International Federation of Social Workers
Professional services
UnclaimedA worldwide federation representing professional social work associations and promoting social justice, human rights, and high-quality social work practice.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) is the principal international federation for professional social work organizations. It brings together national and regional professional associations and serves as a collective voice for social workers in international policy discussions. The federation's stated purpose is to help build a socially just world through professional social work, with emphasis on human rights, social development, dignity, equality, and the strengthening of communities and systems of care. IFSW's membership has been described as comprising 141 professional social work associations representing more than three million social workers worldwide. Its organizational structure is regional, covering Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America. Members elect an international Executive Committee at a General Meeting held every two years. The committee includes the president, treasurer, regional presidents, and deputy regional presidents. A permanent secretariat has operated since 1956 and is based in Rheinfelden, Switzerland. The federation performs several interconnected roles. It represents social work in international forums, develops and promotes professional standards, contributes to policy debates, and supports cooperation among social work associations. It has formal consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and has also held consultative relationships with UN-Habitat and the World Health Organization. Through these relationships, IFSW participates in discussions concerning social protection, social development, public health, education, human rights, migration, inequality, environmental sustainability, and the professional conditions of social workers. A major part of IFSW's work is carried out jointly with the International Association of Schools of Social Work. Their cooperation has produced internationally used reference documents, including the Global Definition of Social Work, ethical principles for the profession, and global standards for social work education and training. These instruments are intended to provide a common framework while allowing professional practice to respond to local cultures, legal systems, and community needs. IFSW also works through publications, training resources, policy statements, global consultations, conferences, and international campaigns. Its activities have included the journal International Social Work, a training manual focused on social work and children's rights, and the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development, developed with the International Association of Schools of Social Work and the International Council on Social Welfare. The agenda addresses social justice, social development, sustainable systems of well-being, inequality, the dignity and respect of all people, environmental sustainability, and the importance of human relationships. The federation's history includes both institutional expansion and engagement with contested political issues. It developed a regional structure from the 1960s onward, expanded its international membership during the 1990s, and took positions concerning apartheid, professional education, peace, and human rights. In 1970, IFSW suspended its South African member because of that organization's participation in the apartheid regime. In 1985, the United Nations recognized IFSW as a Peace Messenger. The federation remains an active professional and policy organization rather than a commercial consumer brand, and its principal outputs are standards, policy positions, representation, professional resources, and international collaboration.
History
The International Federation of Social Workers developed as an international coordinating and representative body for professional social work associations. A permanent secretariat has existed since 1956, and the federation's early institutional growth was accompanied by the launch of the journal International Social Work in 1958. In 1959, IFSW obtained consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, giving the profession a formal channel into international deliberations. During the 1960s, IFSW broadened its policy role. A special session at the Tenth World Conference in Rome expanded discussion of the federation's international policy responsibilities, and in 1963 IFSW was asked to contribute to a United Nations survey on international training for social workers. The federation also began to organize itself regionally. Europe became the first formal region in 1965, followed by an Asian regional conference in 1967. This regional model later developed into a structure covering Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America. The federation's history has included direct engagement with questions of ethics and political justice. In 1970, IFSW suspended its South African member because of that organization's participation in the apartheid system. During the 1980s, the federation worked toward a global understanding of social work and its international role. In 1985, the United Nations designated IFSW a Peace Messenger. During the 1990s, the federation expanded its membership to more than 80 member associations, reflecting the increasing international organization of the profession. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, IFSW expanded its educational and human-rights resources. It developed the training manual Social Work and the Rights of the Child and continued close cooperation with the International Association of Schools of Social Work. In 2001, the two organizations adopted a global definition of social work. In 2004, their collaboration produced a statement on ethics and principles as well as global standards for social work education and training. These documents sought to create a shared professional foundation without eliminating the need for national and local adaptation. IFSW's links with international institutions also widened. Its consultative relationship was extended to UN-Habitat in 2005, and the federation has subsequently held consultative status with the World Health Organization. The organization has described its membership and reach in different periods using different counts; more recent reference material identifies 141 professional associations representing more than three million social workers. In 2010, IFSW joined the International Association of Schools of Social Work and the International Council on Social Welfare in launching the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development. The initiative established a shared framework for advocacy and research on social justice, social development, and sustainable well-being. Following a two-year global consultation, the agenda's initial objectives were published on World Social Work Day in 2012. Subsequent reporting examined inequality and the dignity and respect of all people, while later work addressed climate change, the wider environment, sustainable communities, and the importance of human relationships. Today, IFSW is governed through an internationally elected Executive Committee. Its work combines representation, professional standard-setting, policy advocacy, publications, education resources, and collaboration with international bodies. The secretariat is based in Rheinfelden, Switzerland. The federation's current president is Joachim Mumba of Zambia, and Pascal Rudin is identified in the reference material as interim Secretary-General.
