OSCE supports establishment of State-level association of social workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina

SARAJEVO, 11 October 2018 –The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) supported the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Sarajevo and unions of social workers of the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska at a conference dedicated to the education of social workers that concluded today in Sarajevo.

The focus of the conference, that gathered more than 200 social workers from across the region, was on international standards and current practices in the education of social workers.

Mirnes Telalovic, President of the FBiH Association of Social Workers, said that BiH’s social protection system requires further development and improvement toward international standards. “BiH is in need of qualified social workers. Education and professional development of social workers is the only way to achieve this goal,” said Telalovic.

The conference was also an opportunity to mark the establishment of a state-level association of social workers. “This was one of our major goals in the social work sector in BiH,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH Ambassador Bruce G. Berton. “Now, the BiH Social Workers Union will be able to co-operate with other national associations and submit its application for membership in the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW). This will make a significant contribution to the status of social workers in BiH as well as the provision of services to BiH’s most vulnerable people.”

Srdjan Baralic, President of the Republika Srpska Association of Social Workers, said that challenges in the area of social protection are common across BiH: “This is why it is important for us to unite our efforts and capacities, as well as to strengthen co-operation with other national associations to address these challenges. We are glad that the OSCE Mission to BiH recognized the importance of the establishment of the BiH Social Workers Union and supported this initiative.”

The OSCE Mission to BiH continues to enhance the capacities of social protection professionals to improve the reach and effectiveness of their services as well as their capacity to advocate for needed legislative and policy changes.