This Global Agenda is the product of a 3-year collaborative initiative undertaken by three international organizations representing social work practice, social work education, and social development. Each of these international bodies was founded in 1928 and has held formal consultative status for many decades with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and other United Nations and related agencies.
The International Federation of Social Workers is the global federation of national social work organizations in 90 countries representing more than 750,000 social workers.
The International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) is an international community of schools and educators in social work that promotes quality education, training, and research in the theory and practice of social work; administration of social services; and formulation of social policies. IASSW speaks on behalf of 2,000 schools of social work and 500,000 students.
The International Council on Social Welfare is a global nongovernmental organization that represents tens of thousands of organizations around the world that are actively involved in programs to promote social welfare, social development, and social justice.
The Global Agenda was prepared after extensive consultation with social workers, social work educators, and social development practitioners. In 2010, at a joint conference in Hong Kong, the Global Agenda received overwhelming support from approximately 3,000 delegates.