Social justice and human rights are fundamentally linked. Social development and social justice are indispensable for the achievement and maintenance of peace and security within and among nations and cannot be attained in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability. At its core, the idea of social justice affirms the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights".
In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 20 February as the World Day of Social Justice. Every year, governments are invited to commemorate the day through national activities supporting the efforts of the international community to eradicate poverty, promote full employment and decent work, achieve gender equity and provide access to social well-being and justice for all.
This year while giving message, UN Secretary-General said that, over the past year, the winds of change have swept across the globe. Citizens by the millions have voiced their discontent around similar themes: inequality, corruption, repression and the absence of decent work. At the heart of this mass mobilization lies a call for social justice.
Achieving social justice for all is integrally linked to realizing the agreed development goals articulated at the Copenhagen Social Summit, the Millennium Summit and elsewhere.
As we look to the upcoming Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development, we have a chance to rethink development strategies and business practices so that they point us toward a more sustainable and equitable future.
Sustainability depends on building markets that do a better job of spreading the benefits of development. It means meeting growing consumer demand for greener products and services. And it means laying the foundations for dignity, stability and opportunity for all. As we strive to make this transformation, we must integrate social inclusion into our policies and other efforts.
Let us work together to balance the global economy and build a new social contract for the 21st century. Let us chart a development path that leads to greater social justice and the future we want, the Secretary-General added.
Source: United Nations.
