Photo by UN Women. CSW63 Side Event, “Take the Hot Seat” Intergenerational Dialogue
In a recent article authored by Sebastian Cordoba, Swetha Rao Dhananka, and Anne Deepak, IFSW representatives at the United Nations (UN), the urgent need for systemic reform within UN processes is highlighted, emphasising the vital role social workers and their organisations play in addressing the world’s most pressing crises. As the planet faces unprecedented challenges, including climate change, pandemics, and escalating conflicts, the failure of existing social contracts to protect human rights has become increasingly apparent. The article advocates for the creation of new eco-social contracts through more inclusive and collaborative UN systems.
Priska Fleischlin, IFSW Global UN Commissioner remarked, “The participation of social workers in UN processes is not just beneficial but essential. Our profession’s daily engagement with communities on the frontline of global crises offers unique insights and solutions that can drive meaningful systemic change.”
Joachim Mumba, IFSW Global President, added, “The collective experiences of social workers around the globe are invaluable in advocating for systemic reforms. The People’s Global Summit in 2022 demonstrated the potential of inclusive dialogue and co-creation. It is imperative for the UN to adopt similar methodologies to ensure that our efforts to achieve a sustainable and equitable world that leaves no one behind is realized.”
The article stresses the necessity of merging the grassroots practices of social work with broader policy approaches, arguing that such collaboration could significantly improve the synergy between the UN and civil society organisations. Reflecting on the success of the People’s Global Summit as a blueprint for the co-creation of new eco-social contracts, the article further advocates for the development of people’s assemblies to enable more inclusive and sustainable solutions.