’s full participation;
• Building climate resilience and pursuing disaster risk reduction to protect lives and livelihoods; and
• Combating all forms of discrimination.

The Summit is a moment to showcase and amplify these efforts, and to nurture partnerships old and new. It is a chance to leverage political will, shared experiences, and collective action to elevate proven solutions, scale innovative approaches and collaborate on new pathways that respond to people’s needs and aspirations.

The Second World Summit for Social Development will provide clarity on what is at stake and strengthen our determination to turn commitments into concrete solutions to build a more inclusive, resilient and just future for all.