Title: The Socio-Economic Crisis and Human Rights in Greece: The Role of Social Work
Abstract: Human rights are violated on a daily basis both voluntarily and involuntarily. This proves that they are not guaranteed and applied through legal procedures, rules and regulations. We need to create a society of citizens and public bodies who promote human rights around the world and will fight for the prevention of injustice, oppression and discrimination. This will build a global culture, the keystone of which is respect for human rights. To achieve this vision, the contribution of the field of human rights education is seen as necessary, as this direction can effectively lead to the building of a global culture of human rights and help develop human rights competence. One of the professional groups on which human rights education focuses is that of social workers. The current social and economic conditions in Greece call for action on the part of the social work profession. Social workers are now required to overcome methodologically and politically many of the conservative ‘theories’ that they have been nurtured with and seek new forms of action, utilising many elements from social pedagogy. This direction will contribute to the emergence of a new social work which is politically active and socially sensitive.