At the 1995 World Summit for Social Development (WSSD), governments reached a new consensus on the need to put people at the center of development. World leaders pledged to make the conquest of poverty, the goal of full employment, and the fostering of social integration the overriding objectives of development. WSSD delegates adopted the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development, and the WSSD Programme of Action, which contained five chapters and outlined actions to be achieved in each area: an enabling environment for social development; eradication of poverty; the expansion of productive employment and the reduction of unemployment; social integration; and implementation and follow-up. Five years later, governments reconvened in Geneva in June 2000, to review what had been achieved, and to commit themselves to new initiatives.
The second World Summit for Social Development will convene in November 2025 and will gather world leaders to chart a new course towards achieving the goal of building societies that are more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable.