Statement in Support of Social Workers in South
Caucasus Region
The
European Region of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW Europe e.V) wishes to express
support for the development of the social work
profession in the South Caucasus region and acknowledge the challenges that our
colleagues in that locality face in their day to day professional activities.
We compliment them on the very real progress they have made in articulating the
concern shared by all social workers to secure a just and fair society.
A
humanistic profession as diverse as the population it serves, social work is
firmly established globally as a profession that promotes social change,
problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of
people to enhance well-being. Social workers are committed to challenging the
abuse of human rights that regrettably continues to occur in all parts of the
world and to overcoming resistance to the values and principles that underpin
the essential services we provide.
The
infrastructure necessary to ensure that social workers have the necessary
knowledge, skills and support to perform their duties effectively is less well
developed in countries that have a turbulent history of conflict and change and
where democratic accountability is a relatively new phenomenon. We are proud to
be associated with the substantial progress that has been made in firmly
establishing social work practice in the countries of South Caucasus: Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Professional
regulation is an essential element of our accountability as social workers and
IFSW Europe urges all the relevant stakeholders to support professional bodies
in their efforts to establish the systems necessary to in protect the interests
of those who use our services.
We would
like to congratulate and encourage all Armenian, Azeri and Georgian social
workers in the region to continue their efforts to challenge unacceptable
cultural practices, overcome political opposition and advocate for human rights,
social justice, women’s equality and the further development of the practice of
social work in South Caucasus.
About the Region: South Caucasus
South
Caucasus is a geopolitical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and
Southwest Asia. The region consists of three countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. All these countries share the soviet
history. The region remains one of
the most complicated in the post-Soviet area, and comprises tree disputed
territories Abkhazia and South Ossetia in
Georgia and Nagorno-Karabakh in
Azerbaijan.
Social Work Emerging in South Caucasus
Social
work development in each of the South Caucasian countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Georgian,) is characterized by particular specificities, yet this process
shares common trends as well. In all the three countries social work has been
developing since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Social work practice emerged in this region as a response to
the severe socio-economic crisis brought about by the collapse of the soviet
empire and influenced by the recommendations of the international stakeholders.
Having a tradition of “no social problems”, the official view of the socialist
utopia of the Soviet Union that in a just social system (communism) social
problems would disappear, these countries are faced with a significant number
of social and economical challenges. Several wars, including the 2008 South Ossetia war,
Georgian-Abkhazian conflict and the Nagorno-Karabakh war have
been waged in the region.
Despite
20 years of history in the region, social work has little tradition as an
academic or professional path in most former Soviet countries. The training
program for social workers at the university level was established in 1996 in
Armenia, whereas the academic level education was introduced in 2005 in
Azerbaijan and in 2006 in Georgia.
The need for well-trained social workers is profound in all
post-communist societies, with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia being no
exception.
Professional Associations in the Region
Pioneer social
workers in the region have formed thriving associations as professional
touchstones for all social workers.
In Armenia and Georgia the associations were established in 2004 when
social work had no professional body or a code of standards, and few opportunities
to work in the field. The
associations have helped not only raise the profile of social work within their
respective countries, but also supported the development of social work
education as well as establishment and enforcement of a professional code of
ethics, key characteristic of the profession. These developments were followed
by Azerbaijan establishing the association in 2009.
18th
March, 2014
Contact: Cristina Martins, President of the IFSW European Region [International Federation
of Social Workers – Europe e.V.] E-mail: martinscristina25@hotmail.com Cell phone: +
351 936272618
Web: www.ifsw.org/europe
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