This international Day for Social Justice is meant to sensitize the world on the need for promoting a balanced human society in terms of social justice. The crucial issues included therein are eradication of poverty, promotion of gender parity, reduction of unemployment, promotion of human rights, and advocacy of social security protections.
The world stands in need of an environment where we consciously create space for human fellowship as a first step towards a just society. In a world of cut-throat competition and one-upmanship, there is little space for recognizing the needs of others. Rulers consort with corporates and mega business to promote profit-oriented business by appropriating people’s resources such as land, water, forest etc thereby depriving people of even basic necessities. Conniving with corrupt elements, legislators make anti-people laws.
The space for people to breathe freely and express their opinions and aspirations openly is narrowing. Freedom of expression gets stifled. No one speaks of poverty eradication. Rather trumpeting ‘alleviation’ is the mega hobby of politicians to hoodwink the poor. Allowing the poor to float just above the ‘below the poverty threshold’ by letting them consume doled out items is a must so that the rest can enjoy the bliss of life. Even social organisations and charitable entities will not want to pay employees and workers the government prescribed minimum wages. Justifications are aplenty to soothe their conscience.
“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, and plead the widow’s cause. Isaiah 1:17)