Division for Social Policy and Development

The Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) is part of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations Secretariat. The Division seeks to strengthen international cooperation for social development, particularly in the areas of poverty eradication, productive employment and decent work and the social inclusion of older persons, youth, family, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, persons in situations of conflict and other groups or persons marginalized from society and development.

The Division monitors national and global socio-economic trends, identifies emerging issues, and assesses their implications for social policy at the national and international levels. To this end, the Division:

• Promotes common norms and develops policies, programmes and cooperative actions to facilitate the implementation of the Internationally Agreed Development Goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

• Provides support and servicing to intergovernmental processes by facilitating agreement on resolutions, strategies and international standards and norms through the Commission for Social Development, the Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other intergovernmental forums, such as the Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

• Promotes the rights of indigenous peoples by servicing the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and promoting its mandate and recommendations, supporting the work of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council on Indigenous Issues, promoting coordination in the UN system and preparing and disseminating information on indigenous peoples’ issues.

• Undertakes global comparative studies on policy and programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation as well as on issues and social groups related to the work of the Division.

• Assists developing countries and countries with economies in transition, at their request, to strengthen their capacity to plan and manage their socio-economic development through advisory services and field projects.

• Stresses the promotion of full, productive, appropriately and adequately remunerated and freely chosen employment as a central objective of economic and social policies.

DSPD Topics

• Ageing
• Civil Society
• Cooperatives
• Disability
• Employment
• Family
• Indigenous Issues
• Microfinance
• Peacebuilding
• Poverty
• Social Integration
• Youth

DSPD Services

• Commission for Social Development (CsocD)
• Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of
  Persons with Disabilities and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with
  Disabilities, jointly with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
  

DSPD Main Reports

• The Report on the World Social Situation (RWSS)
• The World Youth Report (WYR)

External links

• DSPD Website
• DSPD Brochure