The United Nations Secretary-General told the Second World Summit on Social Development in Qatar that 700 million people live in extreme poverty.
Doha, Qatar – The United Nations Secretary-General declares that commitment to combating deepening global inequality is a “catalyst for development”.
At the Second World Summit on Social Development held in Qatar on Tuesday, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Barbok, announced the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration.
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“Social development and inclusion are essential for strong societies,” he said, adding that the declaration “must end social injustice, prioritize a people-first approach and guarantee the dignity of all people.”
In his keynote address, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on world leaders to unite behind the “plan of brave peoples”.
“It is unconscionable that the richest 1% own nearly half of the world’s wealth, yet nearly 700 million people still live in extreme poverty,” he told delegates.
“It is intolerable that around 4 billion people have no access to any social protection at all.”
The summit in Qatar’s capital Doha was held to build on the development goals set at the Copenhagen Summit 30 years ago.
About 40 heads of state, 170 ministerial-level representatives, heads of NGOs and 14,000 representatives from around the world were scheduled to attend, according to the United Nations.
The declaration calls for action in several areas, including poverty eradication, access to “decent work,” social integration, gender equality and climate action.
Mr. Guterres noted the progress made over the past 30 years.
“More than a billion people are being lifted out of extreme poverty. Global unemployment is near historic levels. Access to health care, education and social protection has increased dramatically. People are living longer, child and maternal mortality rates are falling, and more girls are attending school, and graduation rates for all students are increasing,” he said.
But he insisted further challenges needed to be faced, saying the second world summit “begins at a time of high global uncertainty, division, conflict and widespread human suffering.”
“Developing countries are not receiving the level of support they need,” he warned. “We are not moving fast enough to mitigate the instability and utter destruction brought about by global warming.”
peace and stability
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani opened the event by calling for continued efforts to support the Palestinian people amid the devastation of Israel’s two-year war in Gaza.
“Without peace and stability, it is impossible to achieve social development in any society,” he said, adding that “only permanent peace, not temporary solutions, is truly peace.”
He called on the international community to increase support for reconstruction, adding that “it goes without saying that the Palestinian people need all forms of assistance to recover from the devastation” caused by the “Palestinian apartheid system.”
The United Nations estimates that more than $70 billion will be needed to rebuild Gaza.
Guterres later told reporters on the sidelines that he was “deeply concerned” by “continued ceasefire violations” in the enclave.
“They must stop and all parties must abide by the decisions of the first phase of the peace agreement,” he demanded.
The emir also condemned war crimes being committed in Sudan.
“We express our collective shock at the horrific atrocities committed in the city of El Fasher in Sudan’s Darfur region and reaffirm our condemnation of these acts in the strongest terms,” Sheikh Tamim said after the Rapid Support Forces militia took control of the capital of North Darfur state last week.
