01/09/2019
Social justice is defined as “justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.” Often this is achieved through institutions or services that work to make sure people can equally access the benefits of social cooperation and guard against socio-economic inequality.
While social justice and human rights are two different concepts, they are closely linked. The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights includes economic, social and cultural rights such as the right to health, security in the event of unemployment, and education. In 1966, these rights were brought into the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), part of the International Bill of Human Rights. The UK is a signatory to the ICESCR. In 1993, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action highlighted that extreme “poverty inhibits the full and effective enjoyment of human rights.”
In the UK, there are various domestic laws which aim to ensure that people enjoy equal opportunities and privileges within society, including the Human Rights Act 1998, which gives effect to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).