International Organizations and Civil Society

International Organizations and Civil Society
\Efforts at Equality and Social Justice
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International Organizations and Civil Society
Efforts at Equality and Social Justice
Introduction
Equality and social justice are important for the development of the society. Indeed, the history of man has long been wrought with different accounts by which inequality led to major changes and revolutions, so as people can achieve social justice and equality. These historical efforts towards equality can be seen in the French Revolution, the Reformation, the American Revolution, and numerous others. This rich history of fighting for equality is for the reason that when people are treated equally and justice is applied in all cases, a society that is based on principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being, will be created (ERT, n.d.). In fact, as much as many theorists may support the importance of social stratifications and similar inequalities, the different revolutions throughout the history of the world prove that the greatest percentage of the world’s civilizations still believe in the concepts of freedom, equality and justice.
It is perhaps for this belief on equality that numerous international organizations were established to promote and protect the rights of peoples and communities. These organizations can include the United Nations, the International Labor Organization (ILO), and others. For years, these organizations have continued to put forth efforts towards the realization of the world’s dream for social justice and equality among all the nations, the races and the genders. These efforts towards equality and social justice have become possible through the coordination between nations, and through the collective and united efforts of the different countries of the world (CITATION, YEAR).
However, a significant avenue for further discourse and research should be to analyze how the different international organizations and how the civil society are trying to ensure the creation as well as the maintenance of a society characterized by equality and social justice. This is especially in view of the fact that although reports are being conducted every year, only the scientific community and the political world are able to fully appreciate the content of the said reports, as well as the efforts of these different international organizations. Certainly, it is then important to ask what these international organizations have done and achieved already in terms of promoting social justice and equality, so that one may be able to know what still needs to be done.
In order to be able to answer this question, it is important to address the different aspects that support equality and social justice in the society. These different aspects of factors can vary from one society and the other, and, when viewed subjectively, can also vary from one person to another. However, for the international community, some of these different aspects that promote social justice and equality are the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), human rights, the Affirmative Act, the Equal opportunity Act, and numerous others. Also, other literature about this question should be analyzed to find out how different organizations and civil society are addressing the issues of equality and social justice.
In relation, this paper will then look into the degree by which social justice and equality are being upheld by international organization, especially the United Nations, by looking at the different aforementioned factors or aspects that support equality and justice within the society. This paper will first present a discussion on the different international organizations and their roles in promoting social justice and equality, especially focusing on the United Nations. The UN will be a focal point in this paper because it can be considered as one of the largest and most influential international organizations around the globe.
Afterwards, the different factors or parameters for analyzing societal justice and equality will then be discussed. This paper will first analyze equality and social justice from the economic perspective, especially involving policies and events concerning taxation, property redistribution and income distribution. Then, an assessment of the different Millennium Development Goals or MDGs will be provided. Finally, an evaluation on efforts to preserve human rights and equal opportunities will be conducted at the later parts of the paper. More importantly, this paper will attempt to prove that as much as international organizations are conducting programs towards equality and social justice, more efforts are still needed to fully implement the said programs and to truly realize a just and equal society.
Social Justice and International Organizations
For purposes of clarity, it is imperative to discuss what social justice is. In general, social justice refers to the concept of an institution or a society that is grounded on the principles of solidarity and equality, that respects and upholds human rights, and that acknowledges the dignity of every human person (Zajda, Majhanovich, & Rust, 2006). Social justice is also founded on the idea of equality and human rights which promotes egalitarianism in the economy by recommending property redistribution, income redistribution, and progressive taxation (Butts & Rich, 2005). These efforts all aim to establish equal opportunities in the society, as well as to promote equality through a just system, especially in cases where inequalities have been reported or observed. Through these principles, international organizations and movements aim to affirm universal and lasting peace.
