FACT SHEET:
un EVENTS IN 2025
See the list below compiled by AfP to track major UN events and opportunities for civil society engagement in 2025, particularly around peace and peacebuilding.
Event: CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) – 91 Session
Description: Countries party to the convention submit reports every four years, detailing measures taken to implement CEDAW. These reports are sent to the UN Secretary-General and presented at a country review in Geneva to other members and civil society. The 91st session will review the reports of Afghanistan, Botswana, Chad, Ireland, Mexico, San Marino, and Thailand, and also include the adoption of concluding observations on Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu. The session will also cover the Chair’s activity report, follow-up on previous recommendations, and the implementation of Articles 21 and 22 related to general recommendations and cooperation with UN agencies.
When: June 16th – July 4th
Where: Geneva, Switzerland
Links and Resources:
Civil Society Participation:
Event: United Nations Human Rights Council – 59th Session
Description: The mid-year 2025 session of the Human Rights Council, where delegations will debate country-specific human rights situations and thematic issues. The Council will also negotiate and adopt resolutions on topics ranging from freedom of expression to climate change and human rights.
When: June 16th – July 11th
Where: Geneva, Switzerland
Links and Resources:
Civil Society Participation:
For detailed guidelines on NGO participation, refer to the OHCHR's practical guide.
Participation in Universal Periodic Review (UPR)— a mechanism that calls for each UN Member State to undergo a peer review of its human rights records every 4.5 years. CSOs can attend the working group sessions where state reviews occur and deliver general comments during the adoption of the UPR outcome reports. For the guidelines on UPR participation, refer to the civil society technical guidelines.
Event: 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4)
Description: The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development will focus on addressing new and emerging issues, with an emphasis on the urgent need to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and support reforms in the international financial architecture. The conference will assess progress in the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, the Doha Declaration, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, examining global financial strategies to promote sustainable development.
When: June 30th – July 3rd
Where: Sevilla, Spain
Links and Resources:
Civil Society Participation:
Civil Society Forum (June 28th – 29th)
Event: High-Level Political Forum 2025 (HLPF)
Theme: “Advancing Sustainable, Inclusive, Science- and Evidence-Based Solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for Leaving No One Behind.”
Description: The High-Level Political Form (HLPF) was established in 2012 and meets annually under ECOSOC and every four years under the General Assembly. The 2025 HLPF, will conduct in-depth reviews of: SDG 3 (ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages); SDG 5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls); SDG 8 (promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all); SDG 14 (conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development); and SDG 17(strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development).
The list of 37 presenting countries at the 2025 HLPF are: Angola, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia (Republic of the), Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Lesotho, Malaysia, Malta, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, and Thailand.
When: July 14th – 23rd
Where: New York City, NY
Links and Resources:
Civil Society Participation:
Event: Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3)
Theme: “Driving Progress through Partnerships.”
Description: A once-a-decade global summit to address the special development challenges of the 32 landlocked developing countries. LLDC3 will adopt a new “Awaza Programme of Action (2024–2034)” aimed at boosting connectivity, trade, and sustainable development for LLDCs, which face unique hurdles due to lack of direct ocean access. Discussions will focus on infrastructure and transit systems, regional integration, trade facilitation, and resilience-building, with an emphasis on partnerships to unlock LLDCs’ potential. This conference follows the 2014 Vienna Program and will set targets for the next ten years.
When: August 5th – 8th
Where: Awaza, Turkmenistan
Links & Resources:
Civil Society Participation:
Event: United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) – 80th Session
Description: The annual session of the UN’s universal membership assembly, where all 193 Member States convene to discuss and work on global issues. The 80th UNGA opens in September 2025 and will mark the UN’s 80th anniversary. Key events include the General Debate (world leaders’ speeches) beginning on September 23rd. Throughout the session, the Assembly will address international peace and security, sustainable development, human rights, and budgetary matters, among others. A special high-level meeting on the UN’s future may also be featurd, given milestone anniversaries.
