At its 39th session in February 2001, the Commission for Social Development agreed on a multi-year programme of work for the period 2002-2006, built around the follow-up to the Summit and the 24th special session of the General Assembly, incorporating also the review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups.

Two-year policy and review cycle:

• In resolution 2005/11, the Economic and Social Council decided that, beginning with its forty-fifth session, the Commission for Social Development would be organized in a series of two-year action-oriented implementation cycles, which will include a review and a policy segment, and that the Commission would continue to review plans and programmes of action pertaining to social groups. In 2006 the Economic and Social Council decided that the theme for the 2007-2008 review and policy cycle will be "Promoting full employment and decent work for all".
  
  
• In resolution 2008/19, the Economic and Social Council decided that the priority theme for the 2009-2010 review and policy cycle of the Commission for Social Development should be “Social Integration”, taking into account its relationship with poverty eradication and full employment and decent work for all.
  
  
• In resolution 2010/10, the Economic and Social Council decided that that the priority theme for the 2011–2012 review and policy cycle should be "Poverty Eradication", taking into account its relationship with social integration and full employment and decent work for all.
  
  
• In resolution 2012/7, the Economic and Social Council decided that that the priority theme for the 2013–2014 review and policy cycle should be "Promoting empowerment of people in achieving poverty eradication,social integration and full employment and decent work for all".