All infuriating. And make the talks – talking – at the world social summit even more evanescent.
What hope for social justice and peace?
In light of all the catastrophic news, the World Summit for Social Development (Doha, November 2025) seems eons away. While we were disappointed with its overall lack of ambition, process and outcome, the Doha summit declarationdid promise social justice, gender equality, poverty eradication, a living wage, universal social protection, social integration. And, albeit in passing, it committed to peace: “We share the conviction that social development and social justice are indispensable for the achievement and maintenance of peace and security within and among our nations. In turn, social development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace and security or in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.” (para 4).
The coming months offer at least a few analytical and advocacy opportunities for us as academics and civil society, and hopefully for those governments that are progressive (not many, if we go by the Civicus 2025 report.).
UN-sphere:
There is (still!) the UN. Despite the massive staffing and budget cuts, relevant consultations are coming up.
To follow and support these processes will be difficult, even tedious, and in the case of participating in person in events in NY city, obstructed. But we need to explore: are progressive actors drawing on the Doha Declaration to re-cast the concept of social policy and/or to re-commit to social justice? This can be done remotely, by the way, as many UN deliberations are webcast on UN TV.
Nationally:
It is increasingly difficult to work at the country level. Only a few governments are not beholden to austerity policies. They are slashing social budgets, development cooperation, and the funding that some countries in the past provided for civil society. Even more dangerously, militarization, national security and business interests are replacing the (at least) notional commitment to social justice and inclusion. In tandem, the narratives and the tone have changed, disparaging civil rights.
To counter this, we need to track domestic and international policy pronouncements and remind governments of the speeches governments gave in Doha – “hold them accountable”, take them by their word!
After the World Social Summit: Where are we and what can we do?
“In rich countries, floods mostly destroy property. In poor countries, floods mostly kill people.” (Sham Jaff in her Newsletter #373)
Where are we now?
We are shocked by the horrifyingly accelerating aggressions against the human rights of the peoples in Afghanistan, Myanmar Iran, Sudan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gaza, Ukraine, Greenland, Venezuela, Minneapolis, and so many other locations. Governments openly refute basic social principles and commitments, such as the UN Charter, and some seek to even obliterate the hardly threatening SDGs (which, to add to the despair, are underperforming or even reversing). We know more and more about the ever-intensifying explosion of wealth. We are incredulously observing the interest-driven reform of the UN system – which comes across as its dismantling rather than its (certainly needed) restructuring.
All infuriating. And make the talks – talking – at the world social summit even more evanescent.
What hope for social justice and peace?
In light of all the catastrophic news, the World Summit for Social Development (Doha, November 2025) seems eons away. While we were disappointed with its overall lack of ambition, process and outcome, the Doha summit declaration did promise social justice, gender equality, poverty eradication, a living wage, universal social protection, social integration. And, albeit in passing, it committed to peace: “We share the conviction that social development and social justice are indispensable for the achievement and maintenance of peace and security within and among our nations. In turn, social development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace and security or in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.” (para 4).
So, is there any traction from “Doha”? Can we make use of a UN text that, after all, was adopted by consensus as a UN General Assembly resolution, signaling some normative pressure?
What can we do?
The coming months offer at least a few analytical and advocacy opportunities for us as academics and civil society, and hopefully for those governments that are progressive (not many, if we go by the Civicus 2025 report.).
UN-sphere:
There is (still!) the UN. Despite the massive staffing and budget cuts, relevant consultations are coming up.
In New York:
The Commission for Sustainable Development, tasked with following up on the Doha political declaration, is to discuss advancing social development and social justice through coordinated, equitable, and inclusive policies; the Commission of the Status of Women, devoted to gender equality will tackle strengthening access to justice for all women and girls; and the High-level Political Forum on the Sustainable Development this year is to examine 36 countries – so civil society has a specific advocacy opportunity in those countries.
In Geneva:
The Human Rights Council is undertaking peer reviews on human rights in 42 countries and the Working group on TNCs has scheduled working sessions to deepen the discussions on human rights and business activities with a view to achieving a binding UN treaty. The ILO is promoting global social justice, decent work and gender equality at work. The ILO and UNCTAD are studying global supply chains.
To follow and support these processes will be difficult, even tedious, and in the case of participating in person in events in NY city, obstructed. But we need to explore: are progressive actors drawing on the Doha Declaration to re-cast the concept of social policy and/or to re-commit to social justice? This can be done remotely, by the way, as many UN deliberations are webcast on UN TV.
Nationally:
It is increasingly difficult to work at the country level. Only a few governments are not beholden to austerity policies. They are slashing social budgets, development cooperation, and the funding that some countries in the past provided for civil society. Even more dangerously, militarization, national security and business interests are replacing the (at least) notional commitment to social justice and inclusion. In tandem, the narratives and the tone have changed, disparaging civil rights.
To counter this, we need to track domestic and international policy pronouncements and remind governments of the speeches governments gave in Doha – “hold them accountable”, take them by their word!
In academe:
The Research Committee on Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy of the international Sociological Association is convening a conference to analyse the Summit. It will take place in September at the University of Birmingham.
And everywhere:
We need to push back against the push backs.
Pronouncements such as the Doha summit declaration can be an instrument. Perhaps organizing in new cross-thematic coalitions can help. Recent Examples might be the concept of just transitions bringing together climate movements with trade unions; pacifist movements linking up with progressive policy wings of political parties; neighbourhoods or parents linking arms across class and income groups; communities persecuted on the basis of their identity coalescing with youth groups; or the tax justice movement using the Vatican’s jubilee year. We can connect at the local level, offering projects to overcome energy poverty with renewable energy sources.
At the moment, among others, feminist movements and academics are leading the way in this emerging movement. They are consulting and rethinking strategies across ascribed various identities and issues of common concern and uniting as joint interest groups, for instance regarding UN reform.
Send your observations, thoughts and ideas, please!
In the next blog, I will offer some ideas on “post-2030” – what would we want in follow up to the SDGs?
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