Social Justice

➡️ SOCIAL JUSTICE Guide - Equal Rights, Opportunities & Treatment

Social justice is the concept of fairness between individuals in society. Equal access to opportunities, education, healthcare, income, employment, and legal representation is still a goal that society is striving for. It is about recognising and eliminating inequalities to build a just and inclusive world for everyone.

There are many groups in society which find themselves marginalised, underrepresented, or treated poorly simply because of their gender, sexual preferences, racial background, nationality, or religious beliefs.

"Exclusion is never the way forward on our shared paths to freedom and justice." - Desmond Tutu

Jump straight to our resources on ➡️ Social Justice

Explore our comprehensive guides on -

• Social Justice News, Organisations, Nonprofits & Philanthropy

• Empowerment, Activism, Compassion & Kindness

• Social Entrepreneurs, Volunteering & Social Consciousness

• Trade Unions, Workers' Day & Employment Rights

• Gender Equality

• Economic Inequality, Poverty, Social Welfare & Homelessness

• Minorities, Indigenous Peoples & the LGBTQI+ Community

• Our Right to Safety

• Social Justice & Family

• The Refugee Crisis

• The Climate Crisis, Climate Injustice & Climate Debt

• Social Justice Advocates
    

Better World Info strives to empower, educate, and raise awareness of key social justice issues and bring together those who wish to help change the world with us.

For up-to-the-minute news, follow Better World Info's social justice Twitter list and find posts from experts, key advocates, projects, and organisations.

German speakers can visit our partner site, Bessere Welt Info and the excellent Soziales category.

Social Justice Resource Hub

Discover our tools and resources centre for activists and changemakers and how to use social media for advocacy and campaigning. Activism and activists support the hard work of organisations and unite people to fight common causes. Learn about influential advocates, find key resources on how to get involved, and the risks that rights defenders face when acting against the wishes of politicians and corporations who benefit from injustices.

Non-profit organisations and the growing field of philanthropy are key to social justice. Find excellent resources on both here. Learn about fundraising, NGO management, how to find jobs with NGOs, and excellent news portals. Search through our huge directory of donors and funders by sector, resources for grantmakers, important organisations, and charities, and learn how to best achieve effective altruism.

Explore the social movements working to foster societal change and bring together many different organisations, groups of society, and individuals to fight a specific social problem. Find information on the civil rights movement, the minimum wage movement, the international peace movement, Black Lives Matter, and many others.

Recent industrial action in the UK and the U.S. has helped highlight issues such as low pay Britain, the UK economic crisis, and inequality in the U.S. Learn how empowerment can uplift entire communities and give them the autonomy and authority they deserve. Discover the importance of trade unions for workers' rights, improving wages and working conditions. 

Two important concepts essential for societal equality are that of compassion and kindness. As a platform for positive social change, Better World Info spreads the messages of empathy, mindfulness, ethics, generosity, respect, and friendship. We can all make a small difference by integrating kindness into our everyday lives. Let's start today! 

The Biggest Social Justice Issues

• MONEY

The state of economic inequality is worse than ever. The combined wealth of the world’s billionaires is now equal to 13.9% of total global GDP! A record-breaking 3,028 people are now billionaires. Their combined wealth of $16.1 trillion rivals that of most nations.

While the majority of people struggled during the Covid-19 pandemic, 573 people joined the billionaire ranks. The divide is widening and is not only an issue in developing nations. In the last few decades, the wealth gap in the U.S. has increased substantially. Not only are the rich getting richer, but the poor have become trapped in a cycle of poverty, substandard living situations, and with limited access to healthcare.

Coupled with the global economic ramifications of the Ukraine war, we are seeing food prices and inflation soar, as well as sharply rising energy costs due to sanctions on Russian gas and oil. We are currently witnessing a cost-of-living crisis across Europe.

Lack of social welfare leaves citizens without security of protection in times of need. Without this kind of governmental assistance for healthcare, unemployment, sickness, disability, and childcare, people find themselves unable to improve their situations, become disempowered, and potentially homeless.

• FAMILY

Social justice issues affect different members of the family in different ways. In ageing societies, elders are often pushed to one side and regarded as dispensable. Find organisations which support older people with common concerns such as pensions, retirement, adult learning, poverty, digital literacy, healthy ageing, safety, and elder abuse. Information on these issues can be found in our category on senior citizens.

Regarding fathers, paternal rights are often an afterthought. Single fathers, stay-at-home fathers, and fathers with daughters may face extra challenges in today's world.

Mothers similarly are under pressure to 'have it all'. Learn about managing motherhood and a career, advice for single mothers, societal expectations, feminism, maternal mental health, and attacks on reproductive rights, such as the recent rollback on abortion laws in the U.S.

Find additional information on nurturing compassionate children, blended families and educating your children on racism, gender equality, justice, peace, and morality in today's complicated world.

