GCSPF e-Newsletter #114 | April 2025 Edition

Suggested themes for review under the WSSD2 to reinforce and advance the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. A working paper by the NGO Committee for Social Development as a contribution to the development of inputs to the Food for Thought paper. Read more

USP2030 released a joint statement with key messages on Social Protection for the World Social Summit 2025. Read more

Towards a pact for inclusive social development. Since the establishment of the United Nations, various intergovernmental agreements and international human rights instruments have expressed the ambition of achieving social development, which is central to the multilateral system. Read more

Proposals for inclusive social development. This document presents key milestones in the recent history of social development and the main challenges and specific proposals submitted by the ministries of social development and equivalent entities of the region, in the framework of the Regional Conference on Social Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, for consideration during the work and discussions of the WSSD2. The aim of these inputs is to advance inclusive social development worldwide, with a view to transforming the development model and building a more productive, inclusive and sustainable future. Read more

A new Human Rights Watch report finds that structural gender inequality in Germany’s labor market—combined with inadequate social security—leaves many at risk of poverty, particularly single-parent women led households and older women. One in five children and over two in five single-parent households face poverty or social exclusion. Limited access to full-day childcare and entrenched gender roles push women into low-wage, part-time jobs. Older adults on low fixed pensions, especially women, face rising poverty and are often forced to choose between food, heating, or healthcare. Nearly 40% of women over 65 receive pensions below €1,000/month—well below the poverty threshold—compared to 15% of men. Read more

Expanding Fiscal Space for Social Protection
The ITUC seeks a qualified consultant or consultancy team to: 1. Develop a tailored, interactive online training session. 2. Identify and support unions in 5 countries (one for each region: Latin America, Africa, MENA, and Asia) by undertaking a cost-analysis for expanding social protection and analyse gaps and opportunities in fiscal space allocation at the domestic level, including through identifying alternative possible sources of finance. 3. To consolidate key findings into an easy toolkit. 
Deadline for application: 21 April 2025 Read more

A critical review of the ILO’s calculations on the cost of bridging the gap.
In this new Pathways’ Perspectives piece, Stephen Kidd, Diloá Athias and Olivia Claxton examine the ILO’s claim that universal social security would cost low-income countries 19.8 per cent of GDP. Their research reveals this figure is significantly inflated due to methodological challenges.
Using more realistic transfer values, the authors demonstrate that universal social security could cost less than 4 per cent of GDP in low-income countries if implemented immediately and much less if undertaken gradually. Read more

Call for papers for the International workshop
The workshop aims to present and debate advances in social protection and climate change research. Its goal is to generate policy-relevant knowledge on how social protection systems can be strengthened in the context of climate change. We welcome papers that present new empirical evidence on the effectiveness of social protection in promoting climate change mitigation and adaptation. The workshope will be held in Bonn in November 2025.
Deadline for application: 30 April 2025. Read more

Amandla.mobi leads campaigns that build real power for Black people, with a particular focus on low-income Black women. We challenge injustice by bringing together our community in critical moments to take targeted, co-ordinated and strategic action to bring real change. Our work is to connect people so that our collective voices have maximum impact and power to hold political and corporate interests to account and advance solutions that build a more just and people-powered Mzansi.
Contact: Ms Tlou Seopa, Senior Campaigner tlou@amandla.mobi