20 February 2012 - World Day of Social Justice

Social justice is a strategic objective for the United Nations global mission to promote development and human dignity.

The General Assembly proclaimed 20 February as World Day of Social Justice adopting the Resolution 62/10 in 18 December 2007. The Assembly then invited Member States to devote the day to promoting national activities in accordance with the objectives and goals of the World Summit for Social Development and the twenty-fourth session of the General Assembly.

Observance of World Day of Social Justice should support efforts of the international community in poverty eradication, the promotion of full employment and decent work, gender equity and access to social well-being and justice for all. The adoption by the International Labour Organization of the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization is just one recent example of the UN system’s commitment to social justice:

The International Labour Organization unanimously adopted the Declaration on Social Justice on 10 June 2008. This is  the third major statement of principles and policies adopted by the International Labour Conference since the ILO’s Constitution of 1919, namely:

• The Philadelphia Declaration of 1944 
• The Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of 1998. 
• The ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization

The 2008 Declaration expresses the contemporary vision of the ILO’s mandate in the era of globalization. and focuses on guaranteeing fair outcomes for all through employment, social protection, social dialogue, and fundamental principles and rights at work. The Declaration institutionalizes the Decent Work concept developed by the ILO since 1999, placing it at the core of the Organization’s policies to reach its constitutional objectives.

The Decent Work concept promotes the creation of work opportunities that are productive and ensure fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organize and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men. Summarizing the Decent Work concept focuses on four main pillars:

•  standards and rights at work, 
• employment creation and enterprise development, 
• social protection,
• social dialogue.

The World Day of Social Justice represents an important event to discuss and reflect about new development strategies and business practices that will be deepen in occasion of the upcoming Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development,