Three decades after a historic summit in Copenhagen, leaders in the Qatari capital warned that inequality remains high, climate shocks are intensifying and almost two billion people still lack social protection, sending the world off track from the 2030 deadline.

A renewed commitment

The Doha Declaration renews and updates the 1995 Copenhagen commitments, calling for:

• Treat poverty eradication, decent work and social inclusion as interconnected priorities.
• Expand universal and gender-sensitive access social protectionand equitable access to health and education.
• Advance a secure and inclusive digital transformation while fight against disinformation and hate speech.
• Ensure that young people, older people, people with disabilities, indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups significantly shape policies that affect their lives.

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Voices of urgency and unity

Secretary-General António Guterres called The declaration is a “boost for development,” calling for a “people’s plan” to reduce inequality, create decent work, reform global finance and rebuild unity. “This summit is about hope through collective action…let’s deliver on the bold people’s plan that humanity needs and deserves.”

Annalena Baerbock, President of the General Assembly, exhorted Leaders must “go all the way,” warning that economic growth alone has not ended poverty. She called climate change the “greatest obstacle” to social development and called for debt relief, fairer trade, wider access to technology and the full participation of women.

The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said social development is an “existential necessity,” highlighting national efforts to expand opportunities and international support for poverty reduction. He said peace and stability – including support for Palestine and an end to the crisis in Sudan – are essential conditions for social progress.

Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of ECOSOC, highlighted that more than 800 million people still live in extreme poverty and that even small shocks – illness, job loss or climate disasters – can plunge millions more into hardship.

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Transforming consensus into implementation

The opening panel, “Strengthening the three pillars of social development», chaired by the leaders of Montenegro and Kyrgyzstan and moderated by ILO Managing Director Gilbert Houngbo focused on turning commitments into actions.

Juan Somaviawho chaired the 1995 summit, welcomed the declaration but stressed the urgency: “We are very good at being ambitious, less so at knowing how to implement it.” »

Minister of the Netherlands Mariëlle Paul stressed that jobs must be decent to lift people out of poverty.

ITUTriangle Luc de C called for fair taxation and global tax cooperation to finance social development and equip workers for the digital and green transitions.

Amitabh Behar of Oxfam highlighted rising inequality and called for taxing the very rich and reinvesting in public services.

Esther Nagtey, representing young people with disabilitiesemphasized meaningful participation: “We are not the leaders of tomorrow – we are the changemakers of today. »

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The road to follow

The Doha Declaration establishes a common plan; Leaders say achieving results now depends on funding, political will and coordinated implementation – moving from promises to policies that reach people.

Stay tuned for Wednesday: Plenary statements, civil society forum, united for social justice, and roundtable discussion reviewing progress and motivating action.

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Editor’s note:

This story is based on reports from the United Nations Meetings Coverage Section, whose press officers attend Summit sessions, monitor statements made by Member States and delegates, and produce summary records and press releases.

“Many of these attacks are linked to attempts by Palestinians to harvest their olives,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

“Palestinians were killed and injured. Their homes and property were damaged. Their livestock were attacked.”

Record damage levels

Mr Fletcher said more trees were damaged and more communities affected this year than in the previous six years combined.

“Failing to prevent or punish such attacks is incompatible with international law,” he warned. “Palestinians must be protected. Impunity cannot prevail. Perpetrators must be held accountable.”

His remarks follow warnings from the UN spokesperson’s office last week that violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers has increased across the West Bank, often under the surveillance of Israeli security forces.

The UN has repeatedly urged Israel, as the occupying power, to prevent further attacks and ensure accountability.

The incidents coincide with the annual olive harvest season, a crucial source of income for thousands of Palestinian families, now increasingly disrupted by harassment and destruction of agricultural land.

Madagascar’s food crisis worsens due to drought and disease, UN warns

Madagascar faces a worsening humanitarian emergency as drought, cyclones and epidemics devastate communities in the country’s south, the United Nations warned Tuesday.

Speaking in New York, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said the situation in the Deep South and Deep Southeast regions has become “increasingly dire” due to successive climate shocks and the lingering impact of El Niño.

“The combination of drought, the recent cyclone season, a malaria outbreak and strained health systems has left many communities with little capacity to recover,” he told reporters.

