Uganda hosts global social work forum

By Darious Magara

KAMPALA - Uganda is hosting an international conference on social work and social development, an event that will have representatives from 30 countries.

Dr. Janestic Twikirize, the chairperson of the organizing committee, had earlier this week said 500 delegates would attend the three-day conference.

They would include social work educators, practitioners, students and policy makers, he said.

A lecturer of Makerere University, Twikizire said they are the social work forum opens today (Sunday) at Hotel Africana in the capital, and will run until Tuesday.

It is being held under the theme: Professional social work in East Africa; Towards social development and poverty reduction'.

The chairperson told New Vision Makerere University and other institutions including Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (Austria) have been implementing a project to promote professional social work towards social development and poverty reduction in East Africa (PROSOWO).

The project is financed by the Austrian Development Cooperation (OEAD).

Prof. Lynne Healy, a distinguished Prof. of Connecticut School of Social Work in the US will be among the high-level international scholars and other personalities that will speak at the conference.

She is the founding director of the Center for International Social Work Studies.

Ugandan minister for gender and social issues, Mary Karooro Okurut will open the conference that will discuss topics ranging from sexuality, gender and social work to globalization and modernization in Africa.