The 1995 World Summit for Social Development (WSSD) held in Copenhagen stands as a landmark event in international collaboration and social progress. With over 14,000 attendees from 186 countries, the summit achieved unprecedented global representation. The conference symbolized a fundamental change in the world’s approach to development, recognizing the necessity of prioritizing people in development policies. Debates and discussions concentrated on the challenges faced by the Global South, particularly Africa and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). This committee aims to revisit two crucial aspects of social development that carry an undeniable impact on the social development of communities.

Economies that depend primarily on exports and commodity revenue are especially vulnerable to drastic changes and disturbances in the market, such as global price changes and natural disasters. These economies are often a product of colonialism, where mass natural resource extraction was favored over diversified industrial development. Thus, the countries that were victims of colonial occupation suffered most from underdeveloped and monolithic economies. Additionally, the unpredictability of export earnings makes it impossible for these countries to develop economic stability, rendering them especially susceptible to major drops in national income and growth. This dependency perpetuates a cycle of economic and social difficulties that hinder sustainable development.

Moreover, civil society, defined as the social sphere evolving in parallel to government and business, plays a critical role in shaping policies and ensuring a balanced societal structure. These entities work to advocate for the public interest, hold governments accountable, and foster community engagement. However, for civil society to exert its power as a counterbalancing force, it must be representative of all populations and groups within it. Unfortunately, gender minorities have historically been among the most underrepresented in civil society, with their inclusion being prevented by countless barriers such as discrimination, lack of access to resources, and deeply ingrained societal prejudices. The active participation and representation of gender minorities in civil society is essential in the enactment of positive policy change that will benefit and uplift all members of society.

The Dais