Tue, 27 Jun 2017 13:32:39 +0000
By Andrew Mukoma
CLOSE to 242,000 households in 78 districts are being targetted under the social cash transfer, Community Development and Social Services Minister Emerine Kabanshi has said .
Ms Kabanshi said that the social welfare workforce in her ministry is well positioned to extend its relevance and influence in promoting environmental protection and sustainable development through its strength in working directly with the community.
She was speaking during the official opening of two days African Joint Conference Social Work, Education and Social Development (SWSD) at Chrismar Hotel in Livingstone on Monday.
“Studies have shown that social protection programmes can significantly reduce vulnerability of disadvantaged groups to the effects of climate change. My government is not only aware of the vital role social workers play in the delivery of services to vulnerable people,” she said.
“As a country, there is need to invest in a highly skilled social workforce that adheres to ethical principles and values of the professional,” she said.
Ms. Kabanshi said, to be able, to achieve this, there is need for a legal recognition of social work as a profession as well as regulation of social work training and practice in Zambia.
“I am glad to mention here that my ministry in collaboration with the social workers association of Zambia is making steady progress towards securing the social workers association of Zambia Act of Parliament.
She said that government acknowledges the fact that a stronger social workforce professional body is lifeblood of a vibrant social welfare workforce and social welfare system that provides quality services to the community.
And Speaking at the same the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) president Ruth Stark profession is borderless profession that need to be supported by everybody.
Dr. Stark said that unfortunately, there is no social democratic party which has shown potential in advancing a social justice agenda across the 126 countries including Zambia.
She said that this is an agenda that is born out of working with people in communities with realities.
“The potential for social workers is to achieve transformation at the grassroots level. But as an association worldwide, we are just at the beginning of experiencing our potential and capacity to influence political world around us,” she said.
Meanwhile, Social Workers Association of Zambia president Dr. Lawrence Mukuka has described 2017 as a busy year for the association.
Dr. Mukuka said that apart from hosting the conference, the association in Zambia bus pursuing the creation of an Act of Parliament that will formally recognize and regulate both the training and practice of the profession of social work in Zambia.
He said that this is for enhanced professional delivery, integrity and client protection.
“I encourage all our partners and supporters to see us through this process in which in which they have already invested so much and played a significant role,” he said.
