Commission for Social Development Opens with Calls to Turn Commitments into Tangible Change

Commission for Social Development Opens with Calls to Turn Commitments into Tangible Change

(Note: A complete summary of today's meetings of the Commission for Social Development will be available at a later time.)

As global inequalities deepen, speakers opening the Commission for Social Development's annual session said social development and social justice are central - far from secondary - concerns and called for coordinated action to translate commitments into tangible change.

The sixty-fourth session of the Commission will run through 10 February at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The session will focus on "Advancing social development and social justice through coordinated, equitable and inclusive policies", and will examine emerging issues around eradicating poverty and ensuring dignity through resilient care and support systems.

Created in 1946, the Commission is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council that serves as an intergovernmental forum where Member States assess progress and gaps on poverty eradication, social inclusion, employment, and strengthening social protections.

Opening the session, Khrystyna Hayovyshyn (Ukraine), the Commission's Chair, said that social development and social justice are "far from being secondary concerns", stressing instead that they are central because they touch peoples' daily lives, dignity and the credibility of multilateralism.

Ms. Hayovyshyn underscored that the Commission has the primary responsibility for the follow-up and review of the social development commitments set out in the Doha Political Declaration adopted at the second World Summit on Social Development in 2025. "This is not a conceptual exercise," she emphasized, urging delegates to move from commitments to actions through the draft resolution and an action-oriented programme of work.

"The credibility of this Commission will be measured by its ability to generate clear direction, strengthen follow-up and sustain political momentum," she said. "Ensuring an adequate social standard is not a matter of charity; it is a shared global obligation," she added.

"The Doha Political Declaration, adopted by consensus, signals a shift away from incrementalism in the face of urgent need," added Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. Now, that statement must be translated into country-level pathways that link job-creation strategies, universal social-protection floors and inclusive public services. She also underlined the need for financing, "so good plans do not stall for lack of fiscal space".

Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of the Economic and Social Council, described a "pivotal moment" in which Governments face climate, geopolitical and demographic inequality and digital pressures, warning that "widening inequalities are eroding trust in public institutions". It is therefore a "moral imperative" and a call to collective action to build a fairer, more resilient, and more hopeful future for all. "Investing in care is not only a moral imperative," he stressed, adding: "It strengthens resilience across [the] life course, expands women's economic participation, and creates decent jobs."

Similarly, Annalena Baerbock, President of the General Assembly at its eightieth session, emphasized that "ending hunger and poverty is not an act of charity". Rather, it is a matter of security and enlightened self-interest, as hunger does not just follow - but, rather, fuels - insecurity and conflict. This forms part of a vicious cycle, where climate stress drives hunger and poverty, hunger fuels migration and conflict and, in turn, conflict deepens deprivation. "Therefore," she concluded, "delivering on social justice and development goals is both a moral imperative and an investment in stability and resilience."

"Countries that align job strategies with universal social protection floors, quality education and health services, inclusive digitalization and just transition measures, reduce poverty faster and build resilience," added Bjørg Sandkjær, Assistant Secretary-General at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). She pledged that DESA will continue to provide the Commission with comparative insights and data on "on what works, at what costs and how it can be adapted". "We will continue to work with Member States to ensure that social policy packages are supported by financing options," she added.

Gillian D'Souza-Nazareth, Chair of the NGO Committee for Social Development, then said that civil society seeks "policies that work, systems that protect and participation that is real". And, noting that space for civil society within the UN is shrinking, she urged formal civil-society engagement across the policy cycle. She also emphasized the need to streamline accreditation and reaffirm participation as a core principle of people-centred multilateralism.

Riza Franchesca Regala, Global Forum on Migration and Development Lead, also urged deeper civil society engagement. Further, she insisted that gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, and bodily autonomy are "fundamental and non-negotiable," warning that efforts to roll back protections have devastating consequences. UN reform cannot mean "turning back the clock two decades" by stripping away critical human rights, she added.

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