When: September 9th – 23rd
Where: UN Headquarters, New York City
Links & Resources:
Event: United Nations Human Rights Council – 60th Session
Description: The 60th regular session of the Human Rights Council will tackle a broad array of human rights issues and include the election of new Council members. As per practice, it will convene a high-level panel on mainstreaming human rights, which is expected to reflect on 80 years of the UN’s human rights achievements. Dozens of country resolutions (on crises in specific nations) and thematic resolutions (e.g. rights of children, climate change, and human rights) will be negotiated. The session provides a forum for reviewing urgent human rights concerns that arose during the year and for NGOs to raise situations requiring the world’s attention.
When: September 8th – October 3rd
Where: Geneva, Switzerland
Links & Resources:
Civil Society Participation:
For detailed guidelines on NGO participation, refer to the OHCHR's practical guide
Informal consultation: 60th Session Informal consultation
Organizational meeting for the 60th session of the HRCl (August 25th)
Participation in Universal Periodic Review (UPR)—a mechanism that calls for each UN Member State to undergo a peer review of its human rights records every 4.5 years. CSOs can attend the working group sessions where state reviews occur and deliver general comments during the adoption of the UPR outcome reports. For the guidelines on UPR participation, refer to the civil society technical guidelines
Event: UNESCO General Conference – 43rd Session
Description: The General Conference is UNESCO’s highest governing body, convening all Member States to set the agency’s policies and budget. The 43rd session in 2025 is unique as it will be hosted outside Paris — opening in Samarkand, Uzbekistan — reflecting UNESCO’s global reach. Over two weeks, ministers of education, science, culture, and communication will debate priorities such as promoting cultural heritage protection, advancing quality education for all, ethics of artificial intelligence, and safeguarding press freedom.
When: October 30th – November 13th
Where: Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Links and Resources:
Event: Second World Summit for Social Development (World Social Summit 2025)
Theme: “Renewing the Social Contract – Closing Gaps in Social Development and “Leaving No One Behind” (Recommitment to the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration).”
Description: A Heads of State and Government-level summit, called by the UN General Assembly to reinvigorate global commitment to social development. Taking place 30 years after the first Social Summit in Copenhagen, this “Second World Summit for Social Development” will address rising inequalities, poverty eradication, decent jobs, and social inclusion. Leaders will reaffirm the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action and seek to align it with the 2030 Agenda’s final stretch. The Summit is expected to adopt a concise, action-oriented Political Declaration focusing on bolstering social protection, gender equality, youth opportunities, and other social goals to ensure no one is left behind.
When: November 4th – 6th
Where: Doha, Qatar
Links and Resources:
Event: 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 30)
Description: The 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — the flagship annual climate summit. COP30 will assemble representatives from nearly 200 countries to assess progress on the Paris Agreement and enhance climate action. It aims to build on previous agreements and “pave the way for future ambition” in tackling the climate crisis. Negotiations will focus on countries' goals for reducing emissions (Nationally Determined Contributions—climate action plans each country submits under the Paris Agreement), financial support for developing nations to tackle climate change, and reviewing progress toward the global 1.5°C temperature target.
When: November 10th – 21st
Where: Pará, Brasil
Links & Resources:
Civil Society Participation:
General information on participation and engagement of observer organizations and other non-Party stakeholders can be found here
Event: United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7)
Description: UNEA is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment. At its seventh session, UNEA-7 will convene environment ministers, UN officials, scientists, youth, and civil society representatives to set global priorities, adopt resolutions, and promote sustainable development pathways. The session will build on outcomes from UNEA-6 and address urgent environmental challenges through collective global action.
When: December 8th – 12th
Where: Nairobi, Kenya
Links and Resources:
Civil Society Participation:
Application to host an official side event at UNEA-7 (deadline: July 15th). UN Member States, non-member States, intergovernmental organizations, major groups and stakeholders are encouraged to partner with others to apply to organize an official side event.
Application to host an official side event at UNEA-7 in the Green Room (deadline: October 30th). The Green Room will serve as an exclusive venue for Major Groups and Stakeholders participating in UNEA-7.