IFSW Launches Human Rights CPD for Social Workers with UN and ILO

The International Federation of Social Workers has delivered a new Continuing Professional Development programme focused on the human rights of social workers and their responsibilities towards service recipients. The programme, available to practising social workers, members and representatives of national social work associations worldwide, was co-organised with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and developed in collaboration with the International Labour Organization.

The CPD addresses the realities facing social workers who operate daily on the frontlines of human rights, supporting individuals and communities while navigating complex systems, laws and institutional expectations. The programme examines the human rights framework that governs social workers' own professional conditions, alongside their obligations and powers in relation to those they serve.

The initiative reflects the IFSW's continued focus on strengthening the professional identity and working conditions of social workers globally, particularly in contexts where practitioners face challenging or hostile environments. World Social Work Day 2026, celebrated on 20 March under the global theme "Co-building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society," highlighted the role social workers play in rebuilding trust and strengthening solidarity across fractured communities.

The IFSW represents the social work profession globally through its network of national associations in more than 130 countries. Pascal Rudin, Interim Secretary General, noted in his World Social Work Day message that social workers play a vital role in helping communities rebuild trust and supporting those whose voices are too often unheard.