ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the social work ethos of human rights, examines violations of human rights presented by policies and practices of abortion, and details a model of prolife social work. The profession of social work is centrally committed to protecting human beings and their inherent dignity, as is well documented through various codes and standards of social work, where nearly ubiquitous language of protecting and enhancing human well-being is used to describe social work’s chief function. In 1960, the United States National Association of Social Workers codified the protection of the dignity and worth of human beings in its first code of professional ethics. The profession of social work has, from its earliest formation, been dedicated to human rights, with particular attention to the protection of life and human dignity. There is much debate about the exact moment when the human being comes into existence, thus becoming deserving of such protection.
