In the Philippines human rights violations can be considered mundane events that especially target poor segments of the population. Balay, a local human rights organization works with torture victims who have been imprisoned because of political matter. This study is about this organization and the social work they do inside a specific prison in the Philippines.
Building on six weeks fieldwork, as well as 6 months working in the prison for Balay as a social worker, this study seeks to explore and explicate the situated social work of Balay, by simply asking the question; what is it they do? This is done through an action research design where the aim has been to generate new knowledge about the practice of Balay and the chal-lenges and dilemmas connected to working in Philippine prisons. As such this study is based on the empirical findings and has been shaped through the collaboration with Balay
The findings of this study suggest that the social workers from Balay draw from many different kinds of knowledge when practicing social work with the clients in the prison. Especially contextual knowledge, which is generated through action, seems to occupy a central role in the practice of Balay. It is also analyzed how the challenges the social workers face, working in the prison, is often connected to the prison setting itself and that they often mimic general ethical dilemmas embedded in social work.