- 2010
Global Agenda launched
[1]IFSW, IASSW, and the International Council on Social Welfare launched the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development.
- 2005
UN-Habitat consultative relationship extended
[1]IFSW's consultative status was extended to UN-Habitat.
- 2004
Ethics and education standards published
[1]IFSW and its education-sector partner issued international ethics principles and global standards for social work education and training.
- 2001
Global Definition of Social Work adopted
[1]IFSW and the International Association of Schools of Social Work adopted a shared global definition of social work.
- 1985
Named a United Nations Peace Messenger
[1]The United Nations recognized IFSW as a Peace Messenger.
- 1970
South African member suspended
[1]IFSW suspended its South African member over participation in the apartheid regime.
- 1967
Asian regional conference held
[1]IFSW's regional development continued with a conference for Asia.
- 1965
First regional structure formed in Europe
[1]Europe became the first region established within IFSW's developing regional structure.
- 1959
UN Economic and Social Council consultative status
[1]The federation received consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
- 1958
International Social Work journal published
[1]IFSW and its partners published the professional journal International Social Work.
Products and positioning
A global representative and standard-setting federation for the professional social work community, positioned around social justice, human rights, ethical practice, social development, and international cooperation.
Journal · 1958
International Social Work
An international professional journal published by IFSW and partners from 1958. It provides a channel for scholarship, professional exchange, and discussion of social work practice and policy across national and regional settings.
Training manual
Social Work and the Rights of the Child
A training resource developed by IFSW at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It connects social work practice with children's rights and supports professional education on the protection and well-being of children.
Professional standard · 2001
Global Definition of Social Work
A shared definition adopted with the International Association of Schools of Social Work in 2001. It provides an international conceptual foundation for the profession while leaving room for social work to reflect local cultures, institutions, and needs.
Education standard · 2004
Global Standards for the Education and Training of the Social Work Profession
A jointly developed framework for social work education and training. The standards are intended to support consistent professional preparation internationally while accommodating different national education systems and practice environments.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development
Global
A joint international initiative of IFSW, the International Association of Schools of Social Work, and the International Council on Social Welfare to promote social justice, social development, and sustainable systems of well-being.
Outcome. After global consultation, objectives were published in 2012. Subsequent themes addressed inequality, dignity and respect, climate change and sustainable communities, followed by the importance of human relationships.
Brand decisions
2010
Launch of the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social DevelopmentStrategyBackground
The three partner organizations sought a coordinated international program addressing social justice, social development, and sustainable well-being.
Action taken
IFSW launched the Global Agenda with the International Association of Schools of Social Work and the International Council on Social Welfare.
Aftermath
The agenda generated global consultation, published objectives in 2012, and supported reporting on inequality, dignity, environmental sustainability, and human relationships.
2001
Adoption of a global definition of social workStrategyBackground
The profession needed a shared international reference point while continuing to operate across differing national, cultural, and institutional contexts.
Action taken
IFSW and the International Association of Schools of Social Work adopted a global definition of social work.
Aftermath
The definition became part of the federation's wider international standard-setting and advocacy work.
1970
Suspension of the South African memberOtherBackground
The South African member organization participated in the apartheid regime, creating a conflict with IFSW's professional and social-justice principles.
Action taken
IFSW suspended the member organization.
Aftermath
The action became a notable example of the federation applying ethical and political principles to its membership relationships.
Sources2 sources
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