World Day of Social Justice 2022

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Martin Luther King,Jr.

World Day of Social Justice is a global observance marked on 20 February every year to raise the voice against social injustice. This day is celebrated across the world to promote social justice for people from all the walks of life. It aims at elevating the social equality, gender equality, development, human dignity and to eliminate the issues such as poverty, unemployment, exclusion, gender prejudice and discrimination by protecting the rights of human.

According to the United Nations, “Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations.” So accordingly, social justice aims at making a socially integrated society.

History of the day:

The World Day of Social Justice is observed since 2009. It is not a public holiday but an international observance. In 1995, more than one hundred politicians from all over the world gathered in Denmark, Sweden for a World Summit on Social Development to address the issues of poverty and employment, they also aspired for a safe and stable society. After an agreement they issued a statement called as Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action for Social Development. The UN reviewed this statement and declared February 20th as World Day of Social Justice on November 26, 2007. But this day was first observed in 2009.

According to the UN organization, the theme of World Day of Social Justice this year is;

“Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment”

According to UN, it will be a virtual event and the main focus will be on formalization of employment to reduce poverty and inequality.

Transition of employment into formal from informal is necessary. As informal workers are tend to be poor twice as the formal workers because they are deprived of their employment related benefits, social protection and fair pays than the latter. Formalization requires careful observation of what are the drivers of informal economy and thus using the latest technologies to undertake the transformation process such as E- formalisation tools and e-commerce.

Public activities on the day:

The World Day of Social Justice is celebrated to raise voice against any kind of injustice towards issues such as poverty, unemployment, physical and gender discrimination, illiteracy etc.

The public activities on this occasion includes organizing seminars, events, campaigns and programs within and between nations to promote and raise awareness for the need of social justice, to secure human rights and to end the discrimination on the basis of gender, caste, race etc. Apart from this, conferences, debates and talk shows are organised in different universities and institutions, documentaries are broadcasted, articles are published and many more such activities are conducted across the globe on this day.

Role of Dera Sacha Sauda in providing employment and reduction of poverty

Dera Sacha Sauda is a non-profit social welfare and spiritual organisation which has been working since 1948 towards the selfless service of society. It has initiated 138 welfare works for this purpose some of which includes;

Making rural women self-dependent: Dera Sacha Sauda has been laying a great emphasis on improving social and economic status of rural women. Often urban women are on advantage than rural women in better opportunities. To improve the condition of rural women, DSS initiated the ‘Self-esteem’ initiative under which the under-privileged women are made self dependent by providing them free education and vocational training which includes embroidery, stitching, parlour, computer training, small scale business and distributing free sewing machines to them.

Providing education: Education is the basis for development and growth of a child. Dera Sacha Sauda has been providing free education to needy children and making aware others about education being the fundamental right of every child. Along with education, sports, martial arts and self defence training is also provided to young girls so that they can stand on their own feet.

Reintegrating tribal society and providing them employment: Even in today’s modern era there are still people who live tribal lives. Dera Sacha Sauda has been continuously working for their upliftment; from teaching them how to live a civilized life to providing them employable skills training and equipments so that they can become self dependent. Children are provided education for their better future.

Social justice also includes making others aware of their basic rights, protecting them and their basic duties, DSS encourages and aware people to do just to everyone, to never support injustice and to raise voice against any kind of injustice to any part of society.

Protecting rights of women and teaching them how to fight back with injustice: Women have been always seen low compared to men. Dera Sacha Sauda has taken numerous steps to protect the rights of women and to bring gender equality in society. Some of these initiatives include Stopping Female Foeticide, providing education to women, The Crown of Lineage, Anti-prostitution drive and self- defence training to women.

All these initiatives, drives for providing social justice, employment, bringing equality etc. are being started by the Chief of Dera Sacha Sauda-Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan. These initiatives are making a great difference in the society today where more than 65 million people are contributing for making a better and integrated society.

Conclusion:

Hence, the World Day of Social Justice is celebrated every year on the international level to bring justice in every aspect and to criticize any kind of injustice. It works by bringing together different communities and societies on a global level to tackle the issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination and injustice etc. so as to create a peaceful and integrated society.