BRASILIA, Brazil, Aug 31, CMC – Senior government officials, international organizations, academics and civil society leaders will gather in Brasilia from September 2–4, 2025, for the Sixth Session of the Regional Conference on Social Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Government of Brazil, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The three-day intergovernmental meeting will run in parallel with UNDP’s 17th Ministerial Forum for Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, offering a key platform for dialogue and cooperation on advancing inclusive, just and sustainable social development across the region.
ECLAC is expected to unveil a landmark study entitled Latin America and the Caribbean 30 Years on from the World Summit for Social Development: Towards a Global Pact for Inclusive Social Development. The document provides a critical assessment of the region’s progress and persistent challenges since 1995 in areas such as social cohesion, poverty reduction and the strengthening of social protection systems.
The programme features five high-level panels covering issues such as poverty, hunger and inequality; social protection and care systems; access to health and education; resilience in the face of crises; and emerging challenges including climate change, population ageing and technological transformation. These themes align with the Regional Agenda for Inclusive Social Development, adopted by countries of the region in 2019.
Activities will begin on Monday, September 1, with a civil society meeting, along with several side events leading into the main conference.
Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, will issue a special statement during the meeting, on preparations for the World Social Summit 2025, scheduled for November 4–6 in Qatar.
Organizers say the conference represents a pivotal opportunity for Latin America and the Caribbean to deepen cooperation and renew commitments toward reducing inequality and strengthening social resilience in the face of global and regional challenges.
CMC/nb/2025