World Social Report

The World Social Report 2021 points to new directions in which rural development strategies need to be reconsidered. It offers strategic principles, programmes of action, and a set of concrete policies that can be combined to devise effective strategies to help realize the potential of rural development and achieve the SDGs. Reexamining the narrow view of rural development, it expands the discussion to include the role of development in achieving the wider set of SDGs. In doing so, it pays particular attention to the interaction of rural development with SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 8 (economic growth and decent work), SDG 9 (infrastructure), SDG 11 (sustainable communities), SDG 13 (climate change), SDG 14 (life below water) and SDG 15 (life on land). The interlinkages of all these Goals suggest that there exist potential synergies between rural development and sustainable efforts in many other directions.

The world has seen extraordinary social and economic progress over the past three decades. Unprecedented gains in reducing extreme poverty, and improvements in material well-being have demonstrated the transformative potential of collective action. Despite these gains, societies across the world face deep challenges. Inequalities remain stubbornly high and economic insecurity is on the rise. Many people struggle to earn adequate incomes in precarious jobs and countless families remain one misfortune away from falling into poverty. Frustration with the status quo is fueling distrust and straining the very foundations of global solidarity. The evidence presented in the World Social Report 2025 underscores the need for urgent action: the risks of allowing the vicious cycle of economic insecurity, inequality and declining trust to persist are too high. A new policy consensus based on three guiding principles - equity, economic security for all, and solidarity - is needed to tackle today's social challenges at their roots and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The rationale and objectives of such consensus are set out in the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action and in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Renewed momentum is now needed to translate this collective vision of sustainable development into action.

This report examines the links between inequality and other major global trends (or megatrends), with a focus on technological change, climate change, urbanization and international migration. The analysis pays particular attention to poverty and labour market trends, as they mediate the distributional impacts of the major trends selected. It also provides policy recommendations to manage these megatrends in an equitable manner and considers the policy implications, so as to reduce inequalities and support their implementation.

The nature of crises has been transformed significantly in recent years. Shocks have become more intense, widespread, and interlinked. Extreme weather events happen with increasing frequency and ferocity; economic, financial, social, and health shocks quickly spread around the world; conflict and insecurity are a daily reality for millions. The combined effect of more numerous and more powerful shocks, denser interconnections, and existing shortfalls creates a daunting challenge to social development in countries, already struggling to make significant progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.