News In Shorts

Second World Summit for Social Development concluded in Doha, Qatar with adoption of Doha Political Declaration of the “World Social Summit”.

About Second World Summit for Social Development

• Convened by: United Nations General Assembly, through its resolutions 78/261 and 78/318.
  • The 1st World Summit for Social Development took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1995.
• Aim: To address the gaps and recommit to the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the Programme of Action and its implementation, and give momentum towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
• Major events held on the sidelines of the Summit 
  • Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty: The first high-level meeting of this Alliance, launched under Brazil’s G20 Presidency in 2024.
  • Private Sector Forum: Specialized forum, co-hosted by the International Organisation of Employers, the UN Global Compact, and UN DESA, focused on how companies can support inclusive growth.

Key highlights of Doha Political Declaration

• Renewed Commitment to Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action.
• Monitoring Role: UN Commission for Social Development, a Commission within the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), retains the primary responsibility for the follow-up and review of the implementation.
• Three Pillars Reaffirmed: It centers social development on the 3 mutually reinforcing pillars-poverty eradication, full and productive employment and decent work for all, and social inclusion.
• Financing and Architecture: Reaffirms the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and welcomes the Sevilla Commitment to renew the global financing for development framework. 
  • It stresses the urgency of reforming the global financial architecture to ensure fair access to development and climate finance, especially for developing countries facing debt distress.

Maldives became first country to impose generational ban on tobacco.

About Generational Ban 

• Generational Tobacco Ban, or Lifetime Tobacco Ban, refers to a policy that permanently prohibits the sale of cigarettes or other tobacco products to anyone born after a specified date—meaning they can never legally purchase tobacco at any age.
• Other measures used for tobacco control: Monitoring use, warning about harms, banning advertising, raising taxes, stopping illicit trade, and regulating new nicotine products.

Ex. president of Chile Michelle Bachelet, was conferred with the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2024.

About Indira Gandhi Peace Prize

• The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development is awarded annually. 
  • Instituted by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust
• It is awarded to a person or organization without any distinction of nationality, race or religion, in recognition of creative efforts towards: Promoting racial equality, and goodwill and harmony among nations, etc.