ICA at CSocD64: Advancing Social Development and Social Justice Through Cooperative and SSE Solutions

Friday, 6 February 2026 | 16:00–17:15 CET (10:00-11:15 Eastern Time US & Ca) 

The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), together with the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC), will organize the Side Event “Advancing Social Development and Social Justice Through Cooperative and Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) Solutions: From the World Social Summit to Implementation” on 6 February 2026, in the framework of the 64th session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development (CSocD64).  

This Side Event takes place in the context of two major global milestones: the Second World Social Summit, held in Doha in November 2025, and the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (IYC2025). It will explore how cooperatives and SSE actors can help Member States and the UN system translate the Doha commitments and the IYC2025 legacy into concrete policies and programs that advance social justice, reduce inequalities, and strengthen the social dimension of sustainable development. 

The discussion will focus on the practical contribution of cooperatives and SSE actors to decent work, social protection, gender equality and education; the role of coordinated policy frameworks in accelerating their impact; the capacity of initiatives such as the CM50 in scaling partnerships and solutions; and actionable pathways to integrate cooperatives into the implementation of the WSS Doha commitments and the SDGs. 

Aligned with CSocD64’s priority theme, “Advancing Social Development and Social Justice through Coordinated, Equitable, and Inclusive Policies”, the Side Event will provide a platform for dialogue between governments, UN agencies, cooperatives and other stakeholders on how to move from momentum to implementation in the post-IYC2025 phase. 

This event is organized under the ICA-EU Partnership (2024-2028) -also called #coops4dev-, a five-year international cooperative development program that aims to strengthen the ICA network and position cooperatives as international development actors in the EU Development Agenda. 

Live webcast: A link to UN WebTV will be added once it becomes available. 

For more information, please download the concept note below.