UN WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMEMORATION

One of the core values of our university and McLaughlin College is “social justice.” We commemorate the UN World Day of Social Justice because it is something that we should all be aspiring to achieve. But what does “social justice” mean? Here is how it is described by one organization: Justice is the concept of fairness. Social justice is fairness as it manifests in society. That includes fairness in healthcare, employment, housing, and more. Discrimination and social justice are not compatible. While “social justice” as a term sees widespread use these days, it’s not new. It appears in The Federalist Papers and was most likely first used in the 1780s. As the Industrial Revolution wound down, American legal scholars applied the term to economics. Now, social justice applies to all aspects of society, including race and gender, and it is closely tied to human rights. More specifically, what does social justice mean? (Human Rights Careers, https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/what-does-social-justice-mean/. Accessed February 15, 2022) It has also been noted that social justice is dependent on five principles: access, equity, diversity, participation, and human rights. (CFI, Social Justice, https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/social-justice/. Accessed February 15, 2022) For the UN World Day of Social Justice we have put together a special panel session to help commemorate one of the most important UN International Days on the UN calendar.