SOCIAL POLICY

Social Justice & Social Policy

“A Sociological Imagination is crucial for a Social Work practice based on Human Rights and Social Justice”

Introduction

The concept of social work has nurtured the establishment of a welfare state. A welfare state is a land which protects the human rights; also, it entails the presence of social justice for its dwellers. The equality & human rights constitute the fundamentals of a society; a society, which governs on the principles of equality & parity, ensures the well-being of its social member. The notion of a welfare state has a significant value for mankind. Homo-Sapiens have explored the social principles & concepts, in order to facilitate the idea of social justice & human rights.

In this essay, the discussion explores the given statement in the light of literature. The essay elaborates the sociological imagination & its connection with the social ideals. The discussion begins with the description of the key terms; also, the write up identifies associated policies & issues in the social work practices.

Discussion

Social work

Social work has a broad description; the term phenomenon exists in many forms (Oak, 2009, p.169). Mark (2012) highlighted three dimensions of the term; the author declares social work as an academic & scientific discipline. The third dimension of social work is contemporary; it explains that social work is a kind of activity for fostering social change. In the year 2000, International Federation of social workers revised the traditional description of social work. The Federation emphasises on the “professional” content of the social work; the social work is a responsible profession, which supports social change. Moreover, the profession enables people to liberate from the social injustice & obtain their due social rights. According to International Federation of Social Workers (2000), “Principles of Human rights & social justice are fundamental to social work” (p.6).

Human Rights

Human rights serve as a fundamental concept for a social work. Human rights refer to the social & individual rights of humans, without consideration for the differences. Human rights belong to everyone. They refer to the basic & fundamental rights that every individual possesses as a human; these rights are meant for every human regardless of ethnicity, religion, age, and gender (Ife, 2008, p.28). The basic aim of human rights is to foster an environment, which offers equal opportunities & freedom to humans. The rights may range from food, shelter, education, healthcare, clothing, religion, and other similar aspects of human lives. The human rights include freedom of expression & freedom to practice the beliefs (Ife, 2008, p.29).

Human rights are a subject or values & principles, outlined by respect, autonomy, privacy, fairness, and universality. There are international laws for protecting the human rights all over the world. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has thirty articles, which focus on varying aspects of protecting the civil rights. It presents a common standard for the people around the world.

Social Justice

Barry (2005) communicated that social justice is an extension of the liberal justice ...