The Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development started in 2010 when 3000 social work representatives and social development professionals came together to set the priorities for the profession until 2020. This significantly successful period of the Global Agenda has been an essential voice in proactively setting and fulfilling the Sustainable Developmental Goals, working towards more peaceful and just societies and strengthening the voice of the social work profession.
Now, the social work profession needs to examine new themes and processes to expand the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development for the years 2020 to 2030. From IFSW, we are launching a consultation process, where your input is essential to build a robust and inclusive Global Agenda that meets the real needs of all people. The consultation period will end in July 2020.
Please make your contributions to the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development 2020 – 2030 by filling in the comments box at the bottom of this page.
To see the reports of the Global Agenda from 2010 to 2018 please visit the IFSW Bookstore where you can download the reports for free. Below is a video message from the IFSW President Silvana Martinez and Secretary-General Rory Truell providing some examples of the success of the Global Agenda and inviting all people interested in the development of social work to participate in the consultation process. The video is subtitled in both Spanish and English.
Comments Section
Please leave any comments on your proposed Global Agenda themes for 2020 to 2030 and any suggestions for how to integrate the themes across the decade which also allows the Global Agenda process to effectively respond to any unforeseen social issues that may arise.
I am a social work student in Canada. I would like to see a societal shift in how we frame addictions. Instead of viewing addictions as a personal struggle, prone to stigmatization and moral judgement, I would like to propose the need for a global agenda that looks to change the political environment that those struggling with addictions find themselves in that create barriers to mental health support for all but the privileged.
Hello Everyone,
I am a social work student at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, CA. I have not been working to studying in this field for too long, however, I believe that upcoming social work students will be able to contribute useful ideas and solutions on which we all want.
I have spent almost two years working with adults with severe mental illness with an organization that provides affordable housing to those with mental illness. Working in this sector has helped to develop my knowledge not only on the issue of affordable housing but also access to services and mostly the level of poverty that my community experiences. By tackling this epidemic not only in my community but also extending across the country to make amends with Indigenous populations. Not only is homelessness an issue in my community but it is a global epidemic. I think it’s important for social workers to not only continue to advocate for clients and access to services, but education needs to be given to our politicians and government officials around investing money and resources into the homeless epidemic.
Although it might not be a big enough theme or the Global Agenda, I still believe that it a very important topic that should be at the forefront of social work research and building on ways it can be eradicated.
Hello everyone,
I am a social work student in Canada. It can be depressing at times when one think about all the problems in the world that needs addressing and sometimes it appear that not much is being done to eliminate them. I believe that in order for us to have real change, it needs to start from looking at the structure of certain organization. For instance, Eurocentric oppressive structures need to be dismantled.
In a society people should have access to basic necessities, this is their right; it is disturbing to know that some communities do not have clean drinking water. This should be included in the discussion; I also believe it is important to look at trafficking because more work needs to be done to prevent this from happening and more education should be provided in this area.
Thank you for the opportunity to participate.
I am hailing from developing countries want to conduct research on atrocities in older adults and promote human rights and social justice in families whereby want to promote the social development of communities
Greetings!!! I am a Social Worker practicing in Zambia; Southern Africa. Based on some of the challenges faced in most of Africa, I propose the following as some of the themes that could be considered for the Global Agenda for Social Work 2020-2030:
1. Promoting Participation, Transparency and Accountability through Decentralization;
2. Constitutionalism, Good Governance, and Social Development;
3. Enhancing the Social Work voice in fighting Corruption; and,
4. Reviewing, Enhancing and Adapting of Educational Curricula and Services for sustainable and context specific socio-economic development processes
In work of our organisation with social and diaconal workers from the region of Eastern and Central Europe we find it significant that social work should take a crtitical stance towards oppressive neo-liberal policies of austerity, which are supported now by growing populism in politics and which complement to social disturbance, growth of social exclusion and individual anxiety. This vision should inform the content of the professional practices for seeking sustainable living for the communities, ensuring life in dignity and building up ways towards mutual reciprocal appreciation of communal living — conviviality. Accordingly, for the agenda of the IFSW we find important to ensure development of relevant practices that would be strategically challenging to oppressive social system on behalf of the marginalized people and also embrace advocacy and social action perspective. The other important perspective is rooted in protection of social work against pressure from the procedurial, cost-effective approach. It requires support and development of professional integrity supported by learning programs, informational resources, professional forums and other forms of cooperation.
Bonjour!
Diplômé en service social communautaire communautaire depuis 1985 à l’ENTSS-Ecole nationale des travailleurs sociaux spécialisés de Dakar, je suis recruté en 1997 à la fonction publique de mon pays les Comores pour servir l’administration publique. Depuis, j’ai occupé respectivement les fonctions d’assistant administratif au haut commissariat en charge des Affaires sociales et de la condition Féminine; du coordinateur national du projet “Intégration de la Femme dans le développement; du directeur national de la condition féminine et directeur technique du projet “Genre et population”-Volet Genre; du chef de service Education pour la santé et l’action socio-sanitaire à la direction nationale de l’Education pour la santé et l’Action socio-sanitaire; du chef service de l’action sociale au commissariat à la direction nationale de la solidarité du commissariat général en charge de la solidarité, de la cohésion sociale et de la promotion du Genre; et actuellement chef service de l’intégration sociale à la direction nationale de la solidarité et de la protection sociale sociale du commissariat national en charge de la solidarité, de la protection sociale et de la promotion du Genre. Tout ce que je peux dire jusqu’à là, est que le contexte politique nationale n’est pas favorable à l’action du travail social. Par rapport à l’ambition du travail social à savoir l’élargissement du Programme mondial de travail social et de développement social pour les années 2020 à 2030, nous pensons qu’il est impératif dans un premier temps de développement sur le territoire national des actions de formation et d’éducation de sensibilisation et de plaidoyer pour la promotion du travail social enfin de mettre en lumière la valeur ajouter du travail social dans la dynamique de la réalisation des objectif du développement humain et durable. Je reste persuadé que des actions du travail social permettront le pays de lutter efficacement pour la réduction de la pauvreté; la création d’emplois; la protection de l’environnement; l’instauration d’un Etat démocratique dans lequel les droits humains seront respectés; la promotion de la participation de la Femme dans la gestion du développement du pays; la création de conditions pour une protection sociale pour tous; etc…Pour parvenir à cette ambitieuse chantier il faut absolument que des liens et des rapprochements soient établies entre le travailleur social que je suis et les instances internationales des travailleurs sociaux comme l’IFSW et les autres. Merci