“What are you doing these days?” my aunt asked me one day.
“I’m pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Work,” I replied proudly.
To my surprise, she responded, “Why would anyone need a degree for that? Helping people in need doesn’t require a qualification. A good conscience is enough for social work.”
She continued, “You’ve wasted two valuable years of your life. You could have spent that time preparing for civil services instead.”
I found myself speechless, struggling to explain the value of a demanding two-year professional course in a society where almost anyone claims to be a social worker without any formal education or training.
But how many of us would agree that a chemist, no matter how skilled they may be in treating illnesses, can never truly be called a doctor simply because they do not hold an MBBS degree?
Similarly, a person, regardless of their academic background, cannot truly claim to be a professional Social Worker unless they hold a degree such as an MSW (Master of Social Work) or at least a BSW (Bachelor of Social Work).
In India, and undoubtedly in Kashmir as well, the terms “Social Work” and “Social Worker” are often used loosely and misunderstood. This misconception largely stems from the tendency to associate social work solely with acts of kindness, charity, moral responsibility, or religious teachings about helping others.
However, from a professional perspective, Social Work is still striving to establish and strengthen its identity as a recognized profession, mainly because its development as an academic discipline is relatively recent compared to other professional fields. While Western countries have largely acknowledged and institutionalized Social Work as a profession, India continues to struggle with fully recognizing its professional significance.
In Kashmir, the profession is still in its early stages of recognition. As a result, it has become quite easy for anyone to label themselves a “Social Worker.” A single photograph of distributing relief material to people in need is often enough for someone to gain public admiration, social media attention, and even recognition at award functions.
The confusion, however, does not entirely stem from the public. Many people tend to equate Social Work with social service or welfare activities, and similarly confuse a professional Social Worker with a humanitarian or philanthropist. This makes it essential to clearly distinguish between what is commonly perceived as social work and what professional Social Work truly entails.
There is a widespread misconception that feeling sympathy for a cause and offering immediate assistance is all that Social Work involves. In reality, professional Social Work goes far beyond short-term help. It requires a systematic and sustained approach in which trained professionals apply ethical principles, specialized methods, and long-term strategies to ensure the well-being, empowerment, and sustainable development of individuals and communities.
In simple terms, a professional Social Worker would prefer enrolling individuals in skill development programs rather than merely providing temporary aid such as free ration. The idea is to help people become self-reliant so they do not remain dependent on assistance once resources run out. Promoting long-term independence and sustainability is what truly differentiates a trained Social Worker from those who only engage in short-term charitable activities.
An MSW (Master of Social Work) is a comprehensive academic program with a vast and well-structured body of knowledge, theories, and professional literature. The course is designed to equip students with both theoretical understanding and practical expertise, enabling them to approach social issues in a scientific and systematic manner.
A strong emphasis is placed on fieldwork and real-world exposure, where students develop the skills and methods necessary to work with diverse communities, individuals, and challenging situations. They are trained to handle areas such as community development, emergencies, advocacy, research, legislation, mass grievances, NGOs, and crisis intervention. In essence, becoming a professional Social Worker requires extensive academic learning, field experience, and skill development before one can genuinely claim the title of a Social Worker.
However, when a professionally trained Social Worker enters the field, they often find themselves competing with individuals who lack formal Social Work qualifications but still occupy spaces and recognition that should rightfully belong to trained professionals. Unfortunately, a degree in Social Work is frequently undervalued, as many organizations fill social welfare positions with people from unrelated academic backgrounds.
As one Social Worker explained, “It is common for trained professionals in this field to face rejection while applying for positions because Social Workers are often considered easily replaceable. It becomes frustrating to see people from entirely different disciplines supervising or working in roles specifically meant for professionally qualified Social Workers. Many so-called ‘civil society leaders’ are actually doctors, engineers, or business graduates running welfare organizations while identifying themselves as Social Workers.”
I strongly believe that the time has come for professional Social Workers to collectively advocate for the implementation of the National Council of Social Work (Education and Practice) Bill, 2020 and ensure that it is enacted into law.
The draft clearly defines a Professional Social Worker as “a person who holds a Professional Social Work Qualification, including Social Work educators and practitioners.” It further proposes that positions designated for Social Workers should only be occupied by individuals with professional Social Work qualifications. The bill also recommends strict penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for misuse of the title or violations related to professional practice.
By raising these concerns, I do not intend to undermine the contributions of individuals who have genuinely worked for humanitarian causes. Their dedication and service deserve appreciation and respect.
However, the urgent need today is to reshape the narrative around Social Work and establish a strong professional regulatory body that can protect the rights, identity, and professional space of qualified Social Workers. Such a step would help build a society where social issues are addressed through scientific methods, professional ethics, and long-term solutions, rather than being temporarily managed through sympathy-driven assistance alone.
Sharing her emotional personal story, Tasleema revealed that when she was only 11 years old, her father and elder brother were abducted and killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. She said her family’s tragedy represents the pain of countless victims in Kashmir who have suffered because of cross-border terrorism.
During her address, she urged the global community and human rights organizations to recognize the reality faced by terrorism victims in Kashmir instead of believing “false propaganda” spread by Pakistan. She stated that terrorism has destroyed lives, broken families, and hindered peace and development in the region for many years.
Tasleema Akhtar also spoke about the changing situation in Jammu & Kashmir, highlighting improvements in tourism, infrastructure, education, women empowerment, and economic growth. She said that the region is witnessing a new era of peace and development, with people now focusing on progress and opportunities rather than violence.
At the United Nations platform, she further appealed for justice for victims of terrorism and called on world leaders to take a stronger stand against countries and organizations that support extremist activities. According to her, lasting peace in South Asia can only be achieved by ending terrorism and protecting human rights.
Her speech gained attention for presenting the perspective of terrorism victims from Kashmir on an international stage and countering Pakistan’s narrative regarding the situation in Jammu & Kashmir.