Using a Human Rights-based

approach in Social work

BMP SETLALENTOA

Topics
Introduction
The Context
Provision of social welfare services
The SA Constitution
Developmental social welfare
National Development Plan
Social work and human rights
Social work qualification
Critical questions
Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Promoting social change

Human relationships
Empowerment and liberation
Interacting with the environment
Principles of human rights and social justice

The Context
Provision of social welfare services

Pre-Apartheid (1652-

Apartheid era (1948-

Democratic era

1948)

1994)

(1994-

Charity

Independent
Poor relief

Residual approach
Institutional
approach

Developmental

approach

THE CONTEXT
The SA Constitution
The mirror of the society we seek to create
It promises to establish a society based on social justice, to
improve quality of life of all citizens and to free the potential of
each person.
Developmental social welfare
The welfare sector also responded by changing policies to reflect
the new South Africa.
The developmental approach in line with the Constitution was
adopted.
Patel (2005) is of the view that the developmental perspective to
social welfare in SA is rooted in a rights-based approach.
Human rights and social justice are the cornerstone of social
development

THE CONTEXT
Violence, Gang-related crime in schools, Substance
abuse
Social problems and high-risk behaviour undermines
human development and social cohesion
Sense of powerlessness and social isolation (National
Development Plan, 2011:337).
Challenges which poor people face needs to inform and
shape national development strategies
Social workers can help build and strengthen interaction
between governments and their citizens

SOCIAL WORK AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Patel (2005) emphasises the point that

individuals and client populations are
subjects of rights. It means they are not
the passive receivers of rights but they are
active partners with those working for the
realisation of rights and together they have
a shared interest.

Social work and human rights

Are the social work interventions including or excluding?

Solidarity
Rupture of social bond
that is cultural and moral

Monopoly

Specialisation

Social order is

Discrimination and

coersive

denial of full access

Social work and human rights

The critical questions that this paper seeks to
interrogate are:
Are the voices of the vulnerable heard and
their rights protected?
Are we focusing on inclusive social work
interventions that promote and protect human
rights?
Are there policies that address the social and
economic inequalities such as resource
distribution?

Understanding and commitment of social workers and policy makers

will certainly promote the human based culture. In that the voices of all
will be heard and comprehensive, appropriate interventions will
promote achievement of the MDGs. Social workers should base their
work on promoting social change, empowering individuals and
communities. Let me conclude by quoting Helen Clark that at the heart
of the concept of human development is an acknowledgement of the
importance of people being able to live lives which they choose and
value. At the heart of our work is engaging communities in voicing what
they want their future to look like.

Thank you