The United Nations Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2), held in Doha, Qatar from 4–6 November 2025, brought together governments, UN agencies and civil society organizations to recommit to the landmark Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development. Adopted in 1995 at the first World Summit, the Programme of Action gives recommendations for eradicating poverty, promoting full employment and fostering social inclusion.

In the lead-up to the Summit, on 3 November 2025, SGI and the UN Office for Human Rights (OHCHR) co-organized an official virtual solutions session to discuss the potential of human rights education (HRE) to support social integration and advance gender equality. The session, moderated by Ivy Koek of SGI, addressed Commitments 4 and 5 of the Declaration: “Promoting social integration by fostering societies that are…based on the promotion and protection of all human rights, as well as on non-discrimination” and “promoting full respect for human dignity and to achieving equality and equity between women and men.” 

Undersecretary Severo Catura of the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat (PHRCS) of the Republic of the Philippines, who has championed gender equality through HRE, opened the panel discussion. Panelists shared other concrete examples of HRE benefits. Speakers included Bouchra Elias, Coordinator of the Human Rights Education Unit at United Nations Training and Documentation Centre for Southwest Asia and Arab Region OHCHR based in Qatar; Bandana Rana, Member of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee; and Michele Bravos, Founder and Executive Director of the Aurora Institute for Human Rights Education in Brazil. Elisa Gazzotti of SGI introduced an educational tool Changemakers: Stories of Young Human Rights Educators, an educational tool developed by SGI, OHCHR and Amnesty International that showcases how human rights education can equip young people to become agents of social change. 

One point that speakers addressed was that HRE enables shared responsibility. Bandana stated, “Gender equality is not a woman’s issue alone. HRE brings in men and boys, government officials and traditional and faith based leaders, fostering understanding and co-ownership of equality and justice.” 

SGI also took part in the Summit’s Civil Society Forum and moderated one of its 10 Featured Sessions, organized by the ImPACT Coalition for Faith Actors and its partners, on “Designing Cohesive Societies: Inclusive Policies for Social Unity and Equity.” At the closing ceremony, Koek gave the outcomes of the session and made a call to UN agencies and governments “to engage with global and local faith and spiritual communities, recognizing their deep commitment, local knowledge and influence in advancing unity, inclusion and stability in society.”

On 6 November 2025, SGI further contributed to discussions on the role of faith actors in community empowerment during a session on strengthening local initiatives. Kiyoshi Akasu of SGI presented an intergenerational research project developed by the Tohoku youth division of Soka Gakkai in Japan. The project illustrated how humanistic education and youth-led research can support sustainable, community-centered development.

Through its participation in WSSD2, SGI reaffirmed its commitment to human rights education, gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as the important part faith actors play in contributing to social development grounded in human dignity.