The World Summit for Social Development

The World Summit for Social Development, which took place in Copenhagen in March 1995, provided an important opportunity for the world community to focus its attention on the nature and roots of current social problems and trends. In particular, the agenda of the Summit specified three areas of concern: the reduction of poverty, the generation of productive employment, and the enhancement of social integration. UNRISD work in preparation for the conference was centred on the last of these. In the face of seemingly intractable problems of violence, institutional breakdown and mass alienation in various parts of the world, the subject of social integration has assumed increasing importance in public debate and is carefully explored in the following UNRISD publications.