What is meant by social justice?

Friday, February 20th was the International Day of Social Justice . But what does this concept mean? Is it more than a fancy term to designate social welfare in equality ? Technically, no. But there are more layers to its definition, and in this resource we discuss them through the articles ' Justicia social: significado, claves y ejemplos reales ', by Amnesty International Spain ; and ' La importancia de la justicia social para un mundo mejor ' by Revista de la UNIR. 

Starting point: recognition of inequalities

The principle of social justice is based on the recognition  that there are certain human groups that suffer from historical and structural inequalities , encountering difficulties in participating in society under the same conditions as the rest. Therefore, it does not only address, for example, poverty and exclusion, but also all those realities that may pose obstacles to all people living well.

Therefore, social justice is a matter of human rights , and is essential for peace and social development .

Definition

Based on the knowledge of existing inequalities, the principle of social justice has the main objective of guaranteeing equality in rights and opportunities for absolutely all people, regardless of their gender, origin, socioeconomic condition, ethnicity or beliefs. A principle that aims to guarantee that all individuals will be able to participate in society and contribute to it, achieving a life worthy of being lived where they can develop their potential to the fullest.

Therefore, social justice involves the promotion and recognition of non-discrimination, the promotion of decent jobs, the fair distribution of wealth and access to basic services such as education, housing and health.

Principles

Perhaps the best way to define what is considered social justice is to start from the principles that define it, or that fall under its umbrella. However, the concept is a broad framework for addressing structural issues , some of them historical , yes, but others appear as society changes , as would be the case with the  digital divide . But the terms that must be looked at to discern whether the approach to a circumstance is a matter of social justice are:

Equity : means that all people should be treated equally, not only by establishing equal legal rights, but also by recognizing that the starting point is not the same for everyone. Do all human groups have the possibility of accessing the same opportunities?

Access to opportunities : that is, equal access to education, work, health or political participation.

Human rights : of course, rights are essential too, both legally and ethically. All people must be equally protected from abuse and discrimination, and have the essential aspects of life guaranteed (right to life, freedom of expression, education, work, health, housing and political participation). Human rights must be the basis of public policies that seek to respond with social justice.

Collective well-being : the 'social' component of justice. The conditions must be created so that all of society has a quality of life, not only at an individual level, but in society as a whole.

Application of social justice

It is clear that with the existence of the concept and its use in social theory, it is not enough. This term implies the application of policies, laws and structures  that promote inclusion, eliminating obstacles to participation in society. The aim of these policies is to correct these obstacles and allow the development of all people in equality.

But this application is fragmented according to the problems addressed . For example, to promote the right to fair work, policies would be applied regarding working conditions, fair wages and the elimination of discrimination. Another example would be the right to decent housing , for which measures would need to be applied regarding its guarantee, such as price controls.

Examples of social justice struggles

Historically, there have been many movements with the aim of achieving a more just society . These struggles have led to major changes and developments in social areas such as women's and LGBTI rights, racial justice, health, education and the fight against poverty.

This is the case, for example, of struggles such as those of Clara Campoamor or Malala Yousafzai , who despite being separated by geographical and temporal distances, shared the spirit of fighting for women's rights. We also find here women who have faced gender oppression along with the fight against other problems, such as the case of Wangari Maathai , also dedicated to the defense of the environment, or Angela Davis , who linked feminism and anti-racism.

Regarding the LGBTI community, the fight for equal rights and opportunities has and does refer to the legalization of same-sex marriage. The movement has had many voices, but those of Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Harvey Milk are the pioneers, standing up in times of acute discrimination.

Another area of ​​struggle is racial discrimination, faced from many perspectives. In the United States it has been a fundamental movement since the 1960s, with figures such as Martin Luther King or Rosa Parks , and currently, due to the recent situation in the country, it is being revived by movements such as Black Lives Matter .

In fact, today, perhaps thanks to the growth of global awareness brought about by easier access to information and social media, young voices are rising in favor of global justice that confront issues of current concern. This is the case of activists such as Autumn Peltier , a defender of the rights of indigenous peoples, or Vanessa Nakate , a voice of the climate struggle in Uganda.