Reflections by Dr. John Coonrod, MCLD Founder
The Second World Summit for Social Development was highly relevant to the Movement for Community-led Development (MCLD), and we were represented there not just by me but also Jane from MCLD Kenya and perhaps others. The host country, Qatar, was clearly committed to demonstrating that it is a progressive country not only in terms of social protection programs but also in moving towards greater gender equity. Globally, nearly every speaker I heard, from both government and civil society, used the word “community” as central to future progress.
Engaging with multilateral agencies has been an MCLD 2025 priority globally.
Here are my top 10 takeaways.
- Claims of progress: Despite dramatic recent setbacks – and perhaps with an eye to awakening some sense of hope – speakers emphasized that the world has indeed made significant progress since the first Social Summit 30 years ago in Copenhagen which was the first UN commitment to ending poverty, although most of the progress was made before 2015.
- 100 Days Campaign: Among the many side events were two focused on a new “Local Multilateralism”, and both referenced the initiative of UCLG (United Cities and Local and Regional Governments) to campaign for a new Global Social Covenant based in subsidiarity, social justice and solidarity. The concept was launched at a Mayor’s Conference one year ago UCLG is declaring a 100 Day Campaign for Local Multilateralism to link key 2026 milestones: the May 17-22 World Urban Forum in Baku, the UCLG World Congress June 22-26 in Tangiers and the UN High Level Political Forum which will review SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities – from July 6-15 in New York. (It’s unclear to me exactly when the 100 days starts and ends).
- Growing inequality: Income inequality has gotten much worse since 1995 and gender inequality remains deeply entrenched, with pushback against the women’s movement occurring at both local and national levels. Locally, gender inequality can be fatal not only through gender-based violence but also through dietary taboos and continuing lack of rights awareness that can only be addressed through community-level action by grassroots women’s movements.
- Need for Community-led Social protection: A priority in Copenhagen was for more countries to implement national social protection schemes such as widow’s pensions. Yet as our MCLD-Kenya colleague Jane pointed out in one panel, when communities are not involved in these programs, widows are sometimes murdered when they receive their quarterly payment.
- Reforming the international financial architecture. The recent Financing for Development Conference in Seville was on everyone’s lips as they pointed to the urgent necessity of reforming institutions such as the World Bank in order to address the growing debt crisis. Many of the lowest-income countries are once again “net contributors” – paying more in interest than they are receiving in aid.
- Role for Local Interreligious Action: Faith-based organizations were angered by their marginalization in the Doha Political Declaration. They describe how in many communities they come together, discover their shared values and build on those to advance a shared narrative for peace and social harmony – which is clearly a pre-requisite for social development..
- The Local2030 Coalition is the UN platform for localizing the SDGs, and so our engagement with them is important. It is co-chaired by UN Habitat and FAO and includes UNDP. It intends to work with all relevant stakeholders. In 2023 the UN Secretary General declared it as one of seven accelerators for “rescuing” the SDGs. I spoke at their side event on the important role of civil society not only for accountability but as an implementing partner, and it was well received.
- Formal UN Recognition. A priority for UCLG has been for the UN to establish a formal and permanent role for local governments at the UN. An advisory committee to the UN Secretary General has worked on this, but it has not yet been established. While Civil Society has long had a pathway for its own formal recognition at the UN through registration with ECOSOC and through the concept of “Major Groups” – registration of new members (including MCLD) has slowed to a near halt due to staffing cuts. Many governments are actively attacking the entire institutions of civil society, so this undoubtedly is the main obstacle to overcome.
- Civil Society Forum. Civil Society was significantly better organized here than in most UN events. This was done by a NGO Committee on Social Development whose members chaired 10 “focus events” to systematically cover the main issues of the Summit.
- Leaders. The Summit was led by the President of the UN General Assembly, former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Ms. Baerbock was everywhere during the conference, including opening and closing the Summit’s Civil Society Forum and many of the side events. She shared stories of facing gender discrimination in an early job working on a tire production line. The UN Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and President of ECOSOC also participated.
My thoughts on followup priorities:
- Secure our formal engagement with the UN and Local2030
- Establish a global gender working group with both female and male gender champions.
- Explore how MCLD can best participate with the 100 Day Campaign.
- Followup with enlisting several groups I met with as MCLD members.