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New Delhi, Nov 3 (KNN) Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, will lead India’s delegation to the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD-2) in Doha, Qatar, from November 4–6, 2025. He will deliver India’s National Statement during the Opening Plenary and join global leaders in adopting the Doha Political Declaration. India’s participation will include a side event hosted by NITI Aayog titled ‘Pathways Out of Poverty: India’s Experience in Empowering the Last Mile’ on November 5. Dr. Mandaviya will also speak at a high-level roundtable on strengthening the pillars of social development—poverty eradication, productive employment, and social inclusion—highlighting India's progress toward inclusive, digitally enabled growth and enhanced social protection. India enters the summit after significant gains in poverty reduction and welfare expansion. Between 2011 and 2023, an estimated 248 million people exited multidimensional poverty, bringing the share below the international poverty line to 2.3 percent in 2022-23. Social security coverage has also expanded sharply, rising from 19 percent in 2015 to 64.3 percent in 2025 and benefitting more than 940 million citizens. The session will highlight progress in poverty alleviation, women-led development through self-help groups and cooperatives, and expansion of social security. Representatives from Brazil, Maldives and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are expected to join the discussion. Dr. Mandaviya will also attend an ILO ministerial meeting on the Global Coalition for Social Justice and hold bilateral discussions with counterparts from Qatar, Romania, Mauritius and the European Union, as well as with the ILO Director-General and senior UN officials. These meetings will focus on labour mobility, skilling, social protection and employment generation. In addition, the Minister will participate in an event on the National Career Service (NCS) portal, organised with the Indian Business and Professionals Council, and visit sports and youth engagement facilities in Qatar’s Aspire Zone Complex. The Doha summit builds on the commitments made at the 1995 Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development, reinforcing global efforts to eradicate poverty, promote decent work and strengthen social inclusion. (KNN Bureau)
