Building on ICSD’s growing engagement with UN-related civil society spaces, Li Zou also presented ICSD at the April monthly meeting of the NGO Committee for Social Development. In her Member Showcase presentation, she highlighted ICSD’s role as a membership-based knowledge hub that brings together scholars, practitioners, institutions, and students across social work, social policy, and social development.

The presentation featured the work of ICSD President Leila Patel and James Midgley as examples of scholarship that has shaped the field, alongside the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis as an institutional member of ICSD. Zou also pointed to ICSD’s collaboration with international social work organisations at the Doha Second World Summit for Social Development and to the special issue, forthcoming in the journal Social Development Issues, on the outcomes of the Doha summit.

The showcase offered another opportunity to make ICSD’s work more visible within international civil-society networks.

Li Zou, an ICSD individual member whose institution, the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis, is also an institutional member of ICSD, joined the ICSD delegation at the 64th session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development (CSocD64) in New York in February 2026. For this newsletter, she has brought together her reflections on ICSD’s participation, the Civil Society Forum, and the broader significance of civil society engagement in moving the Doha agenda toward implementation.

I had the honour of representing ICSD at the 64th session of the Commission for Social Development. The session took place at a pivotal moment, just three months after world leaders adopted the Doha Political Declaration at the Second World Summit for Social Development in November 2025. Against this backdrop, discussions at CSocD64 focused on a central question: How can we translate ambitious global commitments into coordinated and concrete action?

For me, one of the highlights of the week was ICSD’s inaugural side event, which brought together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for dialogue on cross-sector collaboration and integrated approaches to implementing the Doha Declaration. The conversations reinforced my conviction that social protection, financial inclusion, and asset building can serve as mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development.

In addition, I was honoured to moderate the opening panel of the Civil Society Forum on February 6, 2026, at UN Headquarters. The Forum convened as delegates to CSocD64 considered pathways for advancing social development and social justice through coordinated, equitable, and inclusive policies. In opening the discussion, I emphasised the need to translate Doha’s global promises into concrete, coordinated action. The panel brought together Lok Bahadur Thapa, president of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, deputy permanent representative of Ukraine to the United Nations and chair of the Bureau of the Commission for Social Development; Bjørg Sandkjær, assistant secretary-general for policy coordination at ECOSOC ; and Gillian D’Souza-Nazareth, chair of the United Nations NGO Committee for Social Development.

The discussion underscored the essential role of civil society organisations in moving from commitments to implementation. As ECOSOC President Thapa noted, civil society can serve as “the bridge between global advocacy and local outcomes.” Moderating this panel reinforced for me the importance of the Civil Society Forum as a space where grassroots perspectives meet global policy frameworks.

Across CSocD64, ICSD’s participation pointed to important opportunities for strengthening the organisation’s contribution to global social development debates. ICSD brings together evidence-based research, interdisciplinary knowledge, and networks of scholars, practitioners, institutions, and students. As implementation of the Doha Declaration moves forward, ICSD is well positioned to support dialogue that links policy commitments with local practice and community-level experience.

Reflecting on the session, I came away with a renewed sense of the importance of civil society organisations such as ICSD in helping to move from words to action. ICSD’s participation at CSocD64 highlighted not only its growing presence in UN spaces, but also the wider importance of civil society partnerships in shaping a more coordinated, inclusive, and accountable implementation agenda.

Li Zou, International Director at the Center for Social Development, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, and ICSD member.

By Professor Manohar Pawar
Past President, International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD)

On Monday, 2 February 2026, ICSD’s first-ever side event, themed “Implementation of the Doha Political Declaration: Strategies for Cross-Sector Collaborations and Integrated Approaches,” was organised at the United Nations 64th session of the Commission for Social Development in New York. The side event was curated and moderated by Professor Manohar Pawar, past President of ICSD, who coordinated with governmental and non-governmental agencies and multilateral organisations.

The side event was co-sponsored by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD); the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development (SRRD); the Centre for Social Development (CSD), Washington University in St. Louis; the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW); the NGO Committee on Financing for Development (CFD); and the Charles Sturt University Social Work and Social Development Research Alliance.

The main objectives of the side event were to: raise awareness of the Doha Political Declaration, and the commitments and actions needed;  explore how multiple sectors — government, non-governmental organisations, business, universities, and civil society — can work together to implement the Doha Political Declaration; discuss the challenges and strategies for cross-sector collaboration and integrated and coordinated approaches; brainstorm policies and programmes needed to facilitate multisector collaboration and cooperation; and consider ways and means of capacity building across these sectors, including conducting research, training and evaluation to develop evidence-based policies.

