The role of social work in promoting the human right to a healthy environment

Problem onečišćenja okoliša, najveći je izazov s kojim se ljudsko društvo suočava u 21. stoljeću. Brojne su negativne posljedice kojim onečišćeni okoliš utječe na moderno društvo današnjice. Marginalizacija i sve veće siromašenje stanovništva posljedica su nepravedne raspodjele rizika i dobiti pri kojemu se dobit dijeli između malog postotka stanovništva, a rizik vezan uz elementarne nepogode i onečišćen okoliš preuzimaju svi. U ovom radu propituje se uloga socijalnog rada u primicanju prava čovjeka na zdrav okoliš, kao profesija koja za cilj ima uključivanje ljudi i smanjivanje društvenih nejednakosti. Kroz povijesni pregled razvoja ideje o ljudskim pravima te prakse i teorije socijalnog rada u pitanju zdravog okoliša, pokušat će se dati odgovor na pitanje kako bi socijalni rad u budućnosti trebao postupati po pitanju zdravog okoliša. Osvrnut će se i na Zeleni socijalni rad kao novu paradigmu socijalnog rada te dati kratak pregled njegovih osnovnih karakteristika. U zadnjem dijelu biti će govora o dostignućima socijalnog rada u Republici Hrvatskoj na području zaštite i promicanja prava čovjeka na zdrav okoliš te koji su potrebni koraci da bi teorija i praksa socijalnog rada u Hrvatskoj mogle ravnopravno slijediti paradigmu Zelenog socijalnog rada razvijenih zapadnih zemalja.The environmental pollution problem is the greatest challenge that human society faces in the 21st century. There are numerous negative consequences of contaminated environment that affects modern society. Marginalization and ever-increasing population depletion are the result of unjust distribution of risk and profit by dividing profits among the small percentage of the population, and the risk associated with natural disasters and the polluted environment are taken by all of us. This paper discusses the role of social work in the adherence of human rights to a healthy environment, as a profession aimed at involving people and reducing social inequalities. Through a historical review of the development of human rights ideas and practices and theories of social work in the field of a healthy environment, an answer will be given to how social work in the future should address the issue of unhealthy environment. It will also refer to Green Social Work as a new paradigm of social work and give a brief overview of its basic characteristics. In the latter part, there will be talk about the achievements of social work in the Republic of Croatia in the field of protection and promotion of human rights to a healthy environment, and steps are needed to ensure that the theory and practice of social work in Croatia can equally follow the paradigm of Green Social Work of developed Western countries