Mbabane – His Majesty King Mswati III’s dedication to the principles of the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development was discussed by Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisisle Dladla with the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. Dladla emphasised that social justice and shared prosperity are the foundations of true national stability.
Dladla expressed the monarch, government, and people of Eswatini’s sincere gratitude for hosting the summit, pointing out that Eswatini views social development as a moral duty towards human dignity and inclusiveness rather than just a policy.
“The Doha Political Declaration reaffirms global solidarity around the social development agenda and outlines a set of interlinked priorities and commitments aimed at achieving inclusive, equitable, and sustainable societies.
“Under the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Mswati III, Eswatini has shifted its approach from welfare dependency toward empowerment and self-reliance, emphasising that every citizen should be an active participant and creator of development rather than a passive beneficiary. Significant progress has been made in gender equality, with increasing representation of women in Parliament and decision-making positions,” Dladla said.
According to Dladla, laws like the Persons with Disabilities Act (2018) and the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) have improved the inclusion of youth and people with disabilities. In order to ensure that social progress is supported by dignity, accessibility, and inclusion, the government has also given priority to providing safe housing for the elderly and those with disabilities.
The core priorities and commitments include:
- Three interconnected priorities comprise the key commitments and priorities: (1) Poverty eradication; (2) full and productive employment and decent labour for all and (3) Social inclusion.
- Recognition that social development is inseparable from human rights, peace, security, and human dignity, underscoring that sustainable progress cannot be achieved without respect for these fundamental values.
- A focus on inclusive and equitable economic growth, emphasising the formalisation of informal work and the empowerment of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalised groups.
- Building strong social protection systems and investing in care and support services, while acknowledging the vital role of the social and solidarity economy, such as cooperatives, in promoting decent work and inclusion.
- Recognising the special challenges faced by countries in “special circumstances”, including Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and calling for strengthened international cooperation and financing to address these unique vulnerabilities.
- On climate and environment: The Declaration calls for urgent climate action in line with the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), while reaffirming the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development principles, particularly the concept of “common but differentiated responsibilities”.
- On financing and multilateralism: It reaffirms the importance of global frameworks such as the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and calls for more representative and effective multilateral institutions, along with a stronger and fairer international economic environment for developing countries.
Discussion about this post