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Prosperity. Dignity. Inclusion

Renewing our commitment to shared social progress

November 3^rd, 2025

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A child born in 1995 likely entered the world with better prospects—a higher life expectancy and greater access to education than her parents had. Yet, as she navigates young adulthood today, her horizon is clouded by the climate crisis, gaping inequality, actual or potential conflict and other grand uncertainties.

Her prospects, and those of future generations, are the focus of the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2). World leaders are coming together from 4 to 6 November in Doha, Qatar to shape a future where prosperity is broadly shared, with finance and labour markets that work for everyone and where communities are cohesive and resilient.

Renewing the commitment

Thirty years after the landmark First Social Summit, the world faces a new moment of reckoning. Deepening inequalities, climate hazards and severe financing constraints threaten global peace and prosperity, while demographic shift and rapid technological change are transforming economies and societies at unprecedented speed. Together, these forces demand integrated and forward-looking solutions.

WSSD2 is a platform for dialogue and collaborative action, a space for leaders from governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, academic institutions and the UN system to share ideas, refine strategies, forge partnerships and renew their commitments to inclusive social development.

The Summit will culminate in the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration, setting out an integrated approach linking traditional commitments to emerging challenges like digital transformation, demographic shifts, climate and finance. The Declaration recognizes that social justice and inclusion are essential foundations for peace, security and sustainable development. It sets out a path forward resting on three interdependent pillars for progress: poverty eradication, decent work and social inclusion.

Partnering for impact

WSSD2 host country Qatar is emerging as a champion of international cooperation and a leading partner in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Since 2020, Qatar has provided US$4.8 billion in foreign aid, with an estimated 90 percent directed to least developed countries and roughly 64 percent aligned to the SDGs.

The UNDP-Qatar partnership delivers transformative impact, prioritized programming in crisis settings to drive recovery, build resilience and give hope to communities during moments of greatest need.

Three decades of progress

The development landscape has changed dramatically since the First World Social Summit on Development. While progress has been uneven, global Human Development Index (HDI) values have risen by more than 25 percent since 1990, and hundreds of millions of people have escaped poverty.

This report takes stock of UNDP’s contributions to social development progress, examining how its work has helped countries translate global commitments into national action for poverty reduction, employment, social protection, health and governance.

Read the report

Prosperity

‘a holistic approach towards the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions'

Some 808 million people are living in extreme poverty in 2025. Under a new $3-a-day poverty line, 125 million more people are now counted as living in extreme poverty. And by UNDP’s estimates, 1.1 billion people live in multidimensional poverty, struggling to meet basic needs like adequate housing, energy and health care. Nearly half a billion of the multidimensionally poor live in conflict settings, and over half are children and youth.

The Doha Declaration redefines the fight by moving beyond poverty eradication to finding development solutions and building long-term prosperity so that once out, people do not fall back into poverty.

Social protection: The foundation for economic resilience is social protection, and significant progress has been made in this area. More than half the global population, 52.4 percent, now have some social protection coverage, up from 42.8 percent in 2015 when the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted. But critical gaps remain. Women's effective coverage lags behind men’s, for instance.

Climate-poverty collision: Social safety nets are especially critical for softening climate change impacts, helping people and societies adapt to climate volatility and facilitating a just transition to a sustainable future. Yet in the 20 countries most vulnerable to the climate crisis, 91.3 percent of people still have no social protection at all. Without bold action, the number of people living in extreme poverty worldwide could nearly double due to climate change. Climate action and poverty reduction can’t be addressed separately—they’re the same fight.

Economic safety nets

UNDP advocates for strong, inclusive social protection systems and helps countries create fiscal space for such measures. Emphasis is placed on making social protection programmes shock-responsive and more instrumental in reducing vulnerability to climate change.

From the ground up, a report from UNDP and the African Union, details how community-based social protection organizations have helped millions of Africans navigate economic hardship, climate shocks and health crises, especially where formal systems are limited. The paper calls for new policy approaches to protect and scale up these community-driven mechanisms, while bridging community and state systems.

Financing the future

More than 80 countries are using Integrated National Financing Frameworks to strengthen financial planning and raise public and private capital to meet their sustainable development and climate goals. Funded by the European Union, Italy, Spain and Sweden, the Framework helps countries identify investment opportunities, raising partner awareness beyond immediate needs to long-term objectives.

UNDP’s new Project Office for Sustainable Finance is focused on advancing green investment. Backed by the Government of Ireland, the Project Office serves as a platform to drive innovation, scale impact and strengthen the alignment of finance with sustainability goals.

Dignity

‘promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all’

Thriving economies and labour markets provide a proven route to economic and social stability. Yet the world is facing an employment crisis, and youth are hit hardest. Youth unemployment is more than double the adult rate, and 259 million young people are classed as NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). Two thirds of them are women.

