International Federation of Social Workers

International Comparative Symposium – The Development of Standards for Social Work Education & Training in Asia-Pacific Countries
2025-11-19 16:20 - 18:20 (Asia/Kolkata) | Taj Samudra Hotel, No 25, Katunayake, Colombo, 00300
International Comparative Symposium – The Development of Standards for Social Work Education & Training in Asia-Pacific Countries

The International Federation of Social Workers Asia-Pacific (IFSW-AP), together with the Asian and Pacific Association for Social Work Education (APASWE) and the Japan College of Social Work, will co-host an international comparative symposium during APSWC 2025:
📅 Date & Time: 19 November 2025, 4:20–6:20 PM (IST)📍 Venue: Anthurium Ballroom, Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo, Sri Lanka
This symposium offers a unique opportunity to explore how social work education is developing across Asia and the Pacific. Country representatives from Aotearoa/New Zealand, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan will share their challenges, achievements, and aspirations, reflecting on the Global Standards.
Highlights include:

Opening remarks by Prof. Machiko Ohara, President of IFSW-AP

Symposium objectives by Prof. Mariko Kimura

Reports and discussion with leading educators across the region

Closing comments by Assoc. Prof. David Rose, President of APASWE

🔸 This event is exclusively for APSWC 2025 registrants – no separate registration required.
📄 Flyer download:International Comparative Symposium flyer
For inquiries, please contact Dr. Viktor Virág at 📧 .

IFSW Africa 2025 Conference - Senegal
2025-11-26 08:00 - 2025-11-30 17:00 UTC
Social Work in Africa: Navigating the Challenges of Social Cohesion and Sustainable Development
Le Travail Social en Afrique: Relever les Défis de la Cohésion Sociale et du Développement Durable
Download Flyer

IFSW side event at the 64th Session of the UN Commission for Social Development
2026-02-04 16:45 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Online
Join the Conversation: Inclusive Social Policy in an Eco-Social World
The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) invites you to a vital virtual side event in support of the 64th Session of the UN Commission for Social Development.
This session, titled “Inclusive Social Policy Through Rights-Based Social Work in an Eco-Social World,” features a panel of distinguished experts dedicated to equity, disaster response, and global social development.
Details about the theme: IFSW CsocD64 published statement
Event Details

Date: February 4, 2026

Time: 4:45 PM – 6:00 PM EST (10:45 PM – 12:00 AM CET)

Format: Virtual

Featured Speakers

Elizabeth Hill, MSW: A scholar-practitioner with 25+ years of experience in disability justice and language access.

Dr. Golam Mathbor: Professor and Interim Dean at Monmouth University, specializing in disaster relief and international social work.

Falon M. Alo, MSW: Director of Humanitarian Services at iParametrics LLC, with extensive experience in global crisis response operations.

How to Join
Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with leaders shaping the future of global social policy.
Register Today here
For any questions regarding the event, please contact Anne Deepak at Email

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Course: Human rights of Social Workers and their Human Rights Responsibilities for Service Recipients
2026-03-27 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-04-10 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-04-24 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-05-08 12:00 - 13:30 UTC
Background and Rationale
Social workers work daily at the frontline of human rights. They support individuals and communities while navigating complex systems, legal frameworks, and institutional expectations. In doing so, social workers areboth holders of rights—including the right to decent work, safety, and professional autonomy—and professionals with responsibilities to respect and protect the human rights of service recipients.
Social workers often face difficult dilemmas linked to their multiple roles: as professionals guided by ethics, as employees paid by the state or public institutions, and as actors expected to improve and reform statesystems. High expectations from governments, institutions, and communities, combined with limited resources and restrictive policies, can place social workers in situations where their own human rights are at risk and where the rights of service recipients may be compromised.
This CPD provides a space for reflection, learning, and exchange, enabling social workers to better understand and apply human rights and labour rights standards in their everyday practice.
Objectives
The CPD aims to:

Strengthen social workers’ understanding of their own human rights and labour rights;

Clarify human rights responsibilities towards service recipients in complex practice settings;

Support practical skills for analysing and addressing real-life professional dilemmas;

Identify shared advocacy and policy priorities at national and global levels.

