Representatives from the International Federation of Social Workers’ United Nations Commission from across the world came together to contribute to an inquiry from the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The inquiry called for input to identify best practices, challenges and lessons learned concerning integrated approaches to the promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda at the global level.
The IFSW’s statement was developed with social workers from across many regions and called for urgent collaborative, accountable and transparent action from governments. Social workers across the world see on a daily basis the failure of existing social contracts to afford the most basic of human rights to millions of people. The lessons from global crises, including rising conflicts, the mass breach of human rights by governments, widening inequality, environmental collapse, and the failures of top-down aid demonstrate that meaningful progress requires transforming dominant systems of governance, economy and service delivery.
Sebastian Cordoba, IFSW Main Representative to the UN (Asia Pacific) and lead author said: “Social workers around the world are already facilitating community responses to inequality, violence, and environmental harm. They are well-placed to support governments in embedding accountability through co-design, relationship-building, and social dialogue. But they cannot do this work alone, political will, financial investment, and genuine partnership with civil society are essential.”
The IFSW statement provides clear examples of social workers working with communities to achieve the SDGs and delivering on the commitment to leave no one behind. This included examples from Afghanistan, Australia, Iran, North America, Africa, Europe and other global efforts.
Priska Fleischlin, IFSW Global Commissioner said: “This is a great development and new for the UN Commission, I am very pleased that we are getting closer to our goal, the goal to incorporate even more of the work experience of social work in the 153 member countries of IFSW and other commissions. We will continue to work with the OHCHR and are keen to see their response. Many thanks to all those who have contributed, your lines describe what social work is.”
You can learn more about the inquiry here where the statement will be available shortly.