United Nations

Rory Truell of IFSW meets Helen Clark of the UN

IFSW has been granted Special Consultative Status by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). In addition, IFSW is working with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The commission supports IFSW representatives and IFSW members to act as facilitators and bridging the gaps between community’s aspirations and UN agendas. At the same time, the knowledge of the UN’s work shall flow back to the IFSW board and the IFSW members with the goal to create a partnership and realising a social change.

Objectives of the IFSW representation to the UN

The overarching objective of IFSW representations to the UN is to represent a social work perspective to the UN and the UN Agencies and to work towards joint action based on social work principles. Representatives will highlight the social solutions that can be achieved through applying the profession’s principles and methodologies as a framework for achieving social justice, inclusive participatory democracy, sustainable peaceful societies, social transformation for equality and rights. Representatives are bound to constitution, definition, ethical principles and the policies of IFSW.

The Commission and the representations work as a part of the wider IFSW body and the work of all Representatives should link with the above objective, vision and work agenda of IFSW UN Commission. Representatives are requested to focus on one or two themes (such as children’s rights, health…) that are relevant for global social work and coordinated within the Commission. Representatives work should also be guided by:

the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development,
the definition of social work
the constitution of IFSW
the ethical principles
the IFSW policies

Structure of the IFSW UN Commission

The members of the UN Commission are:

The IFSW UN Commissioner
The Main Representatives that are also the Regional Commissioners
A team of max. five Representatives per abovementioned region

The relationships between the main representatives, the local IFSW member, the IFSW UN Commissioner, the IFSW Secretary-General and the Regional President are essential to coordinating and planning the representative’s work. It is envisaged that there will be Skype meetings regularly or on-demand (UN Commissioner, Main Rep. and regional IFSW President) so that they can have the support and link their work plans. Regular contact shall be maintained from all the above-mentioned persons.