Earlier this year, I attended the 63rd Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD) at the United Nations. This commission, one of eight created by the UN’s Economic and Social Council in 1946, advises and assists in carrying out the UN’s work. In 1995, CSocD convened the inaugural World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, Denmark, where participating governments agreed on the need for people-centered development and pledged to eradicate poverty, create full employment, and foster social integration.
This year’s session focused on strengthening social solidarity, inclusion, and cohesion as member states continue working towards fulfilling the commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development. They also looked forward to the 2nd World Summit for Social Development, scheduled for November 2025 in Doha, Qatar.
On my first day, I attended part of the Ministerial Forum on strengthening solidarity and social cohesion. Later, I participated in a side event, From Copenhagen to Doha: Advancing the Global Social Development Agenda. Both sessions featured ministers from various member states, including Finland, Sweden, Guatemala, Uganda, Djibouti, Qatar, Poland, Belgium, and Iraq. Common themes included actions and policies, sharing experiences, and best practices for strengthening solidarity. The goal of the Commission for Social Development is clear: people-centered development, ensuring no member of society is left behind.
H.E. Ambassador Krzysztof Maria Szczerski, Permanent Representative of Poland to the UN and Chair of the Bureau for CSocD63, highlighted how the world has changed over the past 30 years since Copenhagen. He emphasized the need for member states to assess current challenges — including poverty, inequality, natural disasters, climate change, misinformation, and the erosion of trust — and reaffirm their commitments to sustainable societies and social justice. Policies must be anchored in inclusion, social justice, and solidarity, with solutions focused on tangible results, including poverty reduction, social integration, and employment for all.
At the Civil Society Forum on Friday, representatives from various civil society organizations, including NGOs and community groups, gathered to exchange ideas, amplify their work’s impact, and ensure that policymakers hear the voices of the marginalized. Ambassador Szczerski stated that civil society has led the way in focusing on people’s well-being, shaping global policy discussions, and holding politicians and governments accountable. He reminded attendees that social development cannot be an afterthought; it must be an integral part of nations’ planning processes.
Navid Hanif, Assistant Secretary-General of Economic Affairs, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), discussed the economic dimension of social inclusion and emphasized that civil society serves as the moral compass for the UN. Noting that progress in existing programs has been mixed and that inequalities continue to increase, he called inequality “the disease,” with poverty as its “symptom.” To achieve peace, we must address inequality.
Matthias Jobelius, Executive Director of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung United Nations and Global Dialogue, focused on challenges such as the rise of nationalism, climate change, inequality, and wealth concentration in the hands of a few. He suggested that instead of focusing on poverty, we should address extreme wealth. Concentrated economic power often translates into political power, with the wealth of the richest 10 billionaires growing by $100 million per day. However, thanks to the efforts of civil society, trade organizations, the UN, and others, new political initiatives like establishing a minimum corporate tax and taxing high-net-worth individuals are under consideration.
Continuing this discussion on wealth and finance, Anita Thomas, Chair of the NGO Committee on Financing and Development, emphasized that solidarity must be more than rhetoric. She advocated for financial systems that promote debt relief, tax restructuring, and sovereign debt reorganization. Civil society and NGOs must actively engage in financial discourse to address inequality and ensure that social development is integrated into financial planning.
In another panel on “Grassroots Perspectives and Intergenerational Collaboration in Strengthening Solidarity, Social Inclusion, and Social Cohesion,” speakers highlighted the frequent exclusion of young people and women from decision-making processes. The need to remove barriers to participation for young people, older adults, indigenous peoples, and women was underscored. A panelist from Kenya posed a thought-provoking question: “What do I do every day to be inclusive?”
It was inspiring to witness many nations’ commitment to ending inequities and promoting social justice on a global scale. I was heartened to see how members of civil society can influence policies at local, regional, national, and global levels.