Hunger is increasing rapidly

According to the UN aid coordination office, OCHAthe number of people facing emergency food insecurity in the Deep South is expected to quadruple to 110,000 by January 2026, while almost 160,000 children suffer from severe acute malnutrition.

Mr Haq said aid operations have been crippled by funding cuts, forcing partners to end vital programs.

A new national humanitarian response plan aims to raise $185 million to fight hunger, malnutrition and disease until April 2026, but is $125 million short.

“The UN is appealing for $85 million to meet the most urgent needs of 1.5 million people,” he said.

In this context, the country is also experiencing serious political upheaval. The UN condemned last month this it is described as an “unconstitutional change of government” in Madagascar, following protests led by young people and a takeover by the army.

The escalation of unrest and instability further adds pressure on humanitarian efforts and underscores the urgency of the crisis.

Only 5 percent of Europeans aged 7 to 9 eat enough fruit and vegetables

Only five percent of children aged seven to nine in Europe eat enough fruit and vegetables, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

This is what the latest report from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals. Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI), showing that obesity and overweight figures remain stubbornly high.

This contributes to increasing rates of diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and other life-threatening non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

According to the WHO, in participating countries, one in four children aged seven to nine was overweight, which includes cases of obesity.

The study found that boys were more likely to be obese than girls.

Online ordering – new obesity threat

Unhealthy foods remain widespread, but for the first time, the WHO has reported an increasingly important dietary factor: online ordering.

Across 18 countries surveyed, up to 39 percent reported ordering online at least once a month, suggesting a trend toward greater reliance on prepared or delivered meals.

According to the WHO, maintaining a healthier diet – such as eating more fresh fruit, consuming fewer sweets and soft drinks – and engaging in regular physical activity is closely linked to socio-economic background.

The report notes that healthier eating habits are more common among children whose parents have higher levels of education, while children from families whose parents have lower levels of education are more likely to walk or cycle.

“Healthier food environments, better labeling and better taxation of sugary products can help make nutritious choices easy and help combat the obesity epidemic,” the UN health agency said.

The vast Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC), filled with delegations, students, civil society groups and policymakers from around the world, reflects the magnitude of the moment.

Nearly 14,000 participants are registered for the Summit, which brings together governments, international organizations and community stakeholders to shape a people-centered vision of social development over the next decade.

Education as a foundation

A high-level event, Education as the Foundation of the New Social Contract, set the tone for the day. Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser delivered a keynote address calling for a renewed commitment to education as a starting point for justice and opportunity.

Citing the 272 million children currently out of school, many because of conflict, she said progress is impossible if exclusion persists.

“Education is not a luxury, nor a favor to be granted,“, she declared. “It is a right – and an existential question for the future of nations.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres reinforced this message, describing education as “the best tool we have to combat poverty”. But he warned of widening inequality, chronic underinvestment and a global shortage of qualified teachers.

We must repair the “cracks in this vital foundation,” he said, calling for closing the digital divide, strengthening support for teachers and treating education not as a cost but as a strategic investment.

Later, during a press conferenceMr. Guterres stressed that rebuilding education systems will be essential in crisis situations, notably in Gaza and Sudan.

“Education must be a central pillar of any reconstruction project in Gaza,” he said.

Dialogue of the presidents

The session also included a high-level dialogue with the The Presidents of Kenya, Albania and Palau, who stressed that education is an investment in human development and future growth.

Kenyan President William Ruto called for aligning education with labor market and digital needs; Albanian President Bajram Begaj stressed that education is a universal right; and President Surangel Whipps of Palau highlighted the importance of ensuring access in remote and island communities.

Solutions through the Summit

Throughout the venue, solution-focused sessions explored practical pathways to expanding opportunities and social protection.

In a flagship session on universal social protection, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif stressed that social protection is “not charity, but a human right”essential to equity and resilience.

She highlighted progress in extending coverage to informal workers and urged international financial reforms to protect public investments. “Practical solutions are within our reach,” she said. “Let’s transform our commitments into actions. »

New political approach to poverty

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) introduces a new analysis urging governments to exceed traditional poverty lines.

Its policy brief proposes establishing “thresholds of prosperity” – ensuring that people can not only escape poverty, but also remain resilient in the face of shocks such as illness, job loss or climate-related disasters.

