Participants of the 2025 IFSW Europe Delegates Meeting, including those that joined online
Sixty-two delegates, observers and guests from twenty-one European countries gathered in Oslo, Norway for highly successful Delegates Meeting (DM) this month. We reviewed our achievements and finances over the last year and decided future priorities and spending. We also took significant decisions on key professional and ethical matters. It was a dynamic meeting full of rich content and a commitment to international solidarity and camaraderie.
In person: Azerbaijan, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Malta, Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkiye, United Kingdom
Online: Portugal
Apologies: France
Total = 21 countries out of 26 in good standing
Ruth Allen, IFSW Europe President, chairing the Delegates Meeting
Joachim Mumba, IFSW Global President; Ruth Allen, IFSW Europe President; Pascal Rudin, IFSW Interim Secretary-General; and Nicolai Paulsen, IFSW Parliamentarian
Delegates casting their votes
Summary of key elements of progress 2024/5
- Strengthening social work and IFSW Europe through engagement and inclusion: IFSW Europe (IFSW E) gained funding IFSW global for a project to reach out to current and prospective members, provide better support and solidarity particularly for members under duress or facing severe challenges, and ensure IFSW E is inclusive, enabling more equal access to democracy, voice, support and opportunities within the region. DM participants gave feedback and developed emerging ideas within this project. All associations will be invited to further online discussions and will shape the project which runs until December 2026
- Responsive and Cocoso EU funded projects: These research and practice development projects – Responsive and Cocoso – continue to progress well. IFSW E is delivering its part in the partnerships and in the case of Responsive which is coming to an end, will turn its attention to promotion and implementation. Responsive – Enhancing Responsiveness to Citizen Voices in Social Services across Europe, has been shortlisted for a European Social Network research innovation award and members can vote here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7VT7ZJX You will find our project under Category 8. The deadline to vote is 24 October, - Promoting and celebrating of human rights based and participative, empowering social work across Europe: The IFSW E President and others representing IFSW E continues to support member associations’ activities celebrating and developing social work identity and practices throughout the year, including through World Social Work Day events, contributions in person and online in numerous professional conferences, and active, tangible support for members under duress.
- Closure of project and next steps for eco-social social work: Delegates received the final report of the IFSW Europe eco-social project from project lead Josien Hofs and discussed how we will continue to take this theme forward as a cross-cutting imperative – which we also explored in the Oslo conference after the DM.
- Representing social work in key European and global organisations and commissions. IFSW E has continued to build our influence across institution and commissions including within Conference of INGOs and (new for this year) Romani and Traveller Rights divisions in Council of Europe; Fundamental Rights Agency; European Anti-Poverty Network; Social Platform; Eurochild and the IFSW global commissions for the UN, Education, Indigenous people and Ethics. IFSW E will also be re-launching its Human Rights Network. All current main representatives are continuing in their role. We were delighted to welcome Irem Cosansu Yalazan to the Social Platform Support team. The representatives meet regularly online to share experiences and next year will take dedicated time for learning and reflection on how we build confidence and impact in social work advocacy, what strategies and approaches work best, and how we can support and learn together.
- Member motion on Palestine and Israel: Delegates debated a motion proposed by Proposed by: Irish Association of Social Workers and Seconded by Consejo, with the support of Greece, about the situation in Palestinian territories and the military action of the Israeli government. The full motion is available online here (LINK to full motion). The delegates, including Israeli delegates, shared different views.
Delegates voted in favour of all elements of the motion as laid out below:
The Delegates’ Meeting resolves to:
A1) Condemn the genocide in Gaza and grave breaches including starvation, collective punishment and obstruction of relief.
A2) We urgently call for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, the protection of all civilians without distinction, the unconditional release of all Israeli hostages, the right of all Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, unhindered humanitarian access to all those in need, and robust support for accountability measures consistent with international law.
A3) Reaffirm the IFSW Global Statement of Ethical Principles and express solidarity with the Palestinian people; note the UN COI genocide finding (A/HRC/60/CRP.3) and condemn ongoing settler violence and unlawful settlement expansion in the West Bank.
A4) Call on IFSW to urge EU institutions to consider suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement under its human-rights clause, and to consider further measures consistent with international law.
A5) Immediate suspension of cooperation with Israeli state, professional, and academic institutions operating in illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Ariel University.
B1: Call on the IFSW President and Executive to hold IUSW to account for continuing breaches of IFSW’s Global Ethical Principles (by confirming the legitimacy of their members’ combat roles, refusing to request non-combat exemptions and not standing for peace and universal human rights of Palestinians) by calling a Special General Meeting (online) to propose suspension and/or expulsion of IUSW from IFSW.
B2: Call on IFSW members to urgently request the IFSW Global Executive calls for such a Special General meeting The actions adopted by the Delegates Meeting will now be taken forward by the IFSW Europe Executive in conjunction with Europe members and in liaison with IFSW Global.
- New Social Workers Network (NSWN): This continues to grow and gain confidence in its mission. In the coming year the Network is calling out to all associations to nominate a link new social worker, to integrate more NSWs into the annual Delegates Meeting, to widen the overall network of NSWs, to provide international guidance on inducting new social workers into the workplace, and to integrate NSWs into the planning and programme of the next IFSW Conference
- Conference 2027: IFSW Europe is delighted to announce that the Europe region conference in 2027 will be in Athens Greece. A presentation on the proposal and plans so far were shared with the delegates.
- Elections:
The following were elected to Executive roles in IFSW Europe:
- Enric Torras (Austria) – Full Executive member
- Brian Auslander (Israel) – Treasurer
- Nikos Zervas (Greece) – first Deputy Executive
- Paola Ponterello (Italy) – second Deputy Executive
- Delegates meeting 2026: the Netherlands will host the 2026 DM in October 2026. We hope to see even more members there!
Note on absence of Norway: The Norwegian Union did not join the meeting because of its participation in a recent high level trade union boycott of organisations with Israel as a member whilst the military action against Gaza and the Palestinian people by the Israeli government continues. This also meant our Norwegian Vice President, Andreas Kikvik, could not attend the DM.