Engagement Opportunities in the lead up to WSSD2 2025

organize outreach activities and share research insights emphasizing the critical role of care in achieving social development. These efforts will contribute to the WSSD by promoting dialogue and action on genderinclusive policies for sustainable progress.

Briefing on the Asia-Pacific preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025 during the Eighth Committee on Social Development, 8-10 October 2024. This multi-stakeholder special event provided an overview on the proposed plan for preparations for the World Social Summit 2025 in Asia and the Pacific and discussed social development issues of importance to the region, including on decent work, demographic trends and intergenerational relations, gender equality, the care economy, and social protection.   
 

The meeting is being programed as moment to analyze a position paper prepared by ECLAC on the evolution of inclusive social development in LAC since Copenhagen and to exchange the preparatory documents of the WSSD2 and complement the views among Social Development Ministries as a contribution to the countries' presentations at the Summit

The purpose of this Ad-hoc group is to promote the establishment of favorable conditions for digital empowerment, freedom of expression, media development, access to information and language technology, alongside artistic creation in indigenous languages.

Online expert group meetings have been carried out in the Africa, Asia, LAC regions and Nordic countries reaching over 80 experts to identify regional priorities and perspectives.  A brief for each consultation has been developed and disseminated widely to inform the WSSD consultations. Link to video broadcasts insights shared at the 63rd session of the Commission for Social Development in February 2025.

The forum will address ethical considerations surrounding AI, contributing insights for policy development at the WSSD2

The purpose of this Ad-hoc group is to promote the establishment of favorable conditions for digital empowerment, freedom of expression, media development, access to information and language technology, alongside artistic creation in indigenous languages.

A broadcast Copenhagen+30 commemoration scheduled. The soft launch will be available on-demand on UN Web TV (pre-recorded) and an in-person event is tentatively scheduled for the end of April.
Over the past 30 years, the world has made significant strides in reducing extreme poverty, and average levels of wellbeing have reached historical highs. Still, progress has been uneven, and people are feeling increasingly insecure. There is a growing rift between people’s needs and the policies in place. As a result, many people feel left behind and do not see the system working for them.

World Social Work Day at the UN in Geneva 2025 aims to make a contribution to the Second World Summit for Social Development exploring pathways to expand social rights for persons living with disabilities and to create a caring society. Globally, an estimated 1.3 billion people experience disabilities (WHO 2023), a situation that is further exacerbated for people exposed to multiple marginalizations based on class, gender and sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity or religion, migrant or employment status or location.
Engaging with networks of social workers to raise awareness about the WSSD2 and address challenges for persons with disabilities.

In collaboration with ILO, IOM, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN WOMEN, the second event was held as an Associated Event of the 12th Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development (APFSD). It built on the special event organized on October 10, 2024, and attended by representatives from Governments, the UN, academia, civil society and development partners providing a space to discuss social development issues of importance to the region with a focus on their interlinkages. The event comprised a high-level panel discussion and four thematic roundtable discussions. The high-level panel, moderated by ESCAP, set the stage by addressing the broader themes of social development and their intersection with regional challenges.

The multi-stakeholder regional consultation was organized as an associated event of the 12th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (25-28 February 2025). The consultation focused on social development priorities in Asia and the Pacific, emphasizing inclusive and people-centered development. Thematic areas of particular interest included the need to strengthen social protection systems, preparing for an ageing population, while strengthening intergenerational solidarity and relations, meeting increasing care demands, while also taking into account gender equality considerations and how governments can ensure inclusive development to reduce poverty and inequality and create opportunities across all groups of society.

Engaging school children in five countries across the region in WSS2 themes and raising awareness of impact at community level. The challenges facing the Arab region, including conflicts, food shortages, widespread poverty, low rates of education and the consequent problems such as displacement, brain drain, food insecurity and aggravated pollution, among others, have been the main topics of "The ESCWA Stories", Volume 4.

Briefing on the Asia-Pacific preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025 during the Eighth Committee on Social Development, 8-10 October 2024. This multi-stakeholder special event provided an overview on the proposed plan for preparations for the World Social Summit 2025 in Asia and the Pacific and discussed social development issues of importance to the region, including on decent work, demographic trends and intergenerational relations, gender equality, the care economy, and social protection.

Online expert group meetings have been carried out in the Africa, Asia, LAC regions and Nordic countries reaching over 80 experts to identify regional priorities and perspectives. A brief for each consultation has been developed and disseminated widely to inform the WSSD consultations. Link to video broadcasts insights shared at the 63rd session of the Commission for Social Development in February 2025.

The objective is to identify controversial aspects of the negotiations around the Political Declaration and prepare briefs designed to facilitate effective multilateral negotiations by providing clear, evidence-based insights and actionable recommendations. These briefs will present comprehensive analyses of key issues, incorporating data, research findings, and best practices from various contexts. By summarizing the positions and concerns of different stakeholders, they seek to ensure that all voices are considered, fostering a balanced and inclusive approach to decision-making. Visual aids such as charts, graphs, and infographics will make complex information more accessible, helping negotiators quickly grasp the essential points.

Prepare at least four targeted research outputs on poverty eradication, inequality reduction, transformative social policies and just transitions. Disseminate these briefs to provide evidence-based guidance to policymakers and stakeholders. Invite external experts to contribute to a blog series on key issues related to contemporary social development challenges. Amplify the blog series through strategic outreach across digital platforms, newsletters, and social media to ensure broad engagement with diverse audiences.