With inequality deepening and trust in public institutions under strain, the UN’s main forum on social policy wrapped up its annual session on Tuesday with a renewed push to turn global commitments on social justice into action, the United Nations (UN) reported in a statement. Meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, the Commission for Social Development marked its first session since the Second World Summit for Social Development, held in Doha last year. The gathering brought together ministers, senior UN officials, civil society groups, and youth representatives to examine how global pledges can be translated into coordinated, inclusive, and equitable policies at the national level.
Opening the session, Economic and Social Council President Lok Bahadur Thapa stressed that social development policies are where “resilience, social cohesion, and trust are ultimately tested.” He warned that widening inequalities, demographic change, and rapid digital and green transitions are placing growing strain on societies worldwide. Responding in an integrated, people-centered way, he said, is “not merely a policy choice; it is a moral imperative.”
This year’s priority theme—advancing social development and social justice through coordinated, equitable, and inclusive policies—framed discussions throughout the session, reflecting concerns that fragmented policymaking is slowing progress on poverty eradication, decent work, and social inclusion. General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock underscored that social development is not a secondary concern reserved for calmer times, but “the foundation that peace is built upon” and a critical investment in stability. Ending hunger and poverty, she said, is both a moral obligation and a matter of security, noting how deprivation fuels conflict, migration, and instability.
In a message to the Commission, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed highlighted the shift signaled by the Doha Political Declaration away from incremental progress toward more ambitious, coordinated action. She pointed to strong civil society engagement—with more than 700 non-governmental organizations registered for the session—and urged governments to match that readiness with concrete delivery. “If Copenhagen, Doha, and the 2030 Agenda are where we drew the map, then the Commission for Social Development sets us on the road,” she said.
Youth voices featured prominently, reflecting the Commission’s emphasis on inclusion. The launch of the World Youth Report on Youth Mental Health and Well-being highlighted the growing pressures facing young people—from poverty and inequality to climate stress, conflict, and digital harms. Youth delegates shared lived experiences, describing how uncertainty about the future is eroding trust and well-being among younger generations, while calling for preventive, community-based, and youth-responsive approaches.
At the close of the session, Member States endorsed two draft resolutions—one on advancing social development and social justice through coordinated, equitable, and inclusive social policies, and another on the social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. The resolutions reaffirm commitments made at the 1995 Copenhagen Summit and the 2025 Doha Summit, while emphasizing the need to translate global pledges into concrete national action.
