New Uzbekistan: On the Path to Global Social Justice (Based on the Outcomes of the Second World Summit for Social Development)

Against the backdrop of deepening global challenges from rising hunger and poverty to climate instability the Second World Summit for Social Development was held in Doha on November 4–6, 2025. Amid growing inequality, demographic shifts, and rapid technological and environmental transformations, the World Summit provided a crucial platform for global dialogue and collective action.

The second summit, hosted in the capital of Qatar, brought together more than 40 Heads of state and government, 170 ministers, leaders of international organizations, youth movements, civil society representatives, and experts over 14,000 participants in total to discuss social development at the highest level and advance social progress, ensuring that no one is left behind on the path toward sustainable development on a global scale.

As is known, in 2024 the UN General Assembly, through its resolutions 78/261 and 78/318, decided to convene the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025. The summit was intended to reaffirm commitment to the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the Programme of Action and their implementation, as well as to give renewed momentum to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Outcomes of the First World Summit for Social Development

At the First World Summit for Social Development in 1995, world leaders adopted the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, which set forth Ten Commitments a framework for eradicating poverty, promoting full employment, and building inclusive, just, and sustainable societies. Social protection is a central element of the Copenhagen Declaration and a powerful driver of poverty reduction, equality, and shared prosperity. Strengthening universal, inclusive, and sustainable social protection systems is essential for realizing the right to social security and advancing social justice.

Over this period, the international community also adopted a number of commitments in the field of social development, in particular:

first, in 2000 – the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), aimed at addressing issues of poverty, health care, and education;

second, in 2015 – the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which outline pathways toward a more just and sustainable future;

third, in 2017 – the Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2018–2027), launched to support the effective and coordinated implementation of internationally agreed development goals related to eliminating poverty;

fourth, in 2021 – Our Common Agenda, which called for renewed, inclusive multilateral cooperation;

fifth, in 2024 – the Pact for the Future, which includes the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations, and addresses issues of peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender equality, youth, and future generations.

According to United Nations data, globally, 35 percent of the 137 targets set under the Sustainable Development Goals are either on track or showing moderate progress. Implementation of 47 percent of the targets is proceeding too slowly, while 18 percent have regressed compared to the 2015 baseline.

Progress toward several Sustainable Development Goals remains uneven and limited; however, notable achievements are being recorded across all regions and countries, demonstrating that change is possible. Since the adoption of the Copenhagen Declaration, global unemployment has decreased over recent decades, and extreme poverty has been reduced by half.

Over the past thirty years, 1.5 billion people have been lifted out of poverty. Since 2015, despite the severe consequences of the global pandemic, the global rate of extreme poverty has continued to decline, and the number of working poor has decreased by 20 million. Health indicators have also improved: in 2024, global life expectancy at birth reached 73.3 years. This increase of 8.4 years since 1995 reflects expanded access to primary health care, immunization, disease-control efforts, and improved child nutrition. For the first time, more than half of the world’s population (52.4 percent) is covered by at least one social protection benefit, up from 42.8 percent in 2015. The share of young people completing upper secondary education rose from 53 percent in 2015 to 60 percent in 2024, and literacy rates continue to rise. Moreover, the gender gap in education is steadily narrowing.

Nevertheless, serious challenges persist: according to UNDP estimates, around 800 million people still live in extreme poverty. More than one billion people worldwide continue to live in poverty, and 40 percent of the global population lacks access to social protection. Significant inequality remains, disproportionately affecting women and young people. Economic growth alone is insufficient to overcome structural inequality, which is further exacerbated by climate change, demographic pressures, and conflicts.

Technological change is accelerating the erosion of social cohesion and the decline of trust. Digital platforms enhance opportunities for connection, yet at the same time amplify the spread of disinformation and hate speech.

The Second World Summit for Social Development

Thirty years after Copenhagen, the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha symbolizes a renewed global determination to leave no one behind and to ensure that every person regardless of age, ability, gender, or origin can live with dignity and have opportunities for development.