• WORK

Even with workers' rights protected by law and trade unions, social justice issues in the workplace persist. Youth unemployment levels are high, especially in developing countries. Lack of opportunities, access to education, relevant skills and training, low minimum wages and low labour market prospects all contribute to the issue.

Learn about unemployment in general, your rights as an employee, the gender wage gap, unions, working-from-home opportunities, and how AI could affect the labour market and the future of your job.

• HOME

Social justice issues affect every part of our lives, including our living situations. Inflation, rising living costs, and lack of affordable housing have created a housing crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic exasperated the problem as many people lost a large portion of their income or were out of work completely.

Many landlords took advantage of this situation and actually raised rental prices and those with mortgages lived under the threat of foreclosure. We explore these issues and many others, including tenant protection, rent freezes, and housing alternatives like tiny homes, intentional communities, and co-housing.

Learn about the social and cultural issues that migrants face when resettling in their new home countries. They face barriers to employment, education, healthcare, and housing, can feel alienated, and are vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and hostility. The importance of migrant integration has proven beneficial to migrants themselves, host communities, the local economy, and improves inclusivity in general.

• MINORITIES 

Minority communities face the toughest challenges of all. In some countries, just being yourself can put you at risk of imprisonment or worse. Left marginalised, vulnerable, and voiceless, whole sectors of society can be ignored, abused, and taken advantage of.

We explore the most at-risk communities, their challenges, and the organisations and support available to them. Society benefits most when ALL members of it are valued and treated equally. Knowing your rights is a big step in the fight for equality.

Our section on people living with disabilities shows you exactly where to find this information, as well as networking groups, financial assistance, and employment advice. The disability wage gap is a massive issue, and people with disabilities are much more likely to be excluded from the job market. Some countries still don’t recognise mental disabilities. In other places, physical disabilities are heavily stigmatised, and family members are either hidden away or even paraded in the street to ask for money.

With over 1,000 links to excellent resources, organisations, and interesting reads, our section on the LGBTQI+ community is a must. Find separate categories that feature key issues faced by the various members of this community and how we can work towards solving them.

An eye-opening section on anti-gay policies, laws, and treatment reveals how much work there still is to be done. Despite improved inclusivity, increased awareness, and international pride campaigns, hate crimes are still on the rise. Sixty-four countries still criminalise same-sex relationships. In 8 of these, the death penalty can be used against this ‘offence’.

Other challenges in the community include increased levels of homelessness, domestic abuse, bullying, and discrimination in the workplace – the rates are even higher for black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups.

• SAFETY

Our right to safety and protection is a fundamental human right. We all have the right to exist and exercise our freedoms without fear. Despite this right being set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is violated all the time, with some groups more likely to fall victim than others.

Uncover the devastating effects of racism, hate crime, and hate speech. Witness how peaceful protesters are violently turned upon, such as in the recent Mahsa Amini protests in Iran and how police brutality and increased militarisation have made the streets unsafe for people of colour in the U.S.

Learn about the impacts of domestic violence and where to find support. Explore further information on violence in schools, school shootings, political extremism, coups, and how all of them affect our right to safety.

Who Are The Champions of Social Justice?

People who dedicate themselves to promoting social justice work incredibly hard to open new doors of opportunity and access to those who may otherwise have been denied it. They are committed to advancing equality and protecting the most vulnerable sectors of society.

With over 1,000 resources on journalists, politicians, activists, human rights workers, philosophers, and philanthropists, you needn’t look any further to find inspiration.

Learn more about the work of human rights activist Desmond Tutu and his work in ending apartheid in South Africa. Discover the endless compassion of Mother Theresa, who helped millions regardless of their beliefs or social standing. Dive into the world of Right Livelihood Winner Thai social activist Sulak Sivaraksa, who founded numerous social, humanitarian, and environmental organisations in support of democracy, justice, and human dignity.

Social Justice for a Better World

Social justice is a right that should never be denied and is built on the foundations of human rights, equality, inclusion, and accessibility. Without it, we cannot hope to build a just, safe, and prosperous world. As the concept is so multi-faceted, society has struggled to solve the multitude of issues and injustices.

We must combine the efforts of policymakers, law enforcers, educators, healthcare providers, politicians, human rights defenders, environmentalists, and just about every part of society. We all need to be on the same page for justice to be achieved.

As a platform for social justice, Better World Info aims to spread reliable information about your rights and entitlements, raise awareness of injustices, and support organisations working towards equality. We can all demonstrate compassion and kindness in this often dark world.

"Let’s be the change we want to see in the world" - Mahatma Gandhi

Better World Info is an open platform – We invite experts, NGOs, campaigners, and activists to contribute their knowledge and top resources! We are a constantly expanding, work-in-progress, committed to spreading reliable, critical, and investigative resources to help create an informed, knowledgeable, and curious world.

Author: Rachael Mellor, 03.03.23 (Updated 30.04.25) licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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