WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

The World Day of Social Justice is celebrated on Feb 20 of each year as a recall of the social gaps and class interactions, as the economic imbalances associated with globalisation and technology increase steadily annually despite all international efforts.
These abnormal conditions, in light of unhealthy climates that lack justice, equality and the distribution of wealth lead to a perversion of the concepts of human solidarity and social justice, causing demographic changes and waves of irregular migration — driven by the rise of political unrest and military conflicts.
The index of failure to achieve social justice is measured by six criteria, the first of which is the absence of freedom and the spread of injustice, corruption and nepotism.
The second is the inequality in the distribution of income among individuals so that the income varies according to race, gender, or otherwise.
The third is the unequal distribution of resources and property such as land and buildings among individuals.
The fourth is the unequal distribution of well-paid jobs.
The fifth is unequal access to educational opportunities and various educational services such as the Internet and books while the last one is the unequal distribution of social security and health services.
Based on many initiatives that did not succeed in bridging the gap between societies, especially in Asia, Africa and Latin America, the General Assembly took the initiative, during intensive deliberations in 2007, to declare February 20 as the World Day of Social Justice, followed by the unanimous adoption by International Labour Organisation (ILO) Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation on June 10, 2008.
The compass for promoting a fair globalisation is based on new opportunities through trade, investment, capital flows and technological advances, striving to achieve global economic growth, development and improving living standards, in a way that copes with the challenges of the financial crises, insecurity, poverty and inequality within societies, and trying to overcome obstacles that prevent further integration of developing countries into the global economy.
The UN’s 2023 projects have developed a plan to overcome obstacles and provide opportunities for social justice, within the framework of recommendations made to strengthen global solidarity, rebuild trust in governments, and enhance dialogue with member states, youth, community partners, civil society organisations, UN entities, and other stakeholders.
In the Arab world, the promotion of decent work in the region constituted a primary goal of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Regional Office for Arab States.
Decent work embodies the aspirations of individuals in their professional lives, their hopes for opportunities, incomes, rights, family stability, personal development, justice, and gender equality, in addition to their desire to make their voice heard and be recognised for their role.
In this context, innovative programmes in the Arab region are based on four important foundations: job creation, institutional development and social protection, standards and rights at work, and social dialogue.
One of the biggest gaps within the concept of social justice for some countries is the issue of appropriate wages for work.
There are differences in wages between women and men, and the elderly and young despite performing the same job.
Additionally, there are other countries where workers suffer discrimination due to their race and nationality; therefore, there is a need to adopt legislative and practical procedures and initiatives that bear fruit in many places.
The most prominent of these initiatives is that employers conduct an accurate internal review periodically of the salaries of employees, according to their job categories and demographic characteristics to determine the extent of compliance with the guiding rules and to publish its indicators within a framework of transparency, while working to correct any distortions in it.
It also includes the intensification of efforts to collect data on workers’ wages by employers and employees to analyse periodically to identify the existing wage gaps and disseminate them in the community.
It is of great importance to raise awareness of the importance of equal wages among employers as an integral part of the social responsibility of institutions and to show its positive repercussions on individual performance, human capital, and institutional performance, in addition to defining the mechanisms for its application, and the relevant exemplary practices.
In Qatar, the leadership has realised that Qatar cannot develop its economy and society without its human capital and human resources.
Human development, according to the Qatar National Vision 2030, provides the establishment of a comprehensive and modern healthcare infrastructure that benefits everyone, and an educational system comparable to the world’s finest educational systems.
The Qatari constitution affirms in many of its provisions the concepts of social justice.
The Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses fostering an efficient workforce committed to work ethics, increasing and diversifying the participation of Qataris in the workforce through extensive investments in public and private sector institutions in qualification and training programmes, creating high-quality training opportunities for all citizens, according to the individual’s aspirations and capabilities, and increasing job opportunities for Qatari women and supporting them professionally.
In addition, Qatar is working on the rights of expatriate workers, taking care of their rights, ensuring their safety, preserving those with distinguished skills and developing their legislation.
In this context, ILO has praised Qatar’s efforts in the field, saying in a statement that Qatar has become the first country in the Gulf region to adopt a non-discriminatory minimum wage since March 2021 applicable to all workers regardless of their nationalities and work sector, including domestic workers.
The basic wage has increased the minimum threshold of about 13% of the total workforce since this new law came to force. The organisation’s statement adds that employers have become obligated to transfer employees’ wages through Qatari banks, which allows the Ministry of Labour to monitor transfers and reduce wage violations.
The penalties imposed for non-payment of wages have also become stricter. In the context of the co-operation programme between the ILO and Qatar, the issue of occupational safety and health is among the priorities of this programme.
Accordingly, a new decision was issued to enhance the protection of workers in Qatar from heat stress by banning work in open places between 10am and 3:30pm in the summer months from June 1 to September 15, recording the largest number of prohibited working hours in the Gulf region.
All these reforms, according to the international organisation, are in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 and contribute to achieving it.
The vision includes objectives related to the development of a diversified, competitive, and knowledge-based national economy.
Regarding women, Qatar has adopted national policies and legislation that empower women, build and enhance their capabilities by providing opportunities for education, training, and holding public jobs, including leadership positions in Qatar.
Regarding caring for the elderly, Qatar emphasises providing full care for this segment, as it forms an integral part of the family unit in Qatar.
While the percentage of children and youth in the country is high, citizens over the age of 65 make up about 2% of the population.
Retirees over the age of 60 who used to work for the government are entitled to a pension, and elderly citizens may apply for assistance from the Ministry of Social Development and Family.
For people with limited income, the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, through its specialised agencies, plays a preventive role by providing comprehensive services that include family support programmes, guidance programmes and vocational training.
It also provides interest-free loans to needy families and conducts various campaigns and awareness programmes. (QNA)