At the Summit, world leaders adopted the Doha Political Declaration, reaffirming the global commitment to building a more just and inclusive society. The document stresses that social development is not only a moral imperative but also a necessary foundation for peace, stability, and economic growth.

On the sidelines of the Summit, discussions took place within the Social Development Solutions Forum, the first high-level meeting of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, the high-level event “Education as the Foundation of the New Social Contract”, as well as the Civil Society Forum, the Private Sector Forum, and an interactive “Solutions Hub.”

Today, more than 670 million people suffer from hunger, and 2.3 billion face food insecurity. During the first high-level meeting of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, participants emphasized that the crisis is not caused by a lack of food but by “inequality, conflict, and misguided policy decisions.” Established in 2024 under Brazil’s presidency of the G20, the Alliance now includes nearly 200 members governments, regional groupings, international organizations, and civil society institutions. The aim of the meeting was to strengthen coordination within the Alliance: expand social protection, support agriculture, and invest in climate-resilient farming. This represents a global call to action, reaffirming governments’ commitments to creating “an enabling economic, political, social, cultural, and legal environment for achieving social development for all.”

At the Global Coalition for Social Justice Forum, it was highlighted that initiatives aimed at raising minimum living standards, ensuring respect for fundamental principles and rights at work, strengthening social dialogue, expanding social protection coverage, and developing forward-looking vocational training systems contribute to eradicating poverty, creating decent jobs, and promoting social transformation and integration.

Today, high-income countries spend about 16 percent of GDP on social protection (excluding health care). In low-income countries, the figure is just 1 percent of GDP underscoring the need for increased investment. Under existing commitments, countries are encouraged to expand social protection coverage by 2 percentage points per year.

Education plays a key role in breaking the cycle of poverty, developing skills needed for decent work, and ensuring equality and inclusion. Yet despite progress, millions of children still do not attend school, and global crises including conflict, climate change, pandemics, and digital inequality are eroding hard-won gains. The Political Declaration of the Social Summit calls for integrating quality education as a core component of poverty-reduction strategies within a lifelong learning approach. It also emphasizes the importance of skills needed for the transition to a green and digital economy skills that are essential for the future labor market.

The Doha Political Declaration reaffirms the international community’s commitment to the principles of the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Declaration outlines three complementary areas of action: eradicating poverty, ensuring employment and decent work for all, and building a more inclusive society. It links social justice with peace, security, and human rights, and calls for urgent action on climate change.

The Doha Declaration calls for comprehensive, interconnected solutions addressing poverty and hunger, education, health care, climate resilience, and gender equality. Oversight of its implementation is entrusted to the Commission for Social Development of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that “the Doha Political Declaration is a development catalyst a plan for people aimed at expanding universal social protection, ensuring equal access to health care and education, and bridging the digital divide.” He underscored the urgent need to reform the global financial architecture to ensure access to development and climate financing, especially for developing countries facing debt distress.

New Uzbekistan: International Initiatives

for Global Social Development

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, speaking at the Second World Summit for Social Development, presented a number of proposals and initiatives aimed at strengthening global social justice and sustainable development. In his address, he emphasized that “the international community and national governments are acting together to ensure social well-being and improve people’s lives. Uzbekistan consistently supports all formats and initiatives of international cooperation aimed at sustainable development.” He underscored that in New Uzbekistan, a society is being built in which the priority principle “For the honor and dignity of every person” is upheld, ensuring social justice and effective protection for vulnerable populations.

In the context of complex socio-economic processes occurring worldwide, the President of Uzbekistan proposed several new initiatives aimed at reinforcing global social policy.

