UN System Common Messages on Policy Responses to Demographic Change

In October 2025, the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) endorsed the UN system common messages on policy responses to demographic change, developed through the High-level Committee on Programmes (HLCP), which approved the messages at its fiftieth session (in October 2025).

To support a coherent and principled UN system response to demographic change, the common messages outline core principles for policy responses that address the challenges and leverage the opportunities of demographic change. They are grounded in evidence, system-wide experience, and an integrated, rights-based and gender-responsive approach aligned with global commitments and intergovernmental frameworks.

The common messages are structured around five cross-cutting thematic areas:  

• All responses to demographic change should uphold human rights and empower all people to make choices: Placing dignity, autonomy, and equality at the center of demographic policy responses.
• Building inclusive economies and cohesive societies is crucial to realizing the opportunities and minimizing the costs associated with demographic change: Promoting decent work, social protection, and gender equality to ensure all people can contribute and thrive.
• Investing in human capital and healthy ageing across the life course equips societies for demographic change: Strengthening human capital through lifelong learning, inclusive health systems, and support for migrant’s education, skills recognition, and ethical recruitment.
• Facing future challenges requires fostering sustainable, inclusive and resilient communities: Supporting well-being, promoting sustainable consumption and production, and strengthening communities’ ability to recover from shocks including those caused by climate change, disasters and displacement.
• Governance and planning must be strengthened with demographic understanding and foresight: Strengthening demographic data and projections to inform inclusive, adaptive, and evidence-based policymaking.

These messages provide a shared foundation for UN system-wide engagement and advocacy on ways to anticipate and adapt to demographic shifts as Member States navigate both the longstanding concerns about rapid population growth and more recent concerns about low fertility, population ageing and decline. They also aim to inform intergovernmental processes, including the Second World Summit for Social Development.