Presented by,Seminar Group “E”Semester:4/1Dept. of Social WorkShahjalal University of Science and Technology

Human rights are "commonly understood

as inalienable fundamental rights to

which a person is inherently entitled simply

because she or he is a human being. Human

rights are thus conceived as universal (applicable

everywhere) and egalitarian (the same

for everyone). These rights may exist

as natural rights or as legal rights, in local,

regional, national, and international law.

Social Work is the professional activity of helping individuals, groups, or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favourable to this goal. Social work in its various forms addresses the multiple, complex transactions between people and their environments. Its mission is to enable all people to develop their full potential, enrich their lives, and prevent dysfunction. Professional social work is focused on problem solving and change.

The term "human rights" refers to those rights that are considered universal to humanity, regardless of citizenship, residency status, ethnicity, gender, or other considerations.

“The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work”. (International Federation of Social workers, IFSW: 1982)

Promoting Social Change. Problem Solving in human

relationships. Empowerment and liberation of people

to enhance well-being. Human rights and Social justice

( Principles, Which are fundamental to Social Work ).

“ Social Workers respect the basic human rights of individuals and groups as expressed in the united nations universal declaration of human rights and other international conventions derived from that declaration”(IFSW:2000).

Social workers should promote conditions that encourage respect for cultural and social diversity within the globe. Social workers should promote policies and practices that demonstrate respect for difference, support and expansion of cultural knowledge and resources, advocate for programmes and institutions that demonstrate cultural competence and promote policies that safeguard the rights and confirm equity and social justice for all people.(NASW,1996: Page-27)

 (These are very Similar to Human Rights).

Based on established concepts and definitions of human rights, Social workers can readily identify a connection between human rights and their profession.

The social work profession concerns itself with helping people. Human rights cover an entire range of political, economic and cultural needs required to form a human society.

Social work practice based on human rights is no panacea for discrimination, inequality, poverty and other social problems, knowledge of human rights can help the profession better understand its role as a helping profession.

1. Social work has to be conscious of its values and possess a solid knowledge base, not least in the field of human rights, to guide it in many conflicting situations throughout its practice. While social workers through their actions may well reinforce the rights of clients, faulty judgment can lead them to jeopardize those rights. Viewing its work from a global human rights perspective helps the profession by providing a sense of unity and solidarity without losing sight of the local perspectives, conditions and needs which constitutes the framework within which social workers operate.

2. Social Work works to meet the basic human needs of people. But Nowadays it works for transform “Needs” in the “Rights” by practicing various consideration of human rights practice on organization principle. Working within different political systems social workers upholds and defend the rights of their individuals or collective clients while attempting to meet their needs. They do this while often employed by established, sanctioned by authority; and their position as agents of the state or employees of powerful institutions or agencies, has placed many in a precarious role.

WomenChildren Indigenous peopleLabourEtc

They help people undertake a social analysis of where they are now.

They are often the catalyst to helping people find and achieve change in their lives.

The process of change is through building up trust and the social relationship with the person making that change in their lives.

An ethical dilemma is a predicament where a person must decide between two viable solutions that seem to have similar ethical value. An ethical dilemma can occur when a social worker has to take a moral course of action depending upon two different moral philosophies that conflict with each other.

The situations where social workers face some of the most complex ethical dilemmas are where, for example, an intervention has to be considered that might result in a person being detained in a mental health hospital for the safety of themselves or others, advice to a Court about whether society may need protection from an offender, or where a child and parent should live apart to prevent harm.

Human Rights are inseparable from Social work theory, values and ethics, and practice. Rights corresponding to human needs. Have to upheld and fostered and they embody the justification and motivation for social work action. Advocacy of such rights must therefore be an integral part of social work, even if in countries living under authoritarian regimes such advocacy can have serious consequences for Social work professionals.