According to the analysis, 411 million people could move from poverty to basic security by 2030 if countries pursue job-intensive growth, adaptable social protection and policies that improve wages and working conditions.

“With decisive and integrated action, we can break the cycle of vulnerability and ensure lasting prosperity. The past 30 years have shown that progress is possible,” said Haoliang Xu, Acting Administrator of UNDP, referring to the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration, which was the first to set global commitments on social development.

Implementation time

From youth dialogues to discussions on digital inclusion, nutrition, disability rights, decent work and aging societies, participants returned to a common message: progress is possible, but it must be anchored in real-world needs.

The leaders who adopted the Doha Political Declarationattention is now focused on translating commitments into actions and investments.

UN News is on site in Dohaproviding ongoing reporting throughout the Summit.

More than 130 roads have been blocked, power and communications networks disrupted, while health services remain under severe strain, according to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA).

“Up to 360,000 people could need food assistance,” said the World Food Program (PAM). Access to some western parishes remains difficult due to a lack of debris and fuel, OCHA said.

WFP has been “working around the clock,” developing joint plans and strategies with the government, said Brian Bogart, country director of WFP’s multi-country office in the Caribbean, during a briefing with journalists in New York via video link.

Jamaican Resilience

“The Jamaican people are resilient,” he said, “but they need urgent support to maintain that resilience.

Mr. Bogart reiterated that the urgent needs remain food, water, shelter and medicine for the hardest-hit communities.

Over the past two days, a ship from the French and Dutch navies loaded with relief items landed in Kingston harbor.

In the coming days, WFP plans to assist up to 200,000 people across the country with food assistance and cash transfers, which is essential as the country moves from an immediate humanitarian response to a longer-term recovery strategy.

Cuba and Haiti

Food distribution in Cuba has already reached 180,000 people in protection centers in the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo, reported WFP country director Etienne Labande.

Highlighting UN food agencies’ deep understanding of the local context and their ability to coordinate with authorities and communities, Mr. Labande stressed that WFP’s presence on the ground was “essential” to ensure a rapid and effective response.

Meanwhile, in Haiti, at least 30 people died during the extreme weather generated by Melissa, according to authorities.

“An estimated 1.25 million people were affected by the hurricane”said Cuba’s national director.

Worse, ongoing relief efforts and aid delivery are further complicated by the ongoing humanitarian crisis and security vacuum created by armed groups that control the vast majority of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

“Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint”underlined M. Labande.

Despite severe funding shortages, access difficulties and logistical constraints, the UN and its partners continue to assess the damage and scale up efforts to reach people in need.

$74 million is urgently needed to provide lifesaving assistance to 1.1 million people in the Caribbean following the Melissa disaster, and to coordinate emergency logistics and telecommunications.

António Guterres spoke at a press conference during the second World Summit for Social Development in the Qatari capital.

He was asked about coordination with Israel and US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, which includes the deployment of a temporary international stabilization force in the enclave, developed by US, Arab and international partners.

Increasing aid is essential

The Secretary-General declared that the United Nations is “actively engaged in ensuring that humanitarian aid increases significantly» in Gaza and reaches the entire population.

He added that the United States “has contributed to Israel at least gradually eliminating some of the obstacles and difficulties that remain” in this regard.

“On the other hand, we very actively support the principle that the ceasefire must be respected, all parties must respect the ceasefire, there must be a link between Gaza and the West Bank in how the next step will be implemented,” he continued.

“And that this must lead to a two-state solution and the recognition of an independent Palestinian state. »

The Secretary General stressed that the UN positions “have been very clear” and do not depend “on cooperation with this or that country”.

American draft resolution

He noted that the United States was developing a Security Council resolution on Gaza in consultation with other active members, but the UN Secretariat is not involved in the discussions.

“What we believe is that any entity created in Gaza should have the legitimacy of a Security Council mandate“, he said.

Asked if this included the international force, he replied that “that’s one of the things that was discussed” and “it would be important to have the training and education of a Palestinian police force.”

He said: “This transition must lead to a situation in which both parties [Gaza and the West Bank] are united and that the Palestinian Authority exercises its full authority.

