Following the momentum of the 2022 Global People’s Summit for an Eco-Social World, the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) is proud to continue its work with the Global Health Alliance to promote fair access to vaccines for people of all ages. Together with partners such as the World Federation of Public Health Associations, the International Council of Nurses, the World Medical Association, and others, IFSW has endorsed the Call to Action on Life-Course Vaccination, Call to Action on Life-Course, adopted in Geneva in November 2024.
The Call to Action highlights the essential role of health and social care professionals in protecting populations against vaccine-preventable diseases, both as frontline advocates and as trusted connectors to communities. Social workers in particular have a unique role in building trust and understanding between communities and health systems. They ensure that vaccination strategies reach the most vulnerable groups, reduce inequalities, and incorporate community priorities into decision-making.
Social workers bring a deep understanding of people’s lived realities, and they know how to engage families and communities in ways that foster confidence, address concerns, and ensure inclusion. By situating vaccination within broader issues of human rights, equity, and social justice, social work ensures that public health measures strengthen rather than divide societies.
Joachim Mumba, IFSW President, commented: “Social work is about building bridges of trust between people, communities, and systems. Our participation in this partnership underlines that health cannot be separated from social justice. By advancing equitable vaccination throughout all stages of life, social workers help to protect individuals, strengthen families, and create more resilient societies. This is not only about preventing illness, but about empowering communities to thrive.”
The alliance calls on governments, health institutions, and civil society to guarantee equitable vaccine access, strengthen immunisation systems, and mobilise the health and social workforce with the right tools and resources. By embedding community engagement at every stage of policy and practice, the partnership aims to create lasting public trust and more sustainable health outcomes.
For IFSW, this partnership signals a forward-looking step in demonstrating the global social work profession’s vital contribution to health systems, community resilience, and the building of inclusive societies where no one is left behind.