Contributing to the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development
The CSWE Commission on Global Social Work Education would like to take the opportunity to highlight the importance of the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development, which was launched in 2010 and developed collaboratively among the International Association of Schools of Social Work, the International Federation of Social Workers, and the International Council on Social Welfare at the Joint World Conference in Hong Kong. The official document was unveiled in 2012 on World Social Work Day and was also the featured topic during the Joint World Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, the same year. During this conference the tripartite group called for the universal implementation of human rights and social justice, which included the following commitments to action:
• Promoting social and economic equalities
• Ensuring the dignity and worth of the person
• Promoting sustainable communities and environmentally sensitive development
• Promoting well-being through sustainable human relationships
Information collection began in 2013 among the tripartite group to identify what was being done in each region of the world to address the first commitment, promoting social and economic equalities. This data was compiled and presented to the participants at the 2014 Joint World Conference in Melbourne, Australia. Summaries of information collected can be found in the International Social Work section of the SAGE website. Publications by CSWE and its members were mentioned in this document; however, we believe that there is more information produced by our members that needs to be documented. Going forward, the Global Commission would like CSWE members to be more involved in sharing its data and research addressing the next commitment to action, ensuring the dignity and worth of the person. We are asking CSWE members to share how they have operationalized this second commitment in their work, curricula, and research. The information collection process will occur in 2015 and will be compiled to be presented at the 2016 Joint World Conference in Seoul, South Korea.