First Initiative – establishment of a Global Fund for Social Justice. According to UN data, more than 1.1 billion people around the world live in poverty. Over 70 percent of public spending in Uzbekistan is directed toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Based on best international practices, Uzbekistan has developed its own model to reduce poverty. Notably, targeted social registers (“Iron Register,” “Women’s Register,” “Youth Register,” and “Mercy Register”) have been introduced as important tools for the transition period, covering all vulnerable families. As a result, guaranteed social protection has reached more than 2.3 million low-income families, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities four times more than in 2017.

Globally, developing countries require more than $4 trillion to meet the SDGs. This creates an urgent need for a “new financial architecture for poverty reduction” one capable of objectively assessing risks, mobilizing financial resources for social programs in developing countries, and increasing their effectiveness. To address these challenges, the President of Uzbekistan proposed holding a high-level conference in 2026 in Khiva, with participation from international financial institutions, donor organizations, and partner countries.

Second Initiative – development of a Global Initiative on Social Responsibility and Decent Work. According to the ILO, the global unemployment rate in 2024 stood at 5 percent. Rapid adoption of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence is causing millions of jobs to disappear worldwide. In such circumstances, governments and businesses, as social partners, must devote greater attention to supporting workers.

It is noteworthy that over the past eight years, Uzbekistan has attracted $130 billion in investment, launched thousands of new production facilities, and created millions of permanent jobs. During this period, the national economy has doubled, and per capita income is expected to reach $3,500 by year’s end. A robust legal framework has been established to protect human rights and freedoms, ensure occupational safety, and secure access to social protection, including the adoption of a renewed Constitution, a new edition of the Labor Code, and the laws “On Employment of the Population” and “On Trade Unions.”

Third Initiative – hosting a Summit of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty in Uzbekistan, with Education as the Main Priority. The annual economic loss caused by illiteracy is estimated at $1.4 trillion. For young people, this creates significant barriers to social integration and labor market participation and drives sharp increases in inequality.

Uzbekistan has officially joined the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty an important step toward reinforcing global efforts to achieve the SDGs and improve food security. This decision reflects the country’s commitment to addressing growing challenges related to hunger, poverty, and inequality. Participation in the Alliance provides Uzbekistan with unique opportunities for knowledge-sharing, attracting international investment, and implementing joint programs with other countries and organizations.

Fourth Initiative – hosting an International Forum on the Social and Legal Protection of Migrants and Their Families, and Adoption of a Global Program. Today, more than 300 million migrants work abroad worldwide. Unfortunately, violations of their rights remain widespread. Ensuring safe and legal migration in a globalized world is a multifaceted challenge one that also affects Uzbekistan and requires in-depth analysis of influencing factors and consequences.

New Uzbekistan has launched wide-ranging reforms shaping the long-term development trajectory of the country’s public and political life, including labor market reforms especially in the area of external labor migration. Amendments to the Constitution strengthen the protection of citizens’ labor rights. A unique system has been created to ensure safe, lawful, and convenient migration processes, encompassing three key areas:

• preparation, language training, and professional skills development;
• protection of the rights and freedoms of Uzbek citizens working abroad, including material and moral assistance;
• ensuring employment and social reintegration of returning migrants, including adaptation to the social environment.

Quality education will remain the main driver of human capital development and long-term poverty reduction. The expansion of preschool enrollment from 27 percent to 78 percent has enabled 1 million women to pursue further education, acquire professions, and earn income. Over the past five years, more than 800,000 citizens have received modern professional training and secured high-income jobs. To create a unified international platform for the exchange of pedagogical experience and knowledge, Uzbekistan proposes hosting a World Summit on Vocational Education.

Fifth Initiative – launching a New Model of Socio-Economic Development in the Aral Sea Region, Designated by the UN as a Zone of Environmental Innovation and Technology. Extreme weather, desertification, and biodiversity loss disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, farmers, seasonal workers, and populations living in ecologically fragile regions. A pressing priority is to harmonize climate action with employment programs.

