Background and Rationale
The Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2), convened under the auspices of the UN General Assembly (A/RES/78/318), will take place at the level of Heads of State and Government from 4 to 6 November 2025 in Doha, Qatar. The Summit will adopt a concise, action-oriented political declaration with a social development approach, giving momentum toward the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The First World Summit for Social Development, held in Copenhagen in 1995, laid the foundation for people-centered development, focusing on poverty eradication, full and productive employment, and social integration. WSSD2 builds on this legacy by assessing progress and identifying solutions to gaps and challenges while aligning with current global priorities such as gender equality and climate resilience.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) remain indispensable levers for achieving the core goals of social development. Women continue to face higher poverty rates, unequal access to decent work, and underrepresentation in decision-making processes. Advancing GEWE is thus vital to eradicating poverty, fostering inclusive employment, and achieving social justice.
The Draft Political Declaration of WSSD2 highlights these linkages, reaffirming commitments to eradicate poverty, achieve full and productive employment, and promote social integration. It recognizes that gender equality is integral to tackling multidimensional poverty, reducing inequalities, and enabling sustainable social development. Specific commitments in the declaration call for advancing women’s economic empowerment, closing gender wage gaps, and investing in the care economy as a catalyst for decent work and inclusive growth.