World Day for Social Justice

The New Brunswick Human Rights Commission released the following regarding World Day for Social Justice:

FREDERICTON (CNB) – The following statement was issued by the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission to mark the World Day for Social Justice:

“Social justice is more than an ethical imperative; it is a foundation for national stability and global prosperity. Equal opportunity, solidarity and respect for human rights -- these are essential to unlocking the full productive potential of nations and peoples.”

This statement by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Feb. 20, 2011, sums up eloquently why in 2008 the UN adopted a resolution declaring Feb. 20 as the World Day of Social Justice.

The UN resolution recognized that social development and social justice are essential for peace and security, and in turn peace, security and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms are essential to social development and social justice. The resolution recognized that, while globalization opens up new opportunities to improve living standards, several challenges remain, such as financial crises, insecurity, poverty, exclusion and inequality. The UN declared the World Day for Social Justice to support efforts to eradicate poverty and to promote full employment and decent work, gender equality and access to social well-being and justice for all.

The Arab Spring and the Occupy Wall Street movements this year reminded us that the yearning for social justice is very much still alive today, and full employment, decent work, gender equality, social well-being and justice for all, and the eradication of poverty are far from being achieved.

The work of the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission opposing discrimination and harassment and promoting equality is a small but essential condition toward the achievement of these ideals. We know that decent workplaces free of harassment are more productive and that accommodating workers with a disability and hiring employees based on merit and not on gender stereotypes allow us to reduce unemployment and poverty.

The addition of social condition as a prohibited ground of discrimination in the Human Rights Act in 2005 allowed the commission to address an additional aspect of social development. Social condition basically refers to a disadvantage arising from a person's source of income, occupation or level of education. A complaint could be filed if, for example, a landlord refused to rent an apartment to anyone on income assistance, or an employer excludes applicants without a high school diploma for positions where it is unnecessary.

It takes an entire society to achieve social justice. Politicians, labour unions, churches, businesses, non-governmental associations and ordinary individuals all have a role to play and they all deserve our gratitude whenever they advance social justice. One person that we would like to highlight is Mrs. Émilienne Basque of Tracadie-Sheila, who devoted her life to combat poverty and advance the rights of various disadvantaged people in New Brunswick. In recognition of this, the commission presented her with the 2011 New Brunswick Human Rights Award last September.

On the World Day for Social Justice, we encourage New Brunswickers to keep striving for and working towards the eradication of poverty and towards full employment and decent work, gender equality and access to social well-being and justice for all.

LINK:

● New Brunswick Human Rights Commission: www.gnb.ca/hrc-cdp