The International Labour Organization (ILO) has issued a call for renewed international dedication to decent employment, equality, and social inclusion in preparation for the upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development, set to take place in Qatar from November 4 to 6, 2025.
The summit represents a crucial moment to reinforce the ideals of the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and to promote a revitalized global social contract that prioritizes people-centered sustainable progress. The ILO emphasized that this renewed focus will be anchored on three key pillars: eradicating poverty, ensuring decent work opportunities for all, and fostering social inclusion.
Building on the outcomes from the recent Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, where global leaders advocated for greater investments in social policies and a target to increase social protection coverage by at least two percentage points annually, the ILO plans to translate these global commitments into tangible, on-the-ground progress.
In its latest report titled The State of Social Justice: A Work in Progress, the ILO acknowledged significant improvements over the past three decades, including a halving of child labour among children aged 5 to 14 from 20% to 10% and a reduction in extreme poverty from 39% to 10%. However, it also highlighted that progress has been uneven, with inequality reduction stalling.
The report revealed that 58% of workers worldwide remain in informal employment, while women’s participation in the labour force lags behind men’s by 24 percentage points. Furthermore, the global gender pay gap is projected to take approximately 100 years to close if current trends continue.
“The world has made strides since Copenhagen, but progress has not been inclusive or fair enough,” the ILO stated. “The upcoming summit offers a critical opportunity to rebuild trust and reinforce multilateral cooperation aimed at delivering real social justice and decent work for all.”
As the custodian agency for Sustainable Development Goal 8 which focuses on decent work and economic growth, the ILO will collaborate closely with governments, employers, and workers through its tripartite governance structure to ensure the summit’s outcomes translate into action.
Key priorities include supporting countries in integrating job creation and sustainable enterprises within poverty reduction strategies, expanding universal social protection systems, and promoting full, productive employment supported by fair labour standards. The ILO also intends to boost the care economy, advocate for equitable digital and green transitions, and guarantee equal rights and opportunities in the labour market for vulnerable groups such as women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, and migrants.
The organization will continue to leverage its flagship initiatives, the Global Coalition for Social Justice and the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions to help countries convert international commitments into measurable social and economic gains.
“The ILO remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring that multilateral actions deliver meaningful results for people and communities worldwide,” the organization said. “Renewed dedication to jobs, equality, and inclusion is vital for building a more equitable and resilient global economy.”
As nations prepare for the Qatar summit, the international community faces a defining opportunity to accelerate efforts toward social justice and sustainable development, with a strong focus on creating decent work and inclusive growth for all.
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