15 February 2013: The 51st Session of the UN Commission for Social Development (CSocD) concluded with the approval of five draft resolutions, to be considered by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The ten-day session closed on 15 February 2013, at UN Headquarters in New York, US. Over 30 side events, along with a Civil Society Forum, also took place to include stakeholder and expert ideas on achieving international social development goals.

The theme of the 2013 session was “Promoting empowerment of people in achieving poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all.” A report of the UN Secretary-General on this theme (E/CN.5/2013/3), prepared ahead of the CSocD session, reports that 80% of people globally are living without decent social protection. The report stresses the empowerment of people as central to social development.

Commission Chair Sewa Lamsal Adhikari, Nepal, addressed the body and said governments had aided in creating an “enabling environment” to empower people around the world.

After approving a draft resolution on “Policies and programmes involving youth,” the Commission was addressed by Ahmad Alhendawi, recently appointed as the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, who called for young people to be involved in the creation and implementation of the post-2015 development agenda.

Other resolutions approved during the session covered ageing, disability, African development, and the participation of people in their own social development.

The Commission also approved a draft agenda for its 52nd session, and re-elected Chair Adhikari declared the new session to be open. [ECOSOC Meeting Summary] [DESA Press Release] [UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) Press Release] [Promoting empowerment of people in achieving poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all: Report of the Secretary-General]