In 2024, for the first time, the average global temperature rose by more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The past decade has been the hottest on record. As a result, the world is increasingly experiencing the impacts of climate crises, including widespread wildfires, expanding desertification, shrinking glaciers, worsening water scarcity, and declining air quality.

In response, Uzbekistan is actively working to restore the Aral Sea ecosystem. In recent years, 2 million hectares of salt-tolerant desert vegetation have been planted on the dried seabed. By 2030, up to 80 percent of the area is expected to be covered with green vegetation.

Central Asian countries have jointly developed and unanimously approved a Strategy for Climate Adaptation. Uzbekistan is collaborating successfully with international partners on programs to mitigate the consequences of the Aral Sea’s desiccation, improve water management, and expand the share of clean energy sources. Large-scale greening efforts are underway as part of the “Yashil Makon” (“Green Space”) initiative to reduce land degradation and lessen climate impacts.

President Mirziyoyev’s participation at the Second World Summit further underscores the importance of youth policy in New Uzbekistan. In September, speaking at the UN General Assembly, he proposed the establishment of a World Youth Movement for Peace, headquartered in Tashkent. The country demonstrates high rates of economic growth, ranks among the top nations actively implementing the UN “Youth 2030” strategy, and is a regional leader in youth policy advancement.

The President of Uzbekistan reiterated the need to “restore global consensus on development and ensure a decent standard of living for every person.” Uzbekistan fully supports the Doha Political Declaration adopted at the Summit and stands ready to actively participate in its implementation.

New Uzbekistan: A Constitutional Social State

The updated Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan enshrines the principle of a social state. Article 43 of the Constitution states that the state ensures employment for citizens, protects them from unemployment, takes measures to reduce poverty, and organizes and promotes vocational training and retraining.

It should be noted that key tasks and measures related to poverty reduction and social protection are firmly embedded in national legislation and state strategies. The nationwide program “From Poverty to Prosperity” is being successfully implemented. To support this work, the National Agency for Social Protection and the “Inson” Social Service Centers were established through the consolidation of powers previously assigned to six different state institutions.

Under the Uzbekistan – 2030 Strategy, the aim is to halve poverty by 2026 compared to 2022, and by 2030 to increase the incomes of 4.5 million people at risk of falling into poverty and prepare 500,000 qualified specialists through social partnership programs.

Over the past eight years, more than 7 million people have been lifted out of poverty, and the poverty rate has fallen from 35 percent to 6.6 percent. This year alone, social services and assistance have been provided to 2.7 million citizens. New types of social services have been introduced for family members requiring care, and 50,000 able-bodied citizens have been given opportunities for employment.

It should be emphasized that New Uzbekistan becoming increasingly open to the world and advancing along the path of accelerated social reforms remains firmly committed to the principle of “a state for the people” and is becoming an integral part of global transformation processes. The country has entered the top five most progressive states in the Global Sustainable Development Goals Index. A new five-year cooperation program with the United Nations has been signed in the context of achieving the SDGs. Together with international partners, Uzbekistan has hosted several major global events, including the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union on “Parliamentary Action for Social Development and Justice,” the 3rd International Forum “From Poverty to Prosperity,” and the Samarkand International Climate Forum.

Today, the exchange of advanced international experience in implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, promoting digital transformation, applying innovative solutions in public service delivery, and fundamentally improving the effectiveness of public administration institutions is more relevant than ever. UN Member States have taken steps to strengthen solidarity by adopting the Pact for the Future and committing to “a new beginning for multilateralism” based on a more inclusive and effective multilateral system.

The outcomes of the Second Summit demonstrate that this gathering will serve as a catalyst for reaching a new global consensus in policy, consolidating commitments, and strengthening multilateral cooperation aimed at laying the foundation for a sustainable transition toward equality, solidarity, and shared prosperity. Mobilizing political will to invest in human potential and ensure universal access to essential services is the key to ending poverty, reducing inequality, and ensuring that no one is left behind.

A. Kh. Saidov

Deputy of the Legislative Chamber

Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan