United Nations. “Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. Social workers aim to open the doors of access and opportunity for everyone, particularly those in greatest need.”

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY – DECEMBER 10, 2023

THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (udhr)

Human Rights Day is celebrated every year on December 10, the day on which the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. UDHR is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Canada played a central role in drafting the UDHR.

The promise of the UDHR, of dignity and equality in rights, has been under a continuous assault in recent years. As the world faces challenges of new and ongoing pandemics, conflicts, exploding inequalities, racism, climate change, etc., the values and rights enshrined in the UDHR provide guideposts for our collective actions that do not leave anyone behind. It is more important now than ever that the fundamental rights enshrined in the UDHR be protected and preserved.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
  Please see the message by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres here

Please see the message by Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights here

BIBLICAL SPIRITUALITY AND THE UDHR

The Carter Center (Waging Peace, Fighting Disease, Building Hope) has a document which hopes to inspire thought on the relationship between Christianity and its support for the human rights found in the UDHR.

Article #1 – All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. 
 

Then God said, “Let us make
humankind in our image, according
to our likeness; and let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea, and
over the birds of the air, and over the
cattle, and over all the wild animals
of the earth, and over every creeping
thing that creeps upon the earth.” Genesis 1:26-27
 

Article #4 – No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and
the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

For freedom Christ has set us free.
Stand firm, therefore, and do not
submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
  Please see the “Spirituality Annotated Universal Declaration of Human Rights here

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WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE – FEBRUARY 20, 2023

FIVE PILLARS OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

 Access to Resources

Equity

Participation

FOUR TYPES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

Distributive (determining who gets what)
Procedural (determining how fairly people are treated)
Retributive (based on punishment for wrongdoing)
Restorative (which tries to restore relationships to “rightness”)

Lord, give us the gift of interior freedom that we may discern your will in our lives and in our communities.
Give us eyes to see the needs of the poor and marginalized so that through the work of our hands we might bring reconciliation and justice to all. Amen

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