As the global community gathered in Doha for the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2), one message resonated clearly across sectors and regions: the world is at a critical inflection point for social development. Three decades after the adoption of the Copenhagen Declaration, the promises of poverty eradication, decent work, and social inclusion remain both urgent and unfinished. Against a backdrop of overlapping crises—from the long-tail impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic to rising living costs, conflicts, climate disruptions, and democratic backsliding—the need to reassert shared values, renew political will, and scale evidence-based solutions has never been greater.
It was within this context that the International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD), together with UNRISD, the Centre for Social Development at Washington University, UNESCAP, and Development Pathways, convened a focused solution-driven session at WSSD2. Building on decades of research, advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration, the session highlighted innovative approaches that are already advancing the goals of economic inclusion, universal social protection, decent work, and social integration. Partners shared insights on what works, where progress is lagging, and how collective action—grounded in human rights and strengthened by technological and institutional innovation—can accelerate meaningful change.
What followed was a rich discussion that not only addressed key global challenges but also offered practical, evidence-backed recommendations to help countries translate social development commitments into real gains for people and communities. The session’s key issues and recommendations are summarised below.
Key issues
1.Significance and relevance of cash transfers + livelihood strategies to promote economic inclusion. How do people use cash transfers? What are their motivations: Strong desire for self-efficacy; and desire to work.
2. Should cash transfers be conditional or unconditional?
3. Key global issues identified in the UNRISD global survey: growing inequality, climate change, lack of access to basic services, universal social protection and decent work; gender inequality, poor governance, democratic backsliding and erosion of human rights.
4. Innovative use of research/knowledge infrastructure, policy implementation infrastructure and professional training infrastructure for financial capacity building and child development accounts.
5. The global poverty issue and the approaches found in the Asia-Pacific region
6. Is universal social protectional feasible and what percentage of GDP can achieve it? What are the political economy issues relating to implementing universal social protection?
Key recommendations for action
1. Research evidence suggests that universal social protection is feasible. By carefully addressing taxpayers’ concerns and with proper design and implementation – and by building systems over a period of 10-20 years – all low- and middle-income countries could build universal social security systems at a global average maximum cost of 1.6% of GDP. In most countries, the annual increase in expenditure would be no more than 0.1% of GDP, which is well within the resources of most countries. There is no need for international donor funding for countries to achieve universal social security.
2. To eradicate poverty, human capital formation across the life course focusing on nutrition, education and health, and on women and girls needs to be promoted; creation of decent jobs and inclusive employment strategies, access to social protection and community-based initiatives and participatory governance models, such as cooperatives are necessary.
3. Countries should invest in active labour market programmes to support families, in combination with tax-financed social security schemes.
4. Strategically integrate research, policy implementation and professional social work training infrastructure to develop financial capacity of households and child development accounts to prevent people falling into poverty and remaining behind.
5. Labour protection, fair wages, investment in clean energy, focus on wellbeing economy, tax reforms, fair trade, climate finance and disaster risk reduction, civil society and trust building, recognition of Indigenous knowledge, and rejection of means testing for core lifecycle social security schemes.
6. Combining cash transfers with livelihoods support strategies are needed to strengthen the agency and human capabilities of recipients to improve income, employment and related social development outcomes.
7. End exploitation of countries, tax havens and debt burdens and improve governance systems and policy implementation.
8. Promote global cooperation and collaboration among all the sectors—government, nongovernment, business, civil society and university for peer learning, capacity building, policy innovation, and advocacy to ensure inclusive social development.
9. Strengthen democratic governance, accountability and evidence-based policy making that focuses on improving the lives of people and marginalized groups, safeguards the environment, and fosters global cooperation, peace and solidarity. Co-creation and inclusive decision-making emerge as a way forward to fix our broken social contracts.