The three presidents Sergei Zelenev (ICSW), Antoinette Lombard (IASSW) and Joachim Mumba (IFSW)
On 24-25 April 2025, three leading global social welfare organisations; the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), and the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), convened a two-day conference in Ronda, Spain. The event underscored the urgent need to embed inclusive, participatory governance within social welfare systems.
From Tokenism to Co-Creation: Reclaiming Participation as a Right and Imperative for Sustainable Development
In his keynote address, Joachim Mumba, IFSW President, emphasised that participation must be recognised as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of both individual and collective well-being. He stressed the critical importance of ensuring that all people, particularly those in rural, remote, and marginalised communities have genuine influence over the policies and services that affect their lives. Participation, he argued, should not be treated as a procedural formality but as essential to human dignity, agency, and self-determination.
The keynote further explored the transformative potential of authentic participation. It was noted that meaningful engagement not only strengthens community cohesion but also leads to sustainable and locally owned solutions. A compelling case study from Sierra Leone illustrated this point: a community-led skills audit had enabled greater local leadership and a stronger sense of shared ownership in development processes. Mumba emphasised the need to ask communities, “What matters to you?” rather than “What is the matter?”
Addressing contemporary challenges, he acknowledged that the digital era presents both new opportunities and risks. While digital technologies can expand access and amplify voices, they also pose concerns around surveillance and the exclusion of those without digital access or literacy. He called for ethical, inclusive, and human-centered digital systems that prioritise empowerment over control.
The IFSW President also reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to the People’s Charter for an Eco-Social World, urging that participatory practices be grounded in values such as Ubuntu, reciprocity, and Buen Vivir. These principles highlight solidarity, relational responsibility, and ecological harmony, positioning participation not only as a right but as a moral and cultural imperative for sustainable development.
A central theme of the keynote was the shift from tokenism to co-creation and shared leadership. Genuine participation, he argued, requires co-building processes that elevate community knowledge and ensure shared decision-making. Local governments, he said, are key enablers of such systems and must integrate traditional participatory practices into formal governance structures.
The Ronda Declaration: Advancing Genuine Participation in Social Welfare Governance
At the same event, ICSW launched the Ronda Declaration on Participation, a comprehensive framework for institutionalising participatory approaches in social welfare governance. The declaration reaffirmed that participation is both a right and a driver of resilient and legitimate institutions. It outlined a continuum from information-sharing to consultation, and ultimately to empowerment, essential for transformational change.
Grounded in human rights principles, the declaration called for participation to be inclusive, transparent, equitable, and publicly resourced. It urged local authorities to ensure services are not only available but also acceptable and responsive to community needs. To achieve this, it recommended embedding participatory practices through legal frameworks and practical tools such as participatory budgeting and co-design platforms.
Digital inclusion features prominently in the declaration. It stresses the need for equitable digital design to ensure that older people, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are not excluded. The document also advocates for preventive, participatory social protection systems, highlighting how citizen-led design and evaluation enhance effectiveness and transparency.
Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the declaration emphasises that participation is central to achieving equity, resilience, and sustainability. It provided concrete recommendations for local governments, including promoting rural inclusion, investing in digital literacy, training social workers in participatory methods, and fostering institutional cultures rooted in participation.
Despite its aspirational tone, the joint reflection acknowledged persistent barriers to meaningful participation. These include growing public disillusionment with democratic institutions, the rise of populism, and entrenched structural, cultural, and digital inequalities. The continued prevalence of tokenistic approaches and the lack of institutional capacity to support engagement were also identified as significant challenges.
In conclusion, IFSW, IASSW, and ICSW jointly call for a fundamental transformation in how participation is understood and practiced in social welfare. Their message is unequivocal: communities must shift from being passive recipients to active leaders in shaping their own futures. The future of well-being, justice, and sustainability depends on this transition from symbolic inclusion to genuine empowerment.