The Second World Summit for Social Development is taking place in Doha, Qatar from 4th-6th November 2025. In the following article, MaryAnn Dantuono, AIC Representative to the United Nations, takes stock of international institutions’ work to combat poverty since the first World Summit for Social Development, held in Copenhagen in 1995. She reflects on the current momentum in the United Nations to combat poverty, and on AIC Representatives’ advocacy work to make sure homeless is part of the global poverty agenda and part of discussions during the Second World Social Summit.
The significance of the first World Social Summit
30 years ago, 171 heads of State met in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the United Nations World Summit for Social Development. In 1995 it was the largest gathering of world leaders ever assembled, attended by more than 14,000 people, including delegates from 186 countries, with 117 represented at the level of Heads of State or Government.
At the Summit, Governments pledged to make the conquest of poverty, the goal of full employment and the fostering of social integration overriding objectives of development. At the conclusion of the Summit, Governments adopted a Declaration and Programme of Action which represented a new consensus on the need to put people at the center of development, in order to advance social development through 10 commitments.
The Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and its Programme of Action have guided multilateral action on social development ever since. The United Nations Commission for Social Development, which meets each year, monitors and urges progress on the commitments made in Copenhagen.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations set the eradication of poverty as the first objective of development
A new focus on poverty eradication and homelessness at the UN
Following this initiative, the UN focused on poverty eradication in the Millenium Development Goals and more recently the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). However, as we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action and have passed the midpoint of the SDGs (adopted in 2015, with the aim of reaching these goals by 2030), the goal of poverty eradication remains elusive. In fact, inequality is increasing and the world’s poorest and most vulnerable are experiencing the worst effects of global challenges (see the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023).
This is not news for Vincentians, who work tirelessly with people living in poverty to create exits to poverty and eliminate its systemic causes, one of which is homelessness. In this domain, 2023 marked a new initiative at the United Nations. In its 78th Session, the General Assembly passed Resolution A/78/261 to create a Second World Social Summit, as well as a Resolution on Homelessness: Inclusive policies and programmes to address homelessness (A/78/236), calling for the Secretary General to prepare a second report on homelessness in 2025, updating progress on this issue. In the report of the Secretary-General (78/211) in preparation for the 78th Session of the General Assembly, he pointed out the need for bold and transformative action to revive progress and achieve both the goals of Copenhagen and the SDGs.
Seizing the moment
The momentum to address poverty is palpable at the UN. In order to take advantage of this momentum and to address homelessness, the Working Group to End Homelessness, of which AIC Representatives are part, had the opportunity to meet with the UN Deputy Secretary General, Amina J. Mohammed, to explore ways to incorporate homelessness into the poverty agenda. Participating in this very productive meeting in March 2024 were members of the Executive Committee Jim Claffey, Tiffany Connolly, Mary Ann Dantuono, Jean Quinn, Jackie Shapiro, and Dr. Ify Ofong, who also organized this meeting. The Working Group and Mohammed developed a strategy to closely link homelessness and the poverty agenda.
The Working Group to End Homelessness (with AIC Representative MaryAnn Dantuono, left) meets with the UN Deputy Secretary General, Amina J. Mohammed (center, wearing green)
As AIC Representatives, we have worked very hard with UN Member States, visiting and advocating over the past year, to include homelessness in the Political Declaration of the Second World Summit for Social Development, or as it is commonly known The Doha Declaration. We also aim to advance additional priorities under the goal of poverty eradication (Sustainable Development Goal 1), such as universal social protection systems and floors.
In the field of employment (SDG 8), we asked Member States to ratify and fully implement all conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and to recognize the importance of care work and build care systems that advance the human rights of both caregivers and care recipients.
In advancing the goal of social inclusion (SDG 10), Member States must enact laws that eliminate multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on social and economic disadvantage and make digital technology a “public good”.
Additionally, a new area proposed for consideration based on recent environmental concerns is to increase social resilience. We asked Member States to advance indigenous peoples’ rights to lands, territories and resources and to invest in monitoring and early warning systems and crisis related preparedness.
Most of these requests are included in the Political Declaration that was agreed to by consensus in September 2025 and will be adopted at the Summit in Doha, Qatar, 4th-6th November 2025.
AIC is co-sponsoring a side event during the Second World Social Summit in Doha, titled “Decent Work and Employment Opportunities: Action-Oriented Approaches to Empower Future Generations of Women and Girls”
As AIC Representatives, our commitment is high and we believe that the 2025 Second World Social Summit will reinvigorate support for the commitments made in Copenhagen, aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and newer efforts to end homelessness, while mobilizing collective action on the world’s most urgent social issues.
Submitted by: MaryAnn Dantuono
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