Target Audience
Practising social workers, members and representatives of national social work associations, educators, and other professionals engaged in social work policy and advocacy.
Programme Structure
Session 1: Human Rights, Labour Rights, and Social Work Frameworks (1.15h)
This session will introduce key concepts and standards from human rights, labour rights, and social work perspectives. It will provide a common framework to help participants analyse professional dilemmas and casestudies.
Sessions 2–4: Learning from Practice – Case Studies (1.15h)
Each session will begin with a case study shared by a national social work association or similar organisation. The cases will focus on:

The multiple roles and expectations placed on social workers;

Tensions linked to public employment, authority, and legitimacy;

Efforts to improve state systems while protecting human rights.

The three organisations OHCHR, IFSW, and ILO will analyse each case along their framework. Participants will jointly examine the cases, identify relevant rights and responsibilities, and discuss practical ways to addresschallenges and improve outcomes for both social workers and service recipients.
Expected Outcomes
Participants will

have a clearer understanding of their human rights and professional responsibilities;

feel more confident in applying human rights principles in daily practice and policy discussions;

contribute to identifying key areas for collective advocacy and policy action at the global level.

Organisation
Language: English, no translation available
Platform: zoom, broadcasted to Youtube
Certificate: a certificate of attendance will be provided.

International Congress for Community Wellness (ICCW 2026)
2026-05-01 - 2026-05-03 | Free International University of Moldova, Chișinău, Moldova, Republic of
CALL FOR CONGRESS PARTICIPATION

Fifteen years ago, a team of European and American educators launched a new model of social work education in the Republic of Moldova. Through the dialogue, collaboration, contention, and experiment, a new pedagogical model has evolved. For the past 12 years, dialectic social work acquired theoretical cohesion and methodological effectiveness, as well as a cadre of acolytes – graduates of the Master of Social Work program at the Free International University in Moldova.
Dialectic social work educators and practitioners in Moldova formed the National Association of Social Work in Moldova and organized six consecutive conferences in Eastern Europe – all dedicated to promotion of dialectic social work in post-Soviet countries and beyond.
The nexus of the social work tradition in the West and opportunities for educational and professional innovation in Eastern European countries, where social work was a novelty, brought about new perspectives on human needs, human capacities and professional practice.
The Sevenths Congress on Community Wellness is dedicated to reconnecting those scholars and practitioners, who are committed to competence in the rapidly changing world. The complexities of today’s society can only be understood through the dialogue across national, sectarian, and professional lines.

You are cordially invited to the Rites of Spring – the Seventh Congress on Community Wellness.

Topics (Tracks)
1.⁠ ⁠Community health & mental wellbeing
2.⁠ ⁠Education and social development
3.⁠ ⁠Group work praxis: Resilient communities through social entrepreneurship
4.⁠ ⁠Culture, identity, and social cohesion
5.⁠ ⁠Ecological stability through preservation of culture.
We welcome
Conceptual papers, research papers, case studies, educational models, interdisciplinary perspectives, and practice-based interventions.
Abstract submission
Submit to:
Abstract deadline: February 28
Acceptance notification: March 13
Abstract length: 100–200 words
Please include: title, author(s), affiliation, country, email, and 3–5 keywords
Presentation formats: Individual (15 min), Panel (60 min), Workshop (15–30 min)
Language
The proceedings will be conducted in English.
Registration & fees
Congress participation is free of charge. Optional add-ons for international participants:
Day 3 field visit (Voievodatul Cărbunei) with dinner & entertainment: 50 EUR/person
Accommodation package (3 nights): 300 EUR/person (upon request)
Visa support / invitation letters and supporting documents: upon request
Tentative program (preliminary)
Day 1 (10:00–21:00): Opening & Cultural Welcome — Opening ceremony; congress overview and presentations; cultural visit to the “Rites of Spring” Festival at the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History
Day 2 (10:00–17:00): Congress Sessions — Plenary and parallel sessions; panels, workshops, and roundtables
Day 3 (10:00–20:00): Closing, Field Trip & Gala Dinner — Final presentations and closing ceremony at ULIM; trip to Cărbuna; gala dinner at “Pestera Balaurului” cellar
Please see the attached PDF for full details.

The Joint Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development
2026-06-26 08:00 - 2026-06-29 17:00 UTC | Nairobi
SWSD 2026: Uniting Social Workers to Tackle Global Challenges
The Joint Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development is a biennial event that brings together members of the Associations of Social Work to exchange experiences, explore current trends, and share best practices in the field of social work worldwide. It serves as a vital platform for networking, presenting research, showcasing best practices or theoretical developments, and fostering shared learning. Across the globe, social workers confront a wide range of challenges, including—but not limited to—war, climate change, and poverty.
Theme: Harambee for Sustainable Shared Futures
