By, John Mary Ssekate
The global conference on social work, Education and Social Development will be held in Kenya East Africa from June 26, to 29, 2026 at Kenyatta International Convention Centre under the theme, ‘’Harambee -Social Workers Unite for sustainable shared futures”.
This global learning event will bring together over 2500 global social work stakeholders from government ministries and departments, social work educators and researchers, frontline social workers from social work agencies and social work students from 127 countries.
The event is organised jointly by International and Local Committees from International Federation of Social Workers(IFSW), the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and International Council on Social Welfare(ICSW).
This gathering has become a global prestigious event bringing together social work stakeholders to present latest social work research, share best practices field stories across different social work domains and this conference has been previously hosted in Hong Kong, Chaina in 2010 (the inaugural joint conference), Stockholm, Sweden in 2012, Melbourne, Australia 2014, Seoul, South Korea 2016, Dublin, Ireland 1018, virtual event in 2020, Canada due to Covid-19 , South Korea 2022 and Panama 2024.
Why every social work stakeholder must attend this prestigious global event?
This conference offers a unique opportunity to connect with international stakeholders and jointly tackle shared challenges, share cutting age interventions, build international referral networks, collaborate in cross-border research and advocacy for system strengthening and policy changes on key issues like climate change, inequality, human rights violations, mental health, digital social work, social movements, social welfare and community development.
The conference will serve as a platform of shaping the global social development goals and contextualising the internationalhuman rights frameworks and knowledge exchange from varying cultural and social economic backgrounds as emphasised by IFSW global President Mr. Joachim Mumba,
“I invite the global community to utilize the conference as a vital platform to share practice stories, strengthen global networks, and co-create sustainable social development” Joachim Mumba.
Away from the conference meetings, East Africa remain the World tourism destination with its rich and diverse wildlife safaris, cultural heritage of over 100 distinct ethnic groups offering a unique community-based tourism, historical landmarks and vibrant traditions. The unique cultural immersion includes visiting the traditional Massai Bomas in Kenya and Tanzania, the unique indigenous cultures of the Batwa pygmies in Uganda and Rwanda, the UNESCO world heritage sites of Kasubi Royal Tombs in Uganda, local craftmanship shops, and national parks like Murchison falls and Bwindi impenetrable in Uganda, Maasai Mara national reserve in Kenya, Serengeti and Volcano national parks in Tanzania and Rwanda respectively.
Social work students under mentorship at JM-Centre for Community Engagement and Research- (CCER) June -July will attend virtually the opening SWSD student’s symposium on June 24, to connect with other students for a sustainable shared future.
Conference structure and keynote speakers.
This global learning event has been organised starting with a pre-conference students symposium on June 24, 2026 at Daystar University along Vally Road Nairobi, beginning 9am-3pm under a sub-theme “connecting social work students to a sustainable shared future”, to allow student participation both physical and online and a summary of the symposiumoutcome will be integrated in the main conference communique. From June 26 to 29, 2026, will be the activity parked dates for the main conference. Beginning with the field visits around Kenya city, and an international seminar led by the International Committee on Social Welfare (under the topic” Participatory governance, social work and social policy in times of AI”. This international seminar will be followed by an official opening ceremony and communication from international and local organising committees, communications from presidents, IFSW, IASSW, and ICSW.
The conference will run on eight (8) sub-themes of – reclaiming and reimagining social work practice, social work education, pedagogy and research, social work and social welfare across lifespan, social work and sustainable development, clinical social work, health and wellbeing, social work practice in the face of complex global challenges, social movements, political social work and building democratic societies, and digital social work.
The key note speakers will feature internationally respected social work researchers, educators and human rights defenders including Hon. Winnie Byanyima, Under secretary UN/ Executive Director, Prof. Emeritus Hilary Weaver -State University of New York, Prof. Maria P, Aronda, University of southern California, Prof. Jose Manuel Ramirez Navarro, University of Malaga Spain Prof. Sabelo J, Ndlovu-Gatsheni, Canada Research chair and Geoge Ochieng Odolo from Slum child foundation Kenya as summarised in the conference programme.
Health and Safety/ Ebola Contral Measures in East Africa.
According to the Conference steering committee health assessment report on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which had partially spread to Uganda, there is no confirmed Ebola case in Nairobi and any where in Kenya.
The World Health Organisation and the government of Kenyan have implemented a national Ebola preparedness response to enhanced surveillance at points of entry and within the healthcare system.
Additionally, the assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO), national public health authorities, and other relevant international health agencies, the risk to conference participants in Nairobi remains low and the steering committee continue to monitor developments and provide health updates.
In the neighbouring country of Uganda where 19 cases had been reported, the Uganda Ministry of Health and the World health organisation have successfully implemented rapid response and surveillance measures to stop transmission.
Uganda government has put in place aggressive control and prevention measures including tracing every known contact and if found isolated and closely monitored by trained health teams, strict screening, and boarder control.
As of June 19, 2026, Uganda had gone 14 consecutive days without registering a single new confirmed case of Ebola while there is no confirmed case of Ebola in Tanzania making East Africa now safe for both local and international travellers.
Relevance of the SWSD conference to African Region.
The Global Conference on Social Work, Education, and Development will provides a vital platform to reclaim and promote indigenous philosophies such as “Ubuntu”, address deep rooted crises like climate change and poverty, and align academic training with the continent's specific workforce and community needs.
For many years social work education in Africa has been based on western Models, this global conference will emphasise decolonising social work profession and integrating Africa wisdom such as Ubuntu (I am, because you are) and Harambee (pulling together) all linked to 2020-2030 Global social work agenda number two.
This international learning event offers an opportunity for African academics and practitioners to reflect on the pedagogical frameworks through scientific publication and knowledge sharing particularly on unique challenges of exclusion of vulnerable groups, harsh realities of climate change, youth un employment, social injustices, human rights violations, strengthening social welfare, and continuous professional development and influencing government policies.