Résumé
Advocating at the United Nations (UN) is a daunting task for many social workers. The UN is so extensive, its system of agencies and relationships is complex and overlaid by politics, and there is no clear entry point for affecting change at the UN. However, as more of the social issues social workers confront in their local practices have global roots and international implications, it becomes imperative that social workers seeking justice learn how to shape policies and decisions made at the UN. IASSW and its sister organizations, IFSW and ICSW, have consultative status at the UN and regularly advocate on issues important to social work. One of the ways that IASSW has engaged in UN deliberations is through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs reach their midpoint in 2023 and to the disappointment of many, will not achieve the expected progress due to the COVID pandemic and other challenges. The pandemic added 75 million more people to those living in extreme poverty. Since 2020, the richest one-percent have captured almost two-thirds of all new wealth.This symposium tackles the possibilities available to social workers to accelerate progress toward the achievement of the SDGs by 2030. Collectively, this symposium will present an overview of IASSW’s involvement at the UN historically and in the present using ongoing examples of IASSW representatives to UN experiences advocating for more humane migration experiences including mental health supports, child protection during humanitarian crises, and opportunities for social workers to engage in antipoverty efforts – the highlighted SDG for 2024. An interactive experience will tie participants' experiences in local advocacy, community building, and inequality to the SDGs.
Mots clés (séparés par des virgules)
United Nations, advocacy, Sustainable Development Goals, global social work, migrants, humanitarian crises, child protection
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Fighting Poverty through the UNThe UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF) is the central United Nations platform for the review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global level. Each year several of the SDGs are selected as the theme to review progress across all countries. In addition, a cohort of nations are selected for voluntary national reviews (VNRs). VNRs aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences and lessons learned, as well as to strengthen the policies and institutions of governments, and to mobilize multi-stakeholder support for the SDGs. In 2024, the theme of the HLPF will be “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises.” As a result of the COVID pandemic, the war in the Ukraine, and disasters, more than four years of progress against extreme poverty was erased and nearly 700 million people are living in extreme poverty globally. Efforts to fight poverty are critical to social work. The presentation will demonstrate ways in which social workers can get involved in influencing knowledge and advocacy efforts at the UN on this topic by directly participating in proceedings, working with NGOs and UN Major Groups or Commissions, working within their own countries, nationally or locally, and lobbying other member countries. While annual HLPF meetings take place at the UN, typically in July, months of preparation go into these meetings, and there are many opportunities for advocacy. The presentation will highlight how local experiences affect global advocacy strategy through an interactive exercise. The 2024 HLPF will also review the effectiveness of the current UN process in achieving the SDGs. This is an opportunity for social workers to affect changes in the process to increase the participation of those whose voices are often not heard.