Humanitarian efforts continue

Meanwhile, humanitarians continue to intensify their operations in the Gaza Strip, in line with the 60-day response plan, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters in New York.

He said the UN and partners collected 80 truckloads of supplies on Sunday, including food, animal fodder, shelter materials, winter clothing and hygiene items. This total does not include bilateral and commercial deliveries.

“Our partners report that, based on preliminary data, they collected nearly 750 pallets of relief items in Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem yesterday and transported them to Gaza City,” he said.

“Four other trucks delivered medicines and medical supplies. Traffic jams and heavy traffic continue to hamper collection efforts.”

Nearly a million fed

Since the resumption of general food distributions on October 13, nearly a million people, or half the population, have received assistance via 46 distribution points managed by humanitarian partners.

“We continue to try to expand this program so that this month families can receive two monthly food packages, compared to one in October,” he said.

Between mid-October and last Sunday, the UN and its partners collected more than 210 tonnes of animal fodder from the crossing points, and distribution to some 1,700 herders in Deir al-Balah is almost complete.

Partners providing nutrition services also collected more than 120,000 packets of fortified cereals, used to prevent acute malnutrition in children. This amount is enough to support a large number of children for a month.

Mr Haq said other partners providing water and sanitation services continue to scale up their interventions.

Humanitarians also helped local authorities rehabilitate three wells supplying neighborhoods in Gaza City.

Although food security has started to improve in areas where fighting has eased, famine has set in in areas affected by conflict, cut off from aid or under siege, according to the latest UN-backed IPC food security analysis.

Famine conditions confirmed in El Fasher and Kadugli in Darfurwhere “people endured months without reliable access to food or medical care,” the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said.FAO), the World Food Program (PAM) and the child rights agency UNICEF said in a joint outing.

Call for ceasefire

UN chief António Guterres called on Tuesday for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, as disturbing images of apparent massacres in El Fasher and elsewhere continued to circulate online.

In a tweetMr. Guterres called on the Sudanese armed forces and rebel rapid support paramilitary forces “to come to the negotiating table to end this nightmare of violence.”

Heavy fighting broke out in Sudan in April 2023 between rival armies, causing a massive humanitarian catastrophe.

Last week saw the fall of El Fasher’s government after more than 500 days of siege by rebels.

Hundreds of civilians – including aid workers – are believed to have been killed, with many more trapped behind barricades.

Millions of people are still hungry

The IPC analysis confirmed that around 21.2 million people in Sudan – 45 percent of the population – face high levels of acute food insecurity, representing a slight improvement.

Furthermore, an estimated 3.4 million people no longer face critical levels of hunger.

The improvements follow a gradual stabilization since May in three states – Khartoum, Al Jazirah and Sennar – where the conflict has subsided and families are returning, among other events.

“But these gains are limited,” the UN agencies said. “The wider crisis has destroyed the economy and vital services, and much of the infrastructure that people depend on has been damaged or destroyed. »

“Flimsy improvements”

Favorable growing conditions are also expected after the harvest and over the next year, with famine levels improving to 19.3 million through January.

However, they warned that “these fragile improvements are very localized» because many families returning to Khartoum and Al Jazirah have lost everything and will struggle to enjoy the harvests.

At the same time, active conflict persists in the western regions, including North and South Darfur as well as West and South Kordofan.

At the same time, hunger is expected to worsen from February as food stocks run out and fighting continues.

Famine in besieged areas

The IPC Famine Review Committee (FRC) found that famine conditions prevail in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, and Kadugli in South Kordofan, which have been largely isolated due to the conflict.

UN agencies noted that conditions in Dilling, South Kordofan, “are likely similar to those in Kadugli, but cannot be classified due to lack of reliable data – due to restricted humanitarian access and ongoing hostilities.”

In the western Nuba Mountains, the situation has improved slightly, but famine remains high unless humanitarian access improves.

The FRC forecasts a risk of famine in 20 additional areas in Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan, including rural localities, IDP camps and several new sites in East Darfur and South Kordofan.

Furthermore, global acute malnutrition (GAM) rates are alarming, ranging from 38 to 75 percent in El Fasher and reaching almost 30 percent in Kadugli.

This is happening as outbreaks of cholera, malaria and measles continue to surge in areas where health, water and sanitation systems have collapsed.