Author: Sarah Ben-Farhat
Thirty years after the historic Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development was finalized at the World Summit for Social Development, we are witnessing a dire rise in inequality, accelerated environmental collapse, and cycles of systemic oppression and brutal violence that remain unaddressed. The very conditions the Copenhagen Declaration aimed to transform have not only persisted, they have intensified, creating crises on a scale we can no longer afford to ignore. Social development cannot thrive while vast gaps persist between the rich and the poor, the global North and the global South, civilians and their governments, and between promises made and meaningful action taken. From a youth perspective, I would feel silly even to offer my viewpoint, knowing the privileges I hold as a civilian of the global North.
As I sit here pondering how to make this blog post short and sweet, another young woman in her twenties is acutely starving, surrounded by constant death and destruction, and grieving the loss of her family in Gaza. Another young woman suffers night terrors from gender-based violence and no longer trusts national authorities in Tigray. One young woman is displaced, unsafe, weakened by famine, and carrying the unbearable burden of having survived sexual assault at the hands of rebel groups in Sudan. Another young woman, in Atlanta, Georgia, was kept alive against her family’s wishes despite being brain-dead—her body politicized by the very system meant to protect her. One young woman in Myanmar hides in the forest with her younger siblings after their village was burned to the ground by military forces. And in Afghanistan, yet another young woman is a prisoner in her own home, excluded from education, employment, and public life. The countless examples continue to be tragic. Ironic, isn’t it? That my voice is heard, that I get to pursue education and career goals while other young women globally are denied these very things. And that is precisely why I write—not to center my experience, but to call attention to those who are systematically silenced.
We must revisit and recommit to the 10 Commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration, not as a symbolic exercise, but as an urgent demand for a renewed global social contract grounded in humanity, equity, and sustainability. The Copenhagen Declaration was meant to be a turning point; today, it must become a blueprint for transformation, especially as we approach the Second World Summit for Social Development. To move beyond rhetoric, I will present recent data from major global reports, UN entities, and reference the Copenhagen Declaration itself to demonstrate how far we’ve fallen from the goals set in 1995, and why recommitment is no longer optional.
Climate change, displacement, and economic insecurity are not isolated crises; they are interconnected symptoms of a system that treats both the planet and its people as disposable. Rather than cherishing one another and the Earth as unique and irreplaceable, we continue to exploit and extract from them. We are running out of time. The Copenhagen Declaration got it right: “economic development, social development and environmental protection are interdependent and mutually reinforcing components of sustainable development,” but thirty years later, we are accelerating toward ecological collapse. According to the UN SDG Report of 2025, 1.12 billion people worldwide now reside in slums or informal settlements, with housing costs accounting for over 31% of their household income. Climate-related disasters have displaced millions, and 80% of those displaced by climate change are women (UN Women), revealing both ecological and gender injustice. There is no sustainable development without environmental justice, reflecting a critical need to not only uphold but, have clear accountability mechanisms in place for our commitments. Climate vulnerability is not distributed equally; women, the poor, and marginalized communities bear the brunt of ecological degradation, making clear that climate justice is also gender justice and economic justice. To meet the demands of SDGs 1, 5, 10, and 13, our global response must go beyond adaptation. It must encompass equitable climate mitigation, resource redistribution, and strengthened international cooperation, as outlined in the Copenhagen Commitments 1, 2, 4, and 5. Our collective survival has always depended on the equitable stewardship of the Earth —a demand we cannot afford to delay.
We live in a world where progress has been uneven and exclusion remains the norm for billions of people. The global gap between the rich and the poor is not just widening; it’s hardening into permanent lines of injustice. As the Copenhagen Declaration stated in 1995, “in countries throughout the world, the expansion of prosperity for some, unfortunately, is accompanied by an expansion of unspeakable poverty for others. This glaring contradiction is unacceptable and needs to be corrected through urgent actions.” Yet, we are not correcting it continuously; we see that institutions, companies, and governments often prioritize profit over people. By 2025, an estimated 808 million people—1 in 10 globally—will live in extreme poverty (UN SDG Report 2025), highlighting the urgency of making progress on SDGs 1 and 10. Meanwhile, 305 million people will require urgent humanitarian assistance (Global Humanitarian Overview 2025), underscoring that the Copenhagen Commitments 2, 4, and 7 remain unfulfilled and more pressing than ever.
Economic insecurity is stifling opportunities, particularly for young people and women, as global labor markets grow more precarious due to automation, AI, and global economic instability. Despite a record-low global unemployment rate of 5.0% in 2024, nearly 58% of workers remained informally employed, and youth were three times more likely to be unemployed than adults, with young women disproportionately affected (UNSD, 2024), (UN SDG Report 2025) (SDG Progress Report, United Nations GA & ECOSOC, 2025). In the least developed countries (LDCs), up to 30% of workers live in extreme poverty, and NEET (not in education, employment, or training) rates remain alarmingly high. It is evident that this stems not only from economic fragility, but also from a persistent underinvestment in child care, equitable education, and inclusive job training systems—tools essential for social mobility and workforce inclusion. This highlights a global economy in which the pace of progress remains concerningly slow in delivering dignity through decent work, revealing a clear gap in meeting SDGs 8 and 10, as well as fulfilling Copenhagen Commitments 3 and 7.
And yet, despite the painful statistics and unfulfilled promises, hope remains; in communities that persist, in resistance that endures, and in a vision of a world reimagined through compassion and collective action. When people come together with radical empathy and love, it becomes impossible not to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I do not claim to know precisely how change will unfold — but I believe, deeply, that people around the world will continue to rise and be resilient, even in the face of immense injustice. From a (privileged) youth perspective, I join others in calling on governments, institutions, and civil society actors to recommit to the 10 Copenhagen Commitments: placing people at the center of development, eradicating poverty, promoting full employment, advancing social integration, ensuring equality, upholding human rights, mobilizing resources, and monitoring progress. These are not abstract ideals — they are urgent imperatives. The damage we are causing and the precedents we are setting cannot be undone. They will have lasting, catastrophic consequences for future generations. The Second World Summit for Social Development must be a genuine turning point — a moment to renew the global social contract, grounded in equity, sustainability, and shared humanity. We cannot wait for another generation to fix what this one still has the power to change. As we approach the Second World Social Summit, let us remember: our dignity is shared, our futures are intertwined, and our responsibilities are collective. This is a sincere call to focus on what truly matters—for those enduring these times, and for those yet to come. It is a call to solidarity: with all oppressed peoples, with global citizens, and with anyone willing to listen.
