Social Work and

Sustainable Development
Presented By:
Meiron Rajbhandari
Nistha Shakya
Rabina Shrestha
 Table of
CONTENT
Introduction SDG Global Goals
(Overview)

Relationship SDG in context of Nepal

Commitment Integrating

Role of social worker Challenges/ Opputunities

 Introduction
Social work addresses social Sustainable development aims
injustices, promotes well-being, for economic growth, social
and empowers vulnerable equity, and environmental
populations. sustainability.
 Relationship Between Social Work
and Sustainable Development
• Social work and sustainable development are interconnected fields working
towards a better future.
• Integrating social work principles into sustainable development initiatives
creates a more just and inclusive society.
• Collaboration offers a comprehensive approach to complex issues
• They recognize the interdependence of social well-being, economic prosperity,
and environmental health.
• Together, they create a path towards a sustainable and inclusive society.
Social Work Community’s Commitment
to Sustainable Development
World Social Work Day at the UN in Geneva, 2017 and 2018
• Environmental Crises:
Industrialized production and mass consumption are overexploiting finite resources,
polluting the environment (water, air, and soil), provoking climate changes (drought
and floods), environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity.
- The development is not only destroying the basis for life on our planet, it also
threatens the world’s population as it jeopardizes the resources of future generations.
 World Social Work Day at the UN in Geneva, 2017 and 2018

• Social Crises:

-Social issues have an impact on the entire society. Particularly vulnerable groups in
society are impacted, including those who live in poverty, marginalized and
discriminated minorities, and indigenous people.
-Environmental crises often increase social exclusion and discrimination, conflicts
and migration at local and global levels.

-Those who are least responsible for environmental problems are most harmed by
them.
 World Social Work Day at the UN in Geneva, 2017 and 2018

• Sustainable Development Goals:

-In September 2015 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the
Resolution “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development”.

-17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 Targets constitute a global Agenda
which seeks “to realize the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the
empowerment of all women and girls
 World Social Work Day at the UN in Geneva, 2017 and 2018

• Social Work:
Since the 1990s, there has been growing awareness in the social work community of
problematic disconnections between social work and environmental issues.

-The emergence of “Ecosocial work”, “Green social work” or “Ecological social

work” signals a new paradigm.

- Innovative approaches have been developed that allow social workers to pursue and
study environmental issues, to deepen the understanding of the relationship between
human communities, their physical environment and ecosystems.
Role of Social Workers in
Sustainable Development
Environmental Education and
Awareness:
Educating individuals, families, and
communities about the impact of their actions.
• waste reduction

• energy conservation

• responsible consumption

• public transportation
Crisis Preparedness and
Response:
They work in collaboration with other
professionals to –
• develop disaster management plans,

• provide psychosocial support to affected

populations,
• facilitate post-disaster recovery and
resilience-building efforts.
 Sustainable Development Goals
- (GLOBAL GOALS)
• Formulated by United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) in 2015.
• Set of 17 global targets to be achieved by 2030.
• a universal call to action that unites 193 countries around the world
to:
• end poverty
• protect the planet, and ensure that all the people enjoy peace and
prosperity.
 17
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 SDGs in context of Nepal
➢has been guiding its development efforts.
➢The government of Nepal has aligned its national
development plans with the SDGs

●In terms of the specific choice of SDGs by the Nepal

government, it adopted all 17 goals and committed to
achieving them by 2030. These goals cover a wide range of
areas, including poverty eradication, education, health,
gender equality, sustainable cities, climate action, and
more.
 Development plans of Nepal
Government for achieving SDGs
• National Planning:
The government has aligned its national development plans, such as the Three-
Year Interim Plan, periodic plans, and the current Fourteenth Five-Year Plan
(2016-2021) with the SDGs. The Five-Year Plans incorporate targets and
indicators related to the SDGs, ensuring that they are mainstreamed into the
country's development agenda.
• Policy Integration:
The government has integrated the SDGs into key policies, strategies, and
frameworks. For example, the National Adaptation Plan for Climate Change
incorporates the SDGs and addresses climate-related challenges in line with the
goals.
• Institutional Arrangements:
Nepal has established institutional arrangements to facilitate SDG
implementation. The National Planning Commission (NPC) is responsible for
overseeing the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the SDGs. The
NPC coordinates with various ministries, departments, and local governments to
ensure SDG integration across different sectors.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
The Nepal government has encouraged multi-stakeholder participation in the
implementation of the SDGs. Civil society organizations, private sector entities,
academia, and development partners are involved in various aspects, including
planning, implementation, and monitoring of SDG-related initiatives.
What is integrating
sustainability into social work
education?
Integrating sustainability into social work education
involves incorporating concepts of environmental,
social and economic sustainability into the curriculum
and teaching methods. This includes educating social
work students about the interconnectedness between
human well-being and the health of environment, as
well as the impact of social and economic systems on
sustainability.
 Promoting sustainable
social work practices

Incorporating an Building Building Collaboration and

ecological community community partner
perspective. resilience resilience
 Challenges and Opportunities
Challenges Opportunities

1. Lack of awareness and 1. Collaboration and partnership

understanding 2. Education and awareness
2. Resistance to change 3. Technology and innovation
3. Limited resources 4. Policy and institutional reforms
4. Complex interdependencies
 Challenges and Opportunities
Challenges

1. War (Causes a lot of Loss)

• Geo Politics
• Cold war
2. Absence of Good Governance
3. Natural Disaster (especially pandemic in todays time)
4. Population growth
5. Unequal distribution of Natural resources
6. Lack of Collaboration and cooperation between government, non
government and private sectors.
MPI: Multi Dimensional Poverty Index
First report in 2018
10 indicators
 REFERENCE

• https://www.ifsw.org/wp-content/uploads/ifsw-cdn/assets/ifsw_8355
1-10.pdf
• https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals/no-poverty?
• https://www.ifsw.org/social-work-and-the-united-nations-
sustainable-development-goals-sdgs/