Rights-Based Vision: a Portuguese Validation of the Human Rights Lens in Social Work Scale

Abstract Integrating human rights principles into social work practice is essential for advocating and protecting clients’ rights. The Human Rights Lens in Social Work (HRLSW) scale, which measures social workers’ ability to see the human rights dimensions of their work, can be used to promote rights-based practices within social work. Originally developed in the USA, the scale requires validation in different cultural contexts to ensure its applicability and relevance. Therefore, to assess the scale’s reliability and construct validity in Portugal—and to examine its applicability among Portuguese social workers—a study was conducted to validate the HRLSW-PT, the Portuguese version of the HRLSW. The sample consisted of 138 social workers, mostly female (88.4%) with an average age of 31.63 years ( SD = 11.94). Principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported a revised two-factor structure for the HRLSW-PT, consisting of nine items (RMSEA = 0.019; TLI = 0.996; CFI = 0.997). The HRLSW-PT and its two factors, “clients seen as experiencing rights violations” and “social problems seen as rights violations,” demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s .84, .87, and .69, respectively). The HRLSW-PT is a reliable and valid tool for assessing Portuguese social workers’ perspectives and attitudes towards human rights issues. The HRLSW-PT can now inform educational and professional development programs, enhancing social workers’ capacity to advocate for and protect human rights, thereby promoting social justice and equity in Portugal. The authors argue for similar validations in countries worldwide to facilitate cross-national comparisons and promote rights-based practices among social workers worldwide.