World Day of Social Justice 2024: Date, Theme, Significance and History

Every year on February 20th, people around the world celebrate World Day of Social Justice. The main objective of celebrating this day at the global level is to provide social justice to the people at large. World Day of Social Justice, created by the United Nations (UN), reminds us that there are still many things preventing millions of people from living a fair life.

World Day of Social Justice 2024 Theme:

• The theme of World Day of Social Justice 2024 is "Bridging Gaps, Building Alliances". 
• Last year's 2023 theme was "overcoming barriers to social justice and uncovering opportunities".
• However, the topic of social justice focuses on the following areas:
  • Promoting digital equity and literacy for all.
  • Protecting privacy and ensuring ethical use of technology.
  • Addressing algorithmic bias and discrimination.
  • Promoting decent work and social protection in the digital economy.

United Nations Social Justice Definition:

• According to the United Nations, “Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous co-existence within and between nations”.
• When we promote gender equality or the rights of indigenous people and migrants, we are upholding the principles of social justice.
• We advance social justice by eliminating barriers people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability.
• Social justice is at the core of the United Nations' global mission to promote development and human dignity.

Significance of World Day of Social Justice 2024:

• The importance of organizing this day at the global level is to create awareness about social justice among the people.
• Internationally, the world is plagued with unfortunate issues that prevent millions of people from living a fair life. Many people in the world today, through no fault of their own, are deprived of basic amenities like home, job, health care, education, nutrition, etc.
• It must be the responsibility of the privileged to ensure that we create a just world where social justice is the norm.
• The main objective of organizing 'World Day of Social Justice' is to create awareness about all these among the common people.

History of World Day of Social Justice :

• In 1995, Copenhagen, Denmark hosted the World Summit for Social Development. This resulted in the Copenhagen Declaration and Plan of Action.
• Here more than 100 leaders pledged to work towards eradicating poverty, full employment and building a stable, secure and just society. They also decided that he needed to put people at the center of development plans.
• In New York in 2005, UN member states reviewed the Copenhagen Declaration and Plan of Action at a session of the Commission for Social Development. They agreed to commit to pursuing social development.
• On November 26, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly announced that beginning with the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly, February 20 would be observed as World Day of Social Justice.
• ILO adopted the Declaration for Fair Globalization on June 10, 2008.
• In this way the first World Day of Social Justice was celebrated on 20 February 2009.