Indeed, numerous organizations and movements exist to promote social justice. Some of these organizations were mentioned earlier such as the International Labor Organization (ILO) and United Nations. Still, other similar organizations exist such as the Organization for Justice and Equality, the Green Party, and similar party. Movements also exist that advocate the promotion and observance of the principles of social justice. Some of these movements include the Liberation Theology, Social Justice in Healthcare, Social Justice and Human Rights Education, and the Conference on Equity and Social Justice. The said conference is actually slated to occur on the 28th of April this year at New Paltz, New York, and would tackle on the issues of education, critical race studies, holocaust, genocide, “othering”, urban education and community partnerships, and numerous others (Conference Committee - Conference on Equity and Social Justice, 2012).
On the other hand, the different social movements involve advocacies for social justice, although some of these movements are not entirely focused on social justice, albeit social justice is part of their primary objects for activism. For example, the Green Party is focused on different social and developmental issues but social justice is one of the Four Pillars of their movement. The Green Party is a Canadian party that views social justice as a significant criterion in order to achieve equitable distribution and full development of the society (Green Party, 2010). Also, as part of its international efforts, a sister organization of the Green Party has been established in the United States.
Moreover, Liberation Theology is another movement in the religious section of the society which focuses on the conversion of the teachings of Christ into the liberation of the poor and discriminated from unjust social, political, and economic situations (Berryman, 1987). Also, movements on social justice and human rights education mostly involve those that are grounded on the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, which affirms that social justice should begin with the proper education of students on the concepts of social justice, development, democracy, and peace. In addition, movements on social justice in healthcare circulate around those in the ethics of life, or bioethics, which aims to promote social justice in healthcare by promoting equal access to healthcare for those in need, regardless of race, gender, social status, or similar characteristics (Tschudin, 2002).
Still, one of the most significant international organizations upholding social justice is the United Nations. The different parts and mechanics of the said organization, as well as its role in social justice, will be briefly discussed in the next chapter of the paper.
United Nations, Its Departments, and Social Justice
The United Nations (UN) is one of the primary international organizations that maintains and facilitates inter-country communication and relations towards the achievement of mutual goals and international development. The UN’s functions and responsibilities are varied, but it mainly involves the promotion of social justice, especially in nations lacking resources and in those most experiencing social inequalities. More specifically, the United Nation’s stated aims involve facilitating the achievement of world peace, social progress, human rights, economic development, international security, and cooperation in international law (United Nations, 2011a), most of which are aspects of social justice.
The UN is composed of several councils responsible for safeguarding social justice, such as the Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, and the International Court of Justice. All of these councils of the UN work together in deciding actions on significant administrative issues affecting the globe. Each of the councils and sections of the UN also have individual functions and roles that they perform.
In terms of social justice and equality, the UN’s most significant role in maintaining social justice and equality can be seen in its Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ECOSOC functions in making sure that development is supported through the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG). This is achieved through the provision of funding for development by the UNDP (UN Development Programme) and UN Population Fund, as well as through the monitoring of the world’s state, published through the Human Development Index.
Also, social justice is promoted by the UN through the ICJ, managed by the UN Human Rights Council. This section of the UN focuses on promoting human rights and on promoting humanitarian assistance, especially for countries undergoing conflicts. Through these institutions, the UN shows that the promotion of human rights is indeed among the central reasons that the UN was established. The said council of the US works in solving cases of abuse and inequalities during the wars, especially during the Holocaust. Through its different councils, the UN also guarantees that the right of every human being is upheld and respected. Humanitarian assistance is also provided by the UN through its Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Food Programme, and numerous others (United Nations, 2011b). Still, it is important to note that the UN is not the sole international organization responsible for uplifting social justice, and that it also works in conjunction with other institutions.
Equality and Social Justice
Economic Equality
Since social justice is based on the concepts of human rights and equality, a greater degree of economic equality will be required. This calls for improvement in government policies as concerns progressive taxation, property redistribution and income distribution (Cohen, 2008). The international organization like the UN work hard to ensure that appropriate polices are implemented, those that will steer equality and social justice. As mentioned earlier, through its ECOSOC, the UN works hard to establish equality among the countries, as well as to provide different opportunities for economic development and progress.
Through the UN’s ECOSOC, international social and economic development and cooperation is made possible by coordinating with the Internation...