Call for inputs: Report of the United Nations Secretary-General on the Social and Solidarity Economy (A/RES/79/213)

Purpose

To inform the preparation of the report of the United Nations Secretary-General on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 79/213.

Background

General Assembly resolution 79/213, entitled “Promoting the social and solidarity economy for sustainable development”, requests the Secretary-General to prepare a report on implementation of the resolution, in collaboration with the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy, taking into consideration the contribution of the social and solidarity economy to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and an inclusive, job-rich, resilient and sustainable recovery. The report will be presented to the General Assembly at its eighty-first session.

Objectives

Inputs are invited from Member States, United Nations entities, multilateral, international and regional financial institutions and development banks, and other relevant stakeholders to inform the preparation of the Secretary-General’s 2026 report on implementation of resolution 79/213, covering developments since 1 July 2024, including measures adopted, revised or implemented, available results, evidence on contributions and impact, challenges encountered, good practices and lessons learned, and, where relevant, actionable recommendations.

Key questions and types of inputs sought

Any relevant information for the preparation of the report would be welcome, including information regarding:

Measures by Member States to promote and implement national, local and regional strategies, policies and programmes for supporting and enhancing the social and solidarity economy as a possible model for sustainable economic and social development, taking into account national circumstances, plans and priorities by, inter alia:

• developing specific legal frameworks for the social and solidarity economy, where appropriate, which consider the needs of its workers and entities;
• making visible, where feasible, the contribution of the social and solidarity economy in the compilation of national statistics;
• providing fiscal and public procurement incentives;
• acknowledging the social and solidarity economy in education curricula and in capacity-building and research initiatives;
• reinforcing entrepreneurship and business support, including by facilitating access for social and solidarity economy entities to financial services and funding, and capacity-building;
• encouraging the participation of social and solidarity economy actors, including through consultative dialogue, in the policymaking process and policy implementation;

Measures by Member States to cooperate, through relevant settings within and outside the United Nations, to support the exchange of replicable good practices and lessons learned in support of the social and solidarity economy, including through South-South and triangular cooperation initiatives and regional networks, and support the creation of decent jobs;

Measures by Member States for the social and solidarity economy to contribute to and feature in relevant multilateral processes, such as the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the “World Social Summit” under the title “the Second World Summit for Social Development” and the second International Year of Cooperatives in 2025;

Measures by relevant entities of the United Nations development system, including United Nations country teams, to mainstream the social and solidarity economy as part of their planning and programming instruments, including by enhancing research, statistics, knowledge management and capacity-building, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, so as to provide support to States, upon their request and in accordance with their mandates and to identify, formulate, implement and assess coherent and enabling policy measures and frameworks for developing the social and solidarity economy as a tool for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals;

Measures by multilateral, international and regional financial institutions and development banks to support the social and solidarity economy, including through existing and new financial instruments and mechanisms adapted to all stages of development;

In addition to the measures above, other relevant information on strengthening the contribution of the social and solidarity economy, including in relation to:

• democracy, social justice, all human rights, improvement of the standard of living for all, inclusive and sustainable economies, and the achievement and localization of the Sustainable Development Goals;
• decent work, including in relation to international labour standards, the fundamental principles and rights at work, employment, social protection (labour protection and social security), social dialogue and tripartism, and raising social and solidarity economy workers’ awareness of their human and labour rights;
• social services, such as those related to health and care, education and skills training;
• social innovation, including in the field of reskilling and upskilling;
• eliminating poverty and catalysing social transformation, including by strengthening the productive capacities of people in vulnerable situations and producing goods and services accessible to them, while ensuring social inclusion;
• promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women, including women in rural areas;
• empowering youth, persons with disabilities and those in vulnerable situations, and mobilizing the furthest behind towards achieving inclusive and sustainable development;
• building community and social cohesion and fostering diversity, solidarity and protection and respect for traditional knowledge and cultures, including among Indigenous Peoples, as well as local communities;
• access to affordable finance and local economic development;
• environmental protection, including through the promotion of sustainable economic practices;
• finding a new balance between economic efficiency and social and environmental resilience that fosters economic dynamism, encourages a just and sustainable digital transition, social and environmental protection and sociopolitical empowerment of individuals over decision-making processes and resources;
• enhancing business potential, entrepreneurial and managerial capacities, strengthening productivity and competitiveness, supporting social and technological innovation and participatory business models;
• developing partnerships, alliances and networks at the local, national, regional and international levels, the promotion of participatory governance and policymaking.

Treatment of inputs received

Unless requested otherwise, inputs may be made available on the website of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy. Contributors are invited to indicate clearly if they do not wish their input to be posted publicly. Please avoid including personal data or confidential information.