What is
Social Justice?
Social justice is the promotion of just societies and treatment of individuals and communities based on the belief that we each possess an innate human dignity.
Caritas Aotearoa, New Zealand
““God has made the earth and all that it contains for all to share. The earth’s goods must be divided fairly and this right of everyone to a just share comes first. All other rights must help, not block, this basic right of every human being.”
Populorum Progressio, Pope Paul VI, 1967”
Social Justice is the promotion of respect for creation, and principles of stewardship, participation, the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity and the preferential option for the poor and the vulnerable.
Social justice activists aim to see this achieved in the world that we live in now and for future generations. Social justice issues revolve around structures or human actions within society that result in people being treated unfairly or unjustly. Addressing social justice issues could mean:
Working against discrimination
Mitigating the effects of climate change on communities
Ensuring workers are valued and treated fairly
Preventing the marginalisation of people from society
Challenging unjust government policies that contribute to the oppression of some people in a society
Ensuring the powerful don’t abuse their power
Promoting peace instead of violence
Ensuring men, women, and children are able to flourish
Preventing corruption and promoting transparency and accountability
Caritas and Social Justice
Caritas works for a world free of poverty and injustice through community development, advocacy, education and emergency relief. Poverty is often caused by the actions of people and therefore, we can take action to eradicate poverty in our world.
Caritas works with all people to help them understand the underlying causes of poverty and empower them to end injustice. As advocates for social justice, Caritas works to ensure the poorest and most marginalised in society have a voice.