Social work, people’s assemblies and the creation of new eco-social contracts ::exploring reform pathways for the United Nations

This paper argues that social work, as a human rights profession, is key in contributing to the creation of eco-social contracts. Social workers can contribute by applying their skills and experiences and through working in partnership with key stakeholders. At the global level, social workers and their representative organizations could engage more effectively with UN human rights mechanisms to strengthen human rights review processes and accountability measures. In line with the work of the IFSW UN Commission, this paper aims to scope these mechanisms for avenues of participation and for identifying the role that social workers and national social work associations could play in making them more inclusive. It argues for a larger systemic reform of these mechanisms to better include and recognize people and communities affected by human rights violations. As a means of inclusion, the paper suggests considering various forms of people’s assemblies, a proposal that draws on IFSW’s experience of co-leading the Global People’s Summit, Co-building a New Eco-Social World: Leaving No One Behind, convened in 2022, which led to the People's Charter for an Eco-Social World.