Economic headwinds: Global GDP growth decelerated in 2024, and job creation forecasts for 2025 have been revised downward. The stagnation risk is especially detrimental in developing and emerging economies, which face looming jobs gaps: over the next decade 1.2 billion young people will reach working age, competing for just 420 million jobs that are projected to be created. That leaves 780 million young people without a clear pathway to stable income, opportunity and dignity.

Digital’s transformative potential: How the digital transition is managed could determine the prospects for future workers. Digitalization trends will drive both the fastest-growing and fastest-declining roles in the labour market. The potential benefits are enormous, but a digital divide threatens to widen inequality. Currently, 2.2 billion children and youth under 25 lack internet access at home. This limits their access to education, training, information, civic participation and more. In poor countries only 6 percent of households have internet access, while in rich countries, 87 percent have access.

The Doha Declaration response is to build enabling environments, fostering equitable digital access and literacy while protecting rights. With the right safeguards in place, digital transformation can be a critical enabler for education, health care, public service delivery and employment.

Green jobs

The climate crisis and unemployment are two of the biggest challenges youth face. Addressing them together can multiply the impacts for young people and for social progress.

The North West Climate-Peace Hubs are opening doors for young people in Nigeria, particularly in areas impacted by conflict and displacement, where opportunities for stable employment are scarce. Supported by the Government of Norway, the initiative has trained 150 youth to install and maintain solar power systems, addressing energy access and environmental degradation while providing meaningful work.

Digital dividends

UNDP and Qatar are working together to maximize the potential of digitalization as a positive force for human development, building digital capacity and developing innovative solutions. The partnership aims to empower communities through greater digital literacy and access to technologies, focusing on countries with greatest need.

UNDP is also partnering with Morocco to accelerate digital transformation in the Arab States and in Africa. The Digital for Sustainable Development Hub aims to help countries harness digital public infrastructure and artificial intelligence while strengthening regional and cross-regional cooperation in this area.

Inclusion

‘fostering sustainable, inclusive, just, stable, safe, equitable and cohesive societies based on the respect for human dignity’

To ensure no one is left behind, the Doha Declaration names social inclusion as the third main pillar for progress. It calls for the promotion of social integration by reducing inequality and exclusion. This means protecting human rights and creating opportunities for economic and political participation for marginalized groups, including women, youth, older persons, Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities—in urban and rural settings.

People-powered solutions: UNDP’s experience shows when communities are involved in shaping policies and monitoring delivery, outcomes are more inclusive and sustainable. Participatory budgeting and citizen oversight help ensure spending reflects people’s needs. People’s participation strengthens justice and social cohesion, resulting in virtuous cycles of development.

Governance as enabler: Effective, accountable, transparent and inclusive governance is essential for social inclusion, as well as for poverty eradication and decent work. Bold social policies can only succeed when institutions are people-centred and participatory, with a strong commitment to upholding rights and delivering quality service.

Sharing resources

In Mali, communities are reviving traditional institutions to manage natural resources inclusively, helping to strengthen local governance and social cohesion. With support from the Global Environment Facility, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and the Peacebuilding Support office, the project has restored access to clean water, ensuring that people are able to irrigate their crops and earn a living, even during the harshest dry seasons.

Inclusive institutions

Achieving inclusive societies requires strong public institutions committed to advancing citizen participation, including through gender equality and women's empowerment. Supported by Canada, Luxembourg, the Republic of Korea and other partners, UNDP’s Gender Equality Seal celebrates institutions that make measurable progress towards internationally recognized standards.

Meet some of the 2025 Gender Equality Seal champions.

Poverty to prosperity

The Doha Declaration aligns closely with what UNDP has learned through 60 years of supporting countries and communities across the globe and with the priorities outlined in UNDP’s new Strategic Plan (2026-2029). For UNDP, the Social Summit is an opportunity to deepen partnerships, share transformative solutions and drive collective action to not only eradicate poverty but also build the foundations for a broader prosperity.

UNDP at the Social Summit

From the climate crisis and forced displacement to basic income and the care economy, UNDP is bringing policymakers, development practitioners and partners together to explore the biggest challenges and the most promising solutions.

See the full list of UNDP side events and engagements at WSSD2.

The next 30 years and beyond

The world of development has completely transformed since the first Social Summit in 1995, moving from sector-specific interventions to combat poverty to more systemic approaches that promote broad-based prosperity and well-being. In this paper, Poverty-to-Prosperity Transitions, UNDP charts five policy challenges and opportunities that will shape the 21st century and sets out a roadmap for a more inclusive future.

Read the report

The planet Earth provides the building blocks for prosperity.

Human ingenuity has turned this natural abundance into vast wealth, a small portion of which could fund social development in all corners of the globe. The challenge is not scarcity but choice. At WSSD2, leaders can choose to address structural inequalities, connect poverty reduction with climate action, and ensure tech and economic transformations work for everyone.