Africa Branch

Africa Branch Builds Momentum toward Nairobi Colloquium

June 5, 2026

Over the past quarter, the ICSD Africa Branch has continued to advance dialogue and collaboration on social development across the continent.

On 25 March 2026, the Branch hosted its first webinar of the year, featuring Prof. Antoinette Lombard, President of the International Association of Schools of Social Work and an ICSD member. Prof. Lombard shared reflections on the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar, offering insights into renewed global commitments to poverty eradication, social justice and inclusive development. The webinar was chaired by Dr. Khanya Ndhlovu of the Centre for Social Development in Africa and created a platform for African scholars and practitioners to connect with global debates shaping the future of social development.

Preparations are also well underway for the Africa Branch Colloquium, scheduled for 24–25 June 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya. Under the theme “African Solutions to Achieving the Vision of the Doha Political Declaration”, the colloquium will foster critical dialogue and showcase innovative Africa-centred strategies. Key thematic areas include poverty eradication, decent work, social integration and addressing human capital loss in Africa. Registration is open.

The event will feature keynote addresses, plenary sessions and parallel panels, with participation from academics, practitioners, policymakers and postgraduate students. The colloquium will be held in partnership with the Joint Social Work Conference, underscoring the Africa Branch’s commitment to connecting regional initiatives with international networks and ensuring that African voices and solutions remain central to advancing the vision of the Doha Declaration.

Through these activities, the Africa Branch continues to build momentum, expand membership and create opportunities for collaboration across Africa and beyond.

Lauren Graham, ICSD Africa Branch

INVITATION TO ATTEND | Third ICSD Africa Branch Colloquium | Nairobi, Kenya| 24 – 25 June 2026

May 14, 2026

African Solutions to Achieving the Vision of the Doha Political Declaration

The colloquium is organised as a pre-conference event of the 2026 Joint World Conference on Social Work and Social Development, themed “Harambee for Sustainable Shared Futures.”

The International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD) Africa Branch is pleased to invite you to attend the Third ICSD Africa Branch Colloquium, taking place from 24–25 June 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The colloquium is convened in the wake of the Second World Summit for Social Development held in Doha, Qatar, in November 2025. It provides a critical African platform for examining how the summit commitments can be realised across diverse African contexts through locally grounded, evidence-based, and socially just approaches.

Held under the theme, “African Solutions to Achieving the Vision of the Doha Political Declaration,” the colloquium will bring together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, students, and civil society actors from across the continent to critically engage with Africa’s development challenges and advance contextually grounded social development solutions.

The programme will focus on key social development priorities, including:

Eradicating poverty
Promoting full and productive employment and decent work for all
Advancing social integration
Addressing the social development skills and human capital loss in Africa

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Professor Wassie Kebede, Professor of Social Work at the School of Social Work, Addis Ababa University. Prof Kebede is the first social work scholar in Ethiopia to attain this position.

Date: 24 – 25 June 2026
Venue: Sarova Stanley Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya
Cost: $50 (details regarding payment will be provided once registered)
Registration link: https://form.jotform.com/261133641543551

Please note that participation is limited to 70 attendees, and registration will be confirmed on a first come, first served basis.

We look forward to welcoming you to Nairobi for what promises to be an engaging and impactful colloquium.

For further information, kindly contact Dr Khanya Ndhlovu at kndhlovu@uj.ac.za

REGISTER HERE!

Announcement and Call for Abstracts Third ICSD Africa Branch Colloquium 24–25 June 2026 | Nairobi, Kenya

March 21, 2026

The ICSD Africa Branch is pleased to announce the Third ICSD Africa Branch Colloquium, to be held on 24–25 June 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, as a pre-conference event of the 2026 Joint World Conference on Social Work and Social Development (SWSD 2026), themed “Harambee for Sustainable Shared Futures.”

Convened in the wake of the Second World Summit for Social Development (Doha, November 2025), this colloquium provides a critical African platform to examine how the commitments of the Doha Political Declaration can be realized within diverse African contexts through locally grounded, evidence-based, and socially just approaches. The colloquium is organized under the theme:
“African Solutions to Achieving the Vision of the Doha Political Declaration.”

Recognizing that sustainable solutions to Africa’s complex development challenges must emerge from within the continent, this event seeks to bring together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and civil society actors to critically engage with these challenges and advance contextually relevant and transformative social development innovations.

Call for Abstracts

We invite abstracts for papers that provide empirical insight into African social development innovations engaging with the Doha Declaration, particularly in relation to the following priority areas: (1) eradicating poverty; (2) promoting full and productive employment and decent work for all; (3) advancing social integration; and (4) addressing social development skills and human capital loss in Africa.

Submissions should emphasize rigorous empirical research rather than descriptive accounts of programs. Abstracts must clearly articulate the novelty and significance of the innovation, outline the research design and methodology, present empirical findings and observed impacts, and discuss implications for social development theory, policy, and practice within African contexts.

Submission Guidelines

Abstracts should be 250–300 words and include author(s) names, institutional affiliations, and contact information.
Submission link: CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT

Important Dates

10 April 2026 – Abstract submission deadline
20 April 2026 – Notification of acceptance
24–25 June 2026 – Colloquium dates

Participation will be limited to 70 participants, with confirmation on a first-come, first-served basis upon acceptance. A registration fee of USD $50 applies. Further details regarding registration and payment will be shared with accepted participants.

We warmly encourage ICSD members and affiliated scholars to contribute to this important forum and to engage in advancing evidence-based, contextually grounded, and socially just solutions for social development across Africa.

Invitation: ICSD Africa Working Paper Webinar Series 2026

March 16, 2026

The ICSD Africa Branch Working Paper Webinar Series continues in 2026 with an important presentation reflecting on global developments in social development policy and practice.

This upcoming webinar (on March 25, 2026), “Reflections on the Second World Summit for Social Development | Doha, Qatar | 2025,” will feature Prof. Antoinette Lombard, Professor of Social Work at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and President of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW).

During the session, Prof. Lombard will share first-hand reflections from the Second World Summit for Social Development, where global leaders, policymakers, and civil society actors gathered in Doha, Qatar to renew international commitments to social justice, poverty eradication, and inclusive social development. Her reflections will provide valuable insights into the key discussions, priorities, and implications of the summit for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers working in the field of social development.

The webinar will be chaired by Dr. Khanya Ndhlovu, Researcher at the Centre for Social Development in Africa, University of Johannesburg.

We warmly encourage ICSD members and colleagues to register for this engaging session and contribute to the conversation on advancing global and regional social development agendas.