History of the World Day of Social Justice
Every year on 20 February, the World Day Of Social Justice serves as a platform for raising awareness of the current justice in social issues that are happening in the world. The UN states that the key to social progress is having social justice. The UN General Assembly declared the 20 February World Day of Social Justice in 2007.
The declaration was first announced publicly on June 8, 2008, as a step from the United Nations (UN) toward a commitment to continuous social justice and fair globalization. And two years later they carried out the very first World Day of Social Justice in February of 2009. Since then, it has been celebrated every February 20th every year.
See Also: Running Holidays
What Is World Day of Social Justice?
The celebration focuses on finding solutions to problems with employment, social protection, social dialogue, and so on. It also reflects on the importance of social justice for global peace, security, and advancement. The United Nations’ pursuit of social justice is part of the organization’s global mission to promote social development and human dignity.
The International Labour Organization’s adoption of the Declaration on Social Justice for Fair Globalization is just one of many actions demonstrating the UN system’s commitment to social justice.
The former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated that “the gap between the poorest and the wealthiest around the world is wide and growing. This situation is not only between countries but within them, including many of the most prosperous. The World Day of Social Justice is observed to highlight the power of global solidarity to advance opportunity for all” (UN, 2014).
There are many social justice issues in the world today. Inequality, systemic racism, and unemployment are just a few. Since 2009, every February 20th has been the UN observance known 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 (UN, 2014).
The day also pledged to promote equitable income distribution and greater access to resources for all by promoting equity and equality for all. The World Day of Social Justice recognizes the importance of promoting efforts to address issues such as discrimination, poverty, gender equity, and universal access to justice.
Over time, the concept of social injustice has been divided into five components: human dignity, the primacy of the common good, reciprocal rights and responsibilities, worker dignity and rights, and, last but not least, fundamental options for the poor and vulnerable. These five concepts, along with many others, are at the heart of the United Nations’ push for human dignity and equality for all.
