Formation de base des travailleurs sociaux en Tunisie, enseignement des Droits de l’Homme et apport du projet ABDEM

Abstract

Following the socio-economic changes that led to the emergence of new social problems in Tunisia, basic training of Tunisian social workers that started in the early 1960s evolved from a purely professional training under the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs to a university education that meets the standards of higher education. Since 2007, this program complies with the standards of the LMD system (Undergraduate, Graduate, Doctorate). Within this system the Basic Training Program for Social Workers includes a course on Human Rights. This is a theoretical course with no relation to the discipline of social work as a profession of Human Rights. Since the adherence of the National Institute of Social Work and Social Studies to the ABDEM project (Approach Based on Human Rights in Higher Education in the Maghreb) in 2014, teaching of Human Rights will no longer follow a traditional pedagogical approach focusing on legal dimensions alone but will focus on competency-based learning and learning through service approaches. This new approach will contribute to training social workers to defend the rights of citizens and not only social service providers.