Promoting Human Rights in Social Work Education: The Fridas Project

Background and Purpose: Social work plays a crucial role in upholding human rights, but the inclusion of human rights principles in academic training is limited. The FRIDAS (Fundamental Rights in Daily Actions of Social Workers) project, a collaborative effort between universities and the REDU (Human Rights Education Network) association, aims to bridge this gap by promoting a human rights-centered approach in social work education. The project aims to empower future social workers to identify and prevent human rights violations and discrimination, while promoting inclusive practices in vulnerable settings.

Methods: FRIDAS is a partnership between four universities (Roma Tre University, NTNU, Università di Shkodër, and Universidad de Granada) and REDU. Key activities include gathering case studies of human rights violations in social work, creating a competency framework on human rights for students, and developing educational modules for training. A virtual community of practice will be established to allow students and practitioners to exchange best practices and advocate for human rights in social work.

Findings: Initial results indicate that integrating human rights principles into social work education increases students’ awareness of their role in promoting social justice and safeguarding vulnerable populations. Students develop essential skills such as empathy, critical thinking, and lateral problem-solving, which are vital for addressing complex human rights issues in practice.

Conclusions and Implications: FRIDAS underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between academic institutions and human rights organizations in shaping the next generation of social workers. The project’s outcomes will have long-term implications for higher education, policy, and practice by establishing a human rights-based curriculum that prepares social workers to advocate for marginalized communities. Future research will examine the impact of this approach on professional development and service delivery.