A Global Statement of Ethical Principles has recently been developed to facilitate social workers' aspirations towards the highest possible standards of ethical practice, through processes of constant debate, self-reflection, willingness to deal with ambiguities, and to engage in ethically acceptable processes of decision-making to achieve ethical outcomes. The Statement makes an explicit commitment to value the people with whom social workers engage and a shift toward recognizing and connecting work toward advancing human dignity and human rights.
Finalized in 2018 through the inputs by many individuals, organizations and social work associations, and led by the International Association of Schools of Social Workers and International Federation of Social Workers, this Statement builds upon the global definition of social work, defined in 2014.
Speakers will share details about the Statement and the nine guiding principles included within it and share some examples of how a code of ethics is being implemented in different county settings. They will also share the process for drafting the document, including some of the challenges the group overcame to ensure cultural contextualization, global inclusion and harmonization from diverse stakeholders toward reaching global agreement on the Statement. They will also will focus on the use of the Ethics Statement in preparing students for international field placements and research in this area.
Following the presentations, there will be time for participants to pose questions to the presenters.