On 20 February 2026, marking the World Day of Social Justice, a new joint policy brief was launched highlighting the role of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) in advancing a human rights–based economic model. The brief was issued by the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, the ILO-chaired United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy, and the ILO-led Global Coalition for Social Justice.
The publication examines how SSE entities, including cooperatives, mutual societies, associations, foundations and social enterprises, contribute to decent work, fairer resource distribution, stronger care systems, gender equality and climate resilience. It argues that these organizations prioritize social objectives over profit and can serve as effective partners in building more inclusive and sustainable economies. The brief also outlines practical policy measures that governments and development partners can adopt to create an enabling environment for the SSE.
Positioned as a contribution to a broader roadmap on eradicating poverty beyond growth, the brief emphasizes that supporting the social and solidarity economy offers a pathway to reduce poverty without relying solely on growth-driven strategies that may increase inequality or environmental harm. The policy document was presented at a public conference in Turin, reinforcing international efforts to place social justice and human rights at the centre of economic transformation.
