As the world’s most powerful nations prepare to meet at the G20 Summit in Gauteng, South Africa, on 22 to 23 November 2025, social work institutions and leaders are calling for urgent global action.
The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) has joined the Association of South African Social Work Education Institutions (ASASWEI) in calling on G20 leaders to embrace solidarity, equality, and sustainability as guiding principles for global governance. The petition is also endorsed by the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW).
The petition highlights the urgency of tackling climate disruption, war, displacement, corruption, and systemic inequalities that undermine communities worldwide. It emphasises that the G20, representing over 87% of global GDP, 62% of the world’s population and 75% of global trade, holds a unique responsibility to shape strategies for a fairer and more peaceful world.
Joachim Mumba, IFSW President, said: “The G20 has both the power and the duty to ensure that future generations inherit a world built on peace, justice, and sustainability. This requires bold decisions that prioritise human dignity and environmental responsibility over short-term economic gain. Our petition is a call to courage: to reimagine economic and political systems that put people and the planet at the centre, not profit. In the spirit of Ubuntu and Buen Vivir, we are reminded that our lives are interconnected, and that true wellbeing is found in relationships of care, solidarity, and respect for the Earth. The world is watching, and the G20 must rise to this moment of history.”
The statement urges leaders to deepen understanding of shared humanity, honour Indigenous knowledge, regulate digital technology and AI, reimagine a more just global order, advance inclusive economies, minimise corruption, institute fair taxation, and expand freedoms and capabilities for all.
Pascal Rudin, IFSW Interim Secretary-General, added: “This petition reflects the voices of global citizens who believe in human dignity, eco-social justice, and solidarity, as outlined in the People’s Charter on an Eco-Social World. It is part of a growing global movement that calls on leaders to act with compassion, wisdom, and responsibility. The choices made in Gauteng will not only shape the lives of billions of people today, but will determine whether future generations inherit a world of division and destruction or one of peace, equality, and sustainability. This is a call to leadership at its highest level.”
The petition can be signed and shared online, and organisers are encouraging widespread public participation to amplify the call for transformative leadership.
Add your voice. Sign and share the petition today.