Her Excellency Ambassador Yojna Patel, Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, inaugurated ICSD’s first side event. Addressing the theme and objectives of the event, Prof. Surya Deva, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development; Dr Katja Hujo, UNRISD; Prof. Ram Ramanathan, ICSD Vice President; Prof. Jin Huang, Co-Director of the CSD; Dr Sergei Zelenev, President of the ICSW; and Ms Anita Thomas, Chair of the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, presented their views.

Welcoming the audience, the Ambassador and the distinguished panellists, moderator Prof. Pawar emphasised the significance of ICSD’s inaugural side event, both for ICSD and for the field of social development. In her inaugural speech, the Ambassador highlighted India’s achievements relating to poverty alleviation, women-led development, technology sharing, and South-South cooperation.

The other eminent panellists reflected on current global crises — including poverty, growing inequality, conflicts, wars and the climate crisis — and stressed the urgency of actionable strategies to implement the Doha Political Declaration. Highlights of their presentations included the following key strategies: advancing dignity for all through collective action; reinforcing partnerships and international cooperation; building solidarity; and developing inclusive and integrated policies focused on a new eco-social contract.

Side event participants at the 64th Commission for Social Development, New York, 2 February 2026.

Addressing the financing gap, in line with the Sevilla Commitment, requires mobilising resources and reforming the international financial architecture. Tackling the concentration of wealth and enhancing financial capability and asset building among the poor were also emphasised. It is critical to harness digital technology to advance social progress. The role of spirituality in achieving social development was acknowledged and encouraged. Social workers, as a frontline workforce, can play a critical role in social development. The side event called for decolonising research and building coalitions of policy actors to drive transformative change.

To facilitate cross-sector collaboration, some of the key challenges discussed were: a lack of institutional and sectoral coordination, as actors often work in silos; power and resource imbalances among stakeholders; limited capacity in some countries for data generation and sharing; capacity-building gaps; and frequent changes in policies and funding priorities due to changing political interests.

Accordingly, some of the strategies identified included adopting a whole-of-government approach; embedding authentic participation in policymaking; focusing on local levels through place-based and community-centred models; supporting evidence-informed policymaking; strengthening collaboration among governments, civil society, the private sector and academic institutions; and building coalition-based advocacy.

Governments need to create enabling legal and policy frameworks and a conducive organisational climate so that other sectors can join hands in implementing the Doha Political Declaration.

In closing, Prof. Pawar proposed the establishment of a World Social Development Day to raise global awareness and strengthen commitment to implementing the Doha Political Declaration. The event also laid a strong foundation for ICSD to deepen and expand its contributions at UN platforms, leveraging its ECOSOC consultative status to advance global social development.

A recent member survey of ICSD delegates who participated in the Second World Summit for Social Development (SWSSD), the 64^th Commission for Social Development (SocD64) and the NGO Committee for Social Development (NGO CSocD) highlights strong support for deepening the organisation’s engagement with the United Nations system. Members identified these platforms as important spaces for ICSD to contribute applied knowledge, innovative solutions, and evidence-based research to global discussions on social policy and social development. The annual CSocD cycle which occurs in early February each year, was seen as a key opportunity for ICSD to strengthen its visibility and advocacy, supported by careful preparation throughout the year.

The survey also pointed to the need for continued capacity building within ICSD. Members emphasised the importance of improving understanding of UN governance processes and clarifying thematic priorities in line with ICSD’s statement and response document on the implementation of the Doha Declaration. Transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness were identified as essential principles for guiding ICSD’s engagement. In organisational terms, respondents called for clear governance arrangements, transparent processes for selecting representatives, and stronger coordination mechanisms. The survey also recognised that meaningful UN engagement can involve significant costs. Members therefore suggested exploring a mix of funding options, including fundraising, grants, partnerships, and self-funding where appropriate. After much deliberation, the ICSD Board adopted guidelines to govern its UN engagement activities.

Overall, the survey presents ICSD’s current UN engagement as an important learning phase. It points toward a gradual and reflective approach, with periodic review and opportunities for future expansion. Taken together, members’ views outline a shared direction for strengthening ICSD’s visibility, credibility, and impact within international social development efforts.

Leila Patel, ICSD President
Liljana Rihter, ICSD European Branch President