Webinar: From Commitments to Action: Arab Civil Society Strategies After WSSDII
Webinar: From Commitments to Action: Arab Civil Society Strategies After WSSDII
The Second World Summit on Social Development (WSSD2), held in Doha from 4 to 6 November 2025, marked a key moment for revisiting global commitments on social inclusion, decent work, and poverty eradication. While the Political Declaration provided a global framework, it did not fully capture the specific needs and priorities of the Arab region, where structural inequalities, protracted conflicts, economic crises, and shrinking civic space continue to challenge social development and access to rights.
ANND actively contributed to shaping the regional dialogue in preparation for the Doha Summit. These efforts included webinars, knowledge production, and coordination with member organizations to ensure effective participation and advocacy. In addition, ANND participated in the Summit with a regional delegation and hosted a side event, highlighting regional priorities and promoting rights-based approaches. These activities reinforced ANND’s role in amplifying Arab civil society voices and shaping inclusive social development agendas.
The fourth and final webinar in the series, held on January 13th and titled “From Commitments to Action: Arab Civil Society Strategies After WSSD2”, focused on the key outcomes of the Doha Summit and presented insights from ANND’s delegation. The session also featured strategic reflections from regional experts and facilitated discussions on the next steps for civil society, exploring potential strategies for CSOs to advance their advocacy and engagement moving forward.
During this webinar, presenters highlighted the challenges faced by civil society organizations, noting the reduction in international cooperation budgets by major countries and the U.S. withdrawal from numerous international organizations and regional commissions. These developments have exacerbated the financial crisis affecting both the UN and civil society worldwide. At the same time, a rise in military expenditures has been observed in recent years. Collectively, these global shifts signal a move away from a multilateral system toward a more centralized international order.
Session Moderator:
Anas Al-Hasnawi
Speakers:
Ziad Abdel Samad, Executive Director - ANND
Maysaa Yousef, ESCWA
Zahra Bazzi, ANND
Wael Gamal, Political Economist
Nivin Obeid, New Woman Foundation
Roberto Pessio, Social Monitor Network
Adib Nehme, ANND
You can watch this webinar's recording on our Youtube page
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