Newsletter July 2025

Dear Colleagues,

We left the Financing for Development 4 – FfD4 – Conference in Seville with a mixture of frustration and also of some hope. We were 20 colleagues from GCAP from all over the world.

Why frustration? The governments of countries of the Global North – the EU, UK, Canada and others – have blocked real progress for economic justice. They have protected the status quo of an unjust economic order – for example, there is no serious way forward out of the debt crisis. Billions of people are suffering under this. Yes, there are rhetorical commitments, there are small improvements – but overall the rich countries are not ready to give up power in order to have a democratic global system. They basically say to the countries of the Global South: You are on your own.

Why hope? There is a higher  awareness and also active engagement in civil society for economic justice. The activities, advocacy and mobilisation were stronger than it has been for a long time – you may get a first impression in this video.

Let’s use this moment to prepare for the World Social Summit and the COP30 later this year: See the GCAP Briefing for the World Social Summit declaration (more below).

After the FfD4, the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) will take place from 14 to 23 July in New York and conduct the annual review of the Agenda 2030. The Voluntary National Reviews are a major part – with GCAP coalitions from several countries writing civil society reports and using this opportunity for advocacy – in 2025, for example from the Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Dominican Republic and Malta.

GCAP invites you to the following events:

Side Event: CSO Engagement in Voluntary National Reviews – Focus on SDG 16 & 17

• Date: Friday, 18 July 2025
• Time: 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM (EDT)
• Venue: UN Office, Bahá’í International Community, 866 UN Plaza #120, New York
• Register here

This session will explore how civil society can be meaningfully engaged in the VNR processes and how SDGs 16 (Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions) and 17 (Partnerships) can be advanced through transparent and inclusive governance.

Civil Society Weekend Workshop: “Access to the UN in a Time of Crisis”

• Date: Saturday, 19 July 2025
• Time: 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM (EDT)
• Venue: UN Church Center, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York
• Register to attend in person here | Join on Zoom  here

Join us for this essential space of informal exchange, networking and dialogue. This workshop will focus on: trends in trends in the UN’s access and civil society participation; national experiences in opening up the VNR processes to civil society; joint strategizing for key upcoming milestones such as the World Social Summit 2025 and COP30.

GCAP urges bold Commitments for Social Justice ahead of World Social Summit 2025

With four months until the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2) in Doha, Qatar, GCAP calls on UN Member States to adopt a bold, actionable Political Declaration.

GCAP’s briefing on the political declaration urges governments to respond to the intersecting global crises—including rising inequality, poverty, climate change, conflicts, AI disruption and shrinking civic space. The briefing outlines eleven actions, including Inequality, Universal Social Protection, Gender Equality, Universal Health Coverage, Education, Discrimination and Exclusion, Ageing, Ending Austerity, Debt and ODA, Climate Action, and AI Governance.

Read the full GCAP Briefing on the Political Declaration of the World Social Summit here.

In solidarity with victims of wars and violence, of exploitation and inequalities – for a strong movement for global justice!

Ingo Ritz

Director
Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP)