World Day of Social Justice 2022: Find out history, theme, significance of this day and interesting facts about inequality in India

World Day of Social Justice is observed on February 20 spread awareness about how social justice helps eradicate poverty. One of the goals of this day is to achieve full employment and promote social integration, and eliminate injustice from our society. Apart from breaking down barriers based on gender, colour, region, religion and disabilities, World Day of Social Justice also aims to tackle problems like injustice based on sexual identity and religious bigotry. This day, which is a global observance came into effect in 2009.

This year, the theme of World Day of Social Justice is, “Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment”. The theme revolves around the factors like how employment resources and opportunities play the utmost role in reducing inequality along with poverty.

In 1995, The World Summit for Social Development was held in Copenhagen, where more than 100 worldwide leaders pledged to fight poverty and aimed to secure full employment, as well as stable, safe and inclusive societies. They came to an agreement and issued a declaration, which is known as the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action for Social Development.

On the occasion of World Day of Social Justice, we bring you some interesting facts about inequality in India that you may not be aware of.

• The top 10% of the Indian population holds 77% of the total national wealth. 73% of the wealth generated in 2017 went to the richest 1%, while 67 million Indians who comprise the poorest half of the population saw only a 1% increase in their wealth.

• There are 119 billionaires in India. Their number has increased from only 9 in 2000 to 101 in 2017. Between 2018 and 2022, India is estimated to produce 70 new millionaires every day.

• Billionaires' fortunes increased by almost 10 times over a decade and their total wealth is higher than the entire Union budget of India for the fiscal year 2018-19, which was at Rs 24,422 billion.

• Many ordinary Indians are not able to access the health care they need. 63 million of them are pushed into poverty because of healthcare costs every year — almost two people every second.

• It would take 941 years for a minimum wage worker in rural India to earn what the top paid executive at a leading Indian garment company earns in a year.

(Source: oxfam.org)

Published on: Sunday, February 20, 2022, 11:07 AM IST