PRESS RELEASE
A new policy consensus is needed to restore trust and social cohesion
New York, 24 April 2025 – Economic insecurity, staggering levels of inequality, declining social trust and social fragmentation are destabilizing societies worldwide. The World Social Report 2025, released today, reveals trends that are threatening communities and demand immediate, decisive policy action.
The report calls for a new policy consensus anchored in three principles—equity, economic security for all, and solidarity—that are essential to strengthen the three dimensions of sustainable development.
An intensifying social crisis
Despite significant gains in poverty reduction, many people teeter on the brink of poverty, even as they move up the income ladder. Over 2.8 billion people—more than a third of the global population—live on $2.15 to $6.85 a day. Even a minor setback can push people into extreme poverty, and any reprieves are often temporary.
Employment precariousness is widespread, deepening economic uncertainties. Around 60 per cent of people globally are concerned about losing their jobs and being unable to find new ones.
At the same time, 65 per cent of the world’s population is living in countries where income inequality is growing. A large share of total income inequality can still be attributed to inequality based on characteristics such as race, caste, place of birth and family background. Without urgent action, leaving no one behind will remain a distant goal by 2030 unless progress accelerates.
Rising insecurity and inequality are undermining social cohesion and straining the foundations of solidarity and multilateralism. Over half of the global population has little or no trust in their government. Alarmingly, trust levels have been declining from one cohort to the next, indicating a systemic breakdown of social cohesion. The rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation is exacerbating these troubling trends.
Restoring trust and social cohesion demands transformative solutions
While recent crises have brought insecurity and distrust into sharp focus, the report emphasizes that these social challenges run deep and have been building over decades.
“As highlighted in this year’s World Social Report, inequality, insecurity and deep distrust are rife across the world. Countless people are struggling to make ends meet while wealth and power are concentrated at the top. Economic shocks, conflict and climate disasters continue to
erase hard-won development gains. For too many, life is marked by uncertainty and insecurity, which, in turn, are fuelling frustration and deepening divisions. The Sustainable Development Goals are woefully off track”, said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
Overcoming these challenges—and accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—will require fundamental shifts in policy, institutions, norms and mindsets.
“Ultimately, the report calls for an assessment of policy approaches. Current institutions and policy frameworks are being outpaced by societal transformations. Sustaining progress towards the SDGs requires breaking the vicious cycle of insecurity, low trust, and shrinking policy space. Governments and the international community must critically evaluate how economic and social policies are falling short—or even exacerbating insecurity”, said United Nations Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua.
The upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development, to be held in Doha, Qatar from 4 to 6 November 2025, will offer a crucial platform for governments to assess progress and take concrete action to address these critical social challenges.
About the World Social Report
The World Social Report is the flagship publication of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) on social development issues. It serves as a background document for discussion and policy analysis of socio-economic matters at the intergovernmental level. It identifies emerging social trends of global concern and analyzes relationships among major development issues with international and national dimensions.
The 2025 report is the first to be co-produced with the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER). This collaboration brings new research insights into the report, particularly on the far-reaching impacts of inequality and declining trust.
Thematic papers supporting the World Social Report 2025 are also available on the UN DESA website:
https://social.desa.un.org/issues/world-social-report/thematic-papers
For more information: https://social.desa.un.org/issues/world-social-report
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Media contacts:
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)
Helen Rosengren, Public Information Officer, rosengrenh@un.org
United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
Sami Husa, Communications Associate, sami.husa@wider.unu.edu
