World Day Of Social Justice...More Inclusive Diversity, Comprehensive Approach To Human Rights

Doha, February 20 (QNA) - The International community celebrate World Day of Social Justice on Feb. 20 of each year, as a recall the social gaps and class interactions, as the economic imbalances associated with globalization 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 Feb.20 as the World Day of Social Justice, followed by the unanimous adoption by International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization on June 10, 2008. This vision is keen, through coordination between representatives of governments, employers, and workers' organizations from 182 member states, to commit together to strengthen the capacity of the ILO to achieve the objectives of social justice, and to institutionalize the concept of decent work developed by the ILO since 1999, to be at the core of the organization's policies and objectives. The compass for promoting a fair globalization 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 organizations, UN entities, and other stakeholders. This plan follows the necessary measures to strengthen the social contract that has been torn apart due to increasing inequalities, conflicts, weak operating institutions, and launching more investments in decent jobs, with a special focus on the green, digital economy based caring and youth-based economy. These international efforts take into account the escalating levels of poverty and widening inequalities within countries in many parts of the world, amid economic and social crises whose severe repercussions have worsened in recent years. As many countries and societies live through human tragedies due to wars and conflicts, natural disasters, corruption and financial crises, which cast a shadow on the members of those societies. 

In the Arab world, the promotion of decent work in the region constituted a primary goal of the International Labor Organization (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 recognized for their role. In this context, innovative programs 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 analyze 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 the State of Qatar, the leadership has realized 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 programs, 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, the State of 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 the State of 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 approximately 13 percent of the total workforce since this new law came to force. The organization's statement adds that employers have become obligated to transfer employees' wages through Qatari banks, which allows the Ministry of Labor to monitor transfers and reduce wage violations. The penalties imposed for non-payment of wages have also gotten stricter. In the context of the cooperation program between the ILO and the State of Qatar, the issue of occupational safety and health is among the priorities of this program. Accordingly, a new decision was issued to enhance the protection of workers in the State of Qatar from heat stress by banning work in open places between 10 am and 3:30 pm in the summer months from June 1 to Sep.15, recording the largest number of prohibited working hours in the Gulf region. All these reforms, according to the international organization, 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, the State of 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, the State of Qatar emphasizes 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 percent 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 specialized agencies, plays a preventive role by providing comprehensive services that include family support programs, guidance programs, and vocational training. It also provides interest-free loans to needy families and conducts various campaigns and awareness programs. (QNA)