Since 2009, every Feb. 20 is a day declared by the United Nations General Assembly as “World Day of Social Justice.” The purpose of the day is to focus on the plight of social injustice throughout the world and to press for improvements and solutions.
These issues, all of which prevent developing countries from full participation in the global economy, included:
- serious financial crises
- high unemployment rates
- poverty
- discrimination
- lack of access
This day pledged to promote equitable distribution of income and greater access to resources through equity and equality for all.
The UN has expanded this idea from Copenhagen’s Declaration that dates back to 1995, when over 100 political leaders took a pledge in Denmark. The event was known as the World Summit for Social Development, where many politicians pledged to alleviate social justice issues and to create stable, safe, and just societies. The UN acknowledged that the hope of achieving and maintaining global peace and security wouldn’t happen without social development and social justice.
Over recent years, the idea of social injustice has been classified into five different components:
- the dignity of the human being
- primacy of the common good
- reciprocal rights and responsibilities
- the dignity of workers and rights for workers
- fundamental options for the poor and the vulnerable
In joining the observance of World Social Justice day, Excelsior University and its Center for Social Justice stated that all people have the right to pursue all opportunity – economic, social, educational and professional, and believe that there is a shared responsibility to ensure that nothing stands in the way of that pursuit. Global improvements for all individuals can be achieved by maintaining and acknowledging equity, access, participation and human rights.
Let’s celebrate World Social Justice Day by challenging ourselves: to see everyone’s humanity, to learn about and from them, to leverage our diversity of perspectives and experiences to do better, and to procure the social justice impact of all our interactions, organizations, communities and nations.
Three ways to observe Social Justice Day:
1. Advocate for a social cause
2. Organize a social justice event to bring awareness to an issue
3. Educate yourself on social justice issues
Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion