ABSTRACT
The modern, international profession of social work was born in the context of war. The relationships that emerged between social workers of different countries during and after the First World War was marked by their united actions for peace, their responses to the millions of refugees and their roles building new societies. Global professional policy carries influence in the United Nations, which, if developed, would increase the understanding of the potential use of social work in situations of war. The challenge of the national associations of social work and the global professional bodies is how to utilise that ground-up learning on the social work role in peace-building and responding to trauma. Global policies are needed not only in describing the role of social workers in war situations but also to provide validation for their work, contributions and outcomes. Social workers facilitate new forms of solidary and are fundamental in the transformation from conflict to peace.
