Representatives and others  Dear colleagues,
IFSW sent the below appeal to the United Nations
Security Council today.

Warm regards,
Lisbeth Mattsson
Communications Officer
IFSW


INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS

President and members
United Nations Security Council

Dear Sirs

We write to you on behalf of the International
Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) representing
450,000 social work practitioners in 78 countries
across the globe.

The IFSW and it members opposes terrorism however and
wherever it occurs. Neither do we support the use of
weapons of mass destruction nor their stockpiling. We
have long been opposed to the use of such weapons as a
threat to civilised society, and support multinational
efforts to eliminate them through the United Nations
System.

However we are united in our opposition to pre-emptive
military action by any nation state against another
unless threat is immediate and only with the support
and sanction of the United Nations.

As social workers across the globe we regularly assist
people who have been affected by war, terrorism and
civil strife. We see the connections between war and
poverty and that those most significantly affected are
those least able to fend for themselves. While we
support actions to prevent and stop terrorism these
must be broadly based and include social, economic and
political strategies and not be based upon military
action.

We fully support the opinions expressed by our
colleagues in World Vision, CARE International, Oxfam
International and others who have stated their concern
to you that the grave humanitarian consequences of
potential military intervention on civilians be a part
of your deliberations.

They have focussed on less visible consequences of
war, which include the diversion of funding from
humanitarian aid towards military effort. The impact
upon children is often less immediately evident but
well recorded and long lasting. The report "Our Common
Responsibility: The Impact of New War on Iraqi
Children" prepared by the International Study Team
(www.warchild.ca) represents a stark reminder of the
facts.

The IFSW has a long-standing commitment to non-violent
resolution of conflict. Social workers are committed
to Peace. The right to life is the most basic of human
rights. Peaceful solutions to conflict enable us to
continue fighting against poverty, and thereby to
counteract the social injustice which in itself is a
main source of conflict and terrorism.

We recognise that the Council has before it a grave
decision. We respect the role of the Council and the
singular importance of the United Nations. We urge the
Security Council members to consider the humanitarian
impact of any decision which it takes when it meets
today.

Sydney/Bern, February 14, 2003

Yours sincerely,


Imelda Dodds Tom Johannesen
President Secretary General