Engagement Opportunities in the lead up to WSSD2 2025

The FfD4 is linked to the WSS through its focus on reducing inequalities and promoting inclusive development. FfD4 focus emphasizes mobilizing financial resources to address global challenges, including extreme poverty, climate change, and social exclusion, which are also central to the WSS agenda. FfD4’s commitment to debt relief and climate finance directly supports the WSS goal of ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities for marginalized communities. By prioritizing investments in social infrastructure such as housing, health care, basic services, and education – FfD4 aligns with the Summist's emphasis on reducing disparities and fostering social inclusion. Additionally, FfD4’s focus on sustainable cities resonates with the WSS call for inclusive urban development. Both frameworks recognize the importance of addressing urban inequalities, such as inadequate housing and lack of basic services, particularly in informal settlements. FfD4’s promotion of multistakeholder partnerships further aligns with the Summit’s approach, as it encourages collaboration between governments, financial institutions, and civil society to address social vulnerabilities like gender inequality and youth unemployment.

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).

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

Women and girls face unique housing challenges, including lack of secure tenure, heightened vulnerability to gender-based violence, and exclusion from decision-making due to discriminatory laws and norms. UN-Habitat event during CSW will aim to explore innovative, gender-transformative strategies and foster partnerships to address these issues and promote adequate housing for women and girls. The event will serve as a critical milestone to ensure housing remains at the center of discussions during the World Social Summit by highlighting its role as a key factor in achieving gender equality and poverty reduction.

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 Conference was organized by the Ministry of National Territory and Urban Planning, Housing and City Policy of the Government of Morocco, UN-Habitat, GLTN and the Arab Land Initiative, in partnership with the League of Arab States, UNESCWA, UNECA, the World Bank, BMZ, the Netherlands’ RVO, and Morocco land sector stakeholders. Adequate Housing for All is an increasingly prominent concern in peace and security with housing, land and property rights and the destruction of civilian infrastructure being major features in recent conflicts especially in the Arab region. Land disputes and scarcity, as well as insecurity of tenure, are important indicators of inequality and drive conflicts between communities and groups in several contexts. Secure housing, land and property rights are an essential component of peace processes and post-conflict stabilisation. To ensure integration of land issues in the intergovernmental preparatory processes leading up to the Second World Summit on Social Development, UN-Habitat collaborates closely with the Kingdom of Morocco, as the host of the conference, and H.E. Mr. Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations, as the appointed cofacilitators.

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.

This Roundtable on Adequate Housing for All is to build on the outcomes of the fifty-seventh session of the Commission for Social Development and all prior relevant United Nations commitments to address inequalities and challenges to social inclusion through fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and to address how to better implement the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development from a housing perspectives. This Roundtable will examine the global housing crisis, review status of housing, the progress, gaps and challenges in inclusive housing policies and programmes to address homelessness, and global housing shortage, inequality, and particularly the problems faced by disadvantaged groups and discuss policies and means for social protection and access to adequate, safe and affordable housing for all. To strengthen advocacy and alliance, a full report on the outcome of The Roundtable on Adequate Housing for All will be provided to the President of World Social Summit, President of President of the General Assembly, and member states.

The second meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Housing will provide a significant contribution toward shaping discussions for the World Social Summit in addressing the basic needs and dignity of the approximately 3 billion people who do not have adequate housing. The thematic priorities identified during the first session —such as data collection, multi-level governance, financing for housing and informal settlements, land tenure security, and climate resilience—are directly aligned with the core objectives of the Summit to address inequalities, promote social inclusion, shared prosperity and ensure sustainable development. By providing a dedicated forum for Member States to discuss these critical issues, the Working Group can offer actionable insights and proven solutions that highlight the central role of housing in achieving social development goals. Link to 2024 session available