Social work Codes of Ethics of professional organizations around the world appeal to the concept of people having ‘rights’ that social workers need to respect and advocate for. However, it isn’t always clear how social workers can actually incorporate human rights-based approaches in their practice, whether domestic or international. This book fills this gap by advancing rights-based approaches to social work. The first part gives an overview of the relationship between human rights and social work, and outlines a model for how rights-based approaches can be integrated into social work practice. The second part introduces the rights-based framework across five mainstream areas of practice – poverty, child welfare, older adults, health, and mental health. Each of these substantive chapters: introduces the area of practice and traditional social welfare interventions associated with it outlines relevant human rights frameworks explores case studies showcasing rights-based approaches presents practical implications for implementing rights-based social work practice. The book ends with a discussion of the limitations and criticisms of rights-based approaches and lays out some future directions for practice. This accessible text is designed for all those interested in learning how to introduce human rights-based interventions into their practice. It will be of particular use to social work students taking direct practice, macro practice, social policy, international social work and human rights courses as part of their program.

This brief resource sets out a rights-based framework for policy analysis that allows social workers to enhance their long-term vision as well as their current practice. It introduces the emerging P.A.N.E. (Participation, Accountability, Non-discrimination, Equity) model for evaluating social policy, comparing it with the traditional needs-based charity model in terms of not only effectiveness and efficiency but also inclusion and justice. Recognized standards for human rights are used to identify values crucial to informing policy goals. Exercises, key documents, and an extended example illustrate both the processes of creating empowering social policy and its best and most meaningful outcomes. Included in the coverage: Rights-based and needs-based approaches to social policy analysis. Regional and international human rights instruments. Grounding social policies in legal and institutional frameworks. Conceptualizing social issues from a human rights frame. Measuring progress on the realization of human rights. Rights-based analysis of maternity, paternity, and parental leaves in the United States. For social workers and social work researchers, A Rights-Based Approach to Social Policy Analysis gives readers a modern platform for achieving the highest goals of the field. It also makes a worthwhile class text for social work programs. ​

Encompassing community development, organizing, planning, & social change, as well as globalisation, this book is grounded in participatory & empowerment practice. The 36 chapters assess practice, theory & research methods.

This volume brings together a host of scholars to address curriculum development and teaching methodologies for integrating human rights into social work education. Contributors discuss the theoretical framework and practical applications of the human rights approach in the areas of diverse human rights orientations to curriculum development; policy, research, and social justice; travel study and exchange models; and special populations. The authors press readers to address not only the human rights violations reported widely in the media, but also more familiar issues such as child welfare, poverty, food insecurity, racism, and violence against women. In addition, readers will find ideas for course design and teaching strategies and ample reference material, such as specialized treaties of specific relevance to social work, country and shadow reports, and complaint mechanisms. This book illustrates how the powerful idea of human rights can inform and transform social work education, and ultimately, professional practice.Contributors: Joseph Wronka, David Androff, Jane McPherson, Elaine Congress, Nivedita Prasad, Sandra Chadwick-Parkes, Michael Reisch, Louise Simmons, Christina Chiarelli-Helminiak, Brunilda Ferraj, Viviene Taylor, Rosemary Barbera, Shirley Gatenio Gabel, Hugo Kamya, Dennis Ritchie, Laura Guzmán Stein, Jody Olsen, Anusha Chatterjee, Robin Spath, Joyce Lee Taylor, Kirk James, Julie Smyth, Uma A. Segal, Filomena M. Critelli, DeBrenna LaFa Agbényiga, Sudha Sankar, S. Megan Berthold, Rebecca L. Thomas, Lynne M. Healy, and Kathryn R. Libal.

The second edition of this popular social work practice text more fully addresses the connection between social justice and human rights.

Critical social work encourages emancipatory personal and social change. This text focuses on the challenge of incorporating critical theory into the practice of social workers and provides case studies and insights from a range of fields to illustrate how to work with tensions and challenges. Beginning with an outline of the theoretical basis of critical social work and its different perspectives, the authors go on to introduce key features of working in this tradition including critical reflection. Part II explores critical practices in confronting privilege and promoting social justice in social work, examining such issues as human rights, gender, poverty and class. Part III considers the development of critical practices within the organisational context of social work including the fields of mental health, child and family services, within Centrelink and prison settings. Part IV is focused on doing anti- discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice in social work with particular populations including asylum seekers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, domestic violence survivors, older people and lesbian, gay and transgender groups. Finally, Part V outlines collectivist and transformative practices in social work and beyond, looking at environmental issues, social activism, the disability movement and globalisation. 'A highly valuable addition to social work education and practice literature in Australia and beyond its shores.' Ruth Phillips, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney

At its founding, social workers were human rights defenders who advocated for societal reforms and fought against social exclusion and discriminatory practices that violated human rights. As social work grew and developed professional skill sets, values, and ethics, the focus turned toward professionalizing social work by creating theories and interventions to guide social work practice, and justice was no longer the driving force. The role of social workers as human rights defenders faded as the place of justice in social work receded. Social work practice moved from instigating change toward maintaining the existing social infrastructure. In A Human Rights-Based Approach to Justice in Social Work Practice, Shirley Gatenio Gabel presents a human rights-based approach toward justice in social work practice that is more in line with social work's roots and the intentions of its founders, and moves us past the false micro/macro dichotomy within social work. A rights-based approach seeks to transform societies in ways that care with respect and dignity for one another. This renewed approach requires the full participation of impacted individuals and communities to create systems supportive of human rights and economic, social, and environmental justice. Readers will be challenged to think critically about the social infrastructure we have built, who benefits from it, who doesn't, and how it perpetuates inequities. Using case examples, exercises, and reflection activities, this book will serve as a go-to guide on implementing and integrating a rights-based approach to justice in social work practice.