• Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X
  • Youtube
  • Linkedin
  • Home
  • About IFSW
  • Journals
  • Join
  • Contact
  • Member login

International Federation of Social Workers

Global Online conference

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Linkedin

Translate:

International Federation of Social Workers

  • Social Work Action
    • What is Social Work?
    • Climate Justice Program
    • IFSW and Covid-19
    • The Global Agenda
    • World Social Work Day
  • Regions
    • IFSW Africa
    • IFSW Asia and Pacific
    • IFSW Europe
    • IFSW Latin America and Caribbean
    • IFSW North America
  • Commissions
    • Education Commission
    • Ethics Commission
    • Indigenous Commission
    • United Nations Commission
  • Publications
    • Policies
    • Journals
    • Books
    • End of Year Reports
    • Information Hub
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Archive: General Meeting 2024
      • Login / Account
      • Documentation
      • Online Participation
    • Archive: General Meeting 2022
      • Login / Account
      • Documentation
    • Archive: 2020 Conference
      • Welcome
      • Keynote Speakers
      • Login / Account
      • Programme
      • Global Agenda
      • Contact
  • Shop
  • (0)

High-Level Meeting Between IFSW and United Nations on Advancing Social Development

Information Type: NewsTopic: Social Protection

September 2, 2020

The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed and IFSW Secretary-General Rory Truell spoke yesterday on strategies for advancing social development during and beyond COVID-19. The video meeting took place at the request of UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Ms Mohammed commenced the meeting by relaying the UN Secretary-General’s and her own appreciation to social workers globally for their work at the front-line of development. ‘We owe them our thanks’ she said.

Ms Mohammed described the world in a state of ‘development emergency’ with the pandemic pushing more people into poverty and uncertainty. She recognized the important role of professional associations which have local knowledge of communities as well as local and national governments and their key role in the development agendas. ‘If you don’t work at the local community level you don’t have a foundation to build upon’ she said.

Rory Truell noted that social work professionals are deeply connected to communities and societies throughout the world. ‘Social workers recognize communities’ strengths and informal systems of care and we assist them to develop further capacity to lead their way own way out of poverty and exclusion and to new futures of social and economic development’. ‘Yet it is essential’, he said, ‘that community aspiration and the facilitating role of social work is clearly linked to the global sustainability agendas’. He further spoke on the importance of expanding formal social protection systems (social welfare) as well as reshaping welfare to focus on real community needs, rather than policy objectives which have often been developed away from communities.

The high-level meeting concluded with a positive forward-looking agreement for further urgent discussions and actions that bring together the role social work in communities and the global UN development agendas.

IFSW President Silvana Martinez commented today: ‘This important meeting reflected the outcomes of the IFSW consultation for the 2020-2030 Global Agenda for Social Work which concluded last month. This meeting advanced the need to co-build social transformation with communities, especially vulnerable people, along with local, national and global policy. The meeting also affirmed the critical importance of social work to every society in advancing all people’s rights. We welcome working with the United Nations and all partners and co-building a world build on equality and social, economic & environmental sustainability’.

Return to Information Hub

Language: English

Primary Sidebar

Key documents

  • Global Definition of Social Work
  • Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles 
  • The Role of Social Work in Social Protection Systems
  • The People’s Charter for a New-Eco Social World

Footer

Copyright © 2025 International Federation of Social Workers · Registered Address: Maiengässli 4, 4310 Rheinfelden, Switzerland · Registered charity number: CHE-109.240.290

  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
MENU
  • Home
  • General Meeting 2024
    • Login / Account
    • Documentation
    • Online Participation
  • About IFSW
    • Governance
    • Secretariat
    • What we do
    • Our members
    • Partners
    • General Meetings
    • Executive Meetings
    • Elections
    • Executive committee area
      • Meeting papers 2018
    • Archives
    • Member login
  • Join
  • What is Social Work?
    • Global Definition of Social Work
    • Meet Social Workers from around the world
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Find your region
    • IFSW Africa
    • IFSW Asia and Pacific
    • IFSW Europe
    • IFSW Latin America and Caribbean
    • IFSW North America
  • Commissions
    • Education Commission
    • Ethics Commission
    • Indigenous Commission
    • United Nations Commission
  • Information Hub
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Archive: 2020 Conference
      • Programme
      • Welcome
      • Keynote Speakers
      • Login / Account
      • Global Agenda
      • Contact
    • Archive: European DM 2020
      • Home
      • Login / Account
    • Archive: European DM 2021
  • Social Work Action
    • The Global Agenda
    • World Social Work Day
  • Shop
  • Contact