Engagement Opportunities in the lead up to WSSD2 2025

Organized by ESCWA with a focus on social protection and its impact on the SDGs in the context of lead-up to WSS2. Multiple preparatory meetings of the Arab working group on social protection will be engaged on WSS2 preparations (February in Riyadh and June in Algiers).

This event provides a platform for over 1,000 young people to engage in dialogue with Member States and other stakeholders, sharing their perspectives and actions aimed at transforming the world into a fairer, greener, and more sustainable place. The 2025 Forum will be guided by the theme of ECOSOC and the HLPF: "Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring no one is left behind." The Forum will offer opportunities to discuss concrete actions and recommendations related to SDG 3, SDG 5, SDG 8, SDG 14, and SDG 17, which will be examined during the HLPF in July 2025. The 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum is convened by the President of ECOSOC and organized by DESA in collaboration with the UN Youth Office, the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development (IANYD), and co-convened by the Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) and the International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organizations (ICMYO), with technical input from youth organizations relevant to the Forum’s theme.
On the final day of the Forum, a plenary session will provide youth with a platform to share their views on social development, addressing key social challenges such as poverty, employment, education, and social inclusion. Panelists will be invited to discuss youth-driven solutions and strategies to advance social development. Young panelists will highlight priorities, challenges, and recommendations for shaping global and national social development policies, as well as preparations for the second World Summit for Social Development. This session is organized by DISD-DESA in collaboration with MGCY.

Organized by ESCWA in collaboration with partner UN agencies and the League of Arab States . The Forum will include a high-level ministerial discussion “On the road to WSSD2”, actionable recommendations for the region will derive from the session

Organized by the League of Arab States in collaboration with ESCWA and other UN partners.
Ministerial discussion that will focus on the priorities of the Arab region within the framework of WSSD2, and on the most pressing social development issues facing the region in light of the geopolitical developments

Organized by the Arab NGO Network for Development, Engaging CSOs and youth in WSSD2 regional preparations

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.

Organized by the GCC Executive Bureau and IOM in collaboration with ESCWA.
Ministerial discussion to support GCC countries in preparations for WSSD2 and enhance their participation in preparatory processes at national, regional and global levels

The 63rd session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD63), held from 5 to 14 February 2025, concluded with productive discussions on key challenges to social progress. The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and highlighted the upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar, as a crucial opportunity to reset global priorities and strengthen collective action. The Commission also adopted five resolutions on the priority theme, methods of work, NEPAD, youth, and the review modalities of MIPAA.

ESCWA’s Executive Secretary briefed Arab Permanent Representatives on the various regional preparatory processes for WSSD2 during CsocD63.

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.