The work of the social sector has been to identify and seek solutions to unmet social needs, primarily from the ground up. Macro approaches to identifying these needs are few and far between. The UN’s Millennium Development Goals represents the most coherent global strategy thus far for tackling worldwide poverty.

Looking holistically at global human needs through history, we can identify two broad levels of needs. The traditional basic needs of food, water, and health are intertwined with the causes and consequences of poverty. Higher-order needs are those that affect human prosperity and well-being, principally modern-day needs arising from human displacement, environmental challenges, and the problems of developed societies.