LIVE from Doha: Second World Summit for Social Development

By R Anil Kumar,
(Participating Virtually is reporting live from the Summit)

Doha Political Declaration adopted by consensus

Global leaders meeting at the second World Summit for Social Development in Qatar today, November 4, adopted a landmark pledge to build a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable future for all people — a guiding document the United Nations Secretary-General described as “a booster shot for development” and “a people’s plan”.

By adopting the Doha Political Declaration (document A/80/L.5) by consensus, countries agreed to step up efforts to deliver on the promises made 30 years ago at the first Social Summit in Copenhagen and to accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Declaration renews and expands the 1995 commitments to meet today’s complex challenges, strengthening action on the interlinked pillars of poverty eradication, decent work, and social inclusion.

It calls for universal, gender-responsive social protection and equitable access to health and education while emphasizing the need to counter misinformation and hate speech that threaten democratic values.

The Declaration also highlights the importance of safe and inclusive digital transformation and ensures that youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and other marginalized groups are meaningfully engaged in shaping policies that affect their lives.

Doha gathering calls for action to reduce inequalities

The Second World Summit for Social Development is taking place against the backdrop of widening inequalities and societies face rapid technological, demographic and climate shifts.

Thirty years after Copenhagen, the focus remains on dignity, equality and shared progress.

Secretary-General warns of global uncertainty, urges renewed commitment to sustainable development

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, recalled that the first gathering in Copenhagen in 1995 was “a moment of moral clarity”, reminding the world that “true development isn’t about prosperity for the few — it’s about opportunities for the many”.

He hailed progress since then — more than a billion people lifted from poverty, near-historic low unemployment, and expanded access to healthcare, education and social protection — all achieved through “actions by the global community to deliver on the promise of the 2030 Agenda”.

But today, he warned, the world faces “high global uncertainty, divisions, conflicts and widespread human suffering”.

Hunger, poverty, and displacement persist, while “developing countries are not getting the level of support they need”. The world is “not moving fast enough” on climate change and is “falling short on the Sustainable Development Goals”.

General Assembly President urges global leaders to ‘Go the last mile’ for fairer, more inclusive world

Opening the Solutions Forum, President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock said the event marked a deliberate shift from “admiring the problem” to acting on proven approaches.

“Too often we face situations where we have no clear solution, no answer to the suffering we see, and it is heartbreaking,” she said.

“Or we have the solution [but] we are either unable or unwilling to do what needs to be done, which is frustrating.”

“Today is different: we are here to avoid falling into those traps,” she added, “to learn from each other; to benefit from good ideas; to join forces; and to live up to our common principles.”

Annalena Baerbock, President of the General Assembly, urged world leaders to “go the last mile” in building a fairer world where “no one is left behind”.

In Sri Lanka, a civil society innovation hub trains young people for employment and reinvests revenue into further skills development, while in India a national digital identity system has helped open more than 300 million bank accounts and expand access to social services.

These initiatives show what is possible when innovation, partnership and resources come together, she said, urging delegates to seize opportunities.

She recalled that “Copenhagen taught us 30 years ago that social development and inclusion are essential for strong societies,” while Doha must “end social injustice and guarantee dignity for everyone, prioritizing a people-first approach.”

Reviewing progress since the 1995 Copenhagen Summit, she noted that “unemployment, which stood at 1 billion people in 1995, fell to a historic low of 5 per cent in 2024”, and that extreme poverty declined from “2 billion people to just over 800 million”. Yet, she warned, “economic growth alone has been insufficient to pull people in all regions out of poverty”.

Scale up solutions that work

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed echoed the urgency of moving from commitment to implementation.

She underscored the importance of the Doha Political Declaration to be adopted during the World Summit.

“It calls for social contracts that work for people – fair, inclusive and built for today’s realities,” she said.

“To deliver, we must scale solutions that work,” she urged participants to draw lessons from the solutions highlighted at the Solutions Forum.

“Harness these stories. Let them fuel your determination. Take them back to your communities and turn them into bold action – today and for generations to come.”

As global crises deepen, leaders in Doha urge shift from promises to action

As global challenges deepen, governments, civil society and international partners convened in Doha to highlight concrete solutions to advance social development and confront some of today’s most urgent crises – from widening hunger and poverty to growing inequality and climate-driven instability.

The discussions took place at the Doha Solutions Forum for Social Development and the first leaders’ meeting of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, held on the margins of the Second World Summit for Social Development.

Partnerships make it possible

Organized by the State of Qatar in collaboration with France and supported by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the Forum brought together government officials, private sector representatives and a range of stakeholders who highlighted policies and projects that have had an impact in areas including poverty eradication, decent work and social inclusion.

Around the world, conflicts and climate-related shocks are driving rising hunger, leaving families struggling to access food, care and stability.

Global alliance meets to confront hunger crisis

The focus on solutions continued, as leaders gathered for the first high-level meeting of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.

With more than 670 million people experiencing hunger and 2.3 billion facing moderate or severe food insecurity.