In a country like Australia, most of us have access to safe communities, education and employment. However, for many families around the world, these opportunities are not as widespread.
With World Day of Social Justice 2022 just around the corner, it’s time to put the spotlight on developing countries and efforts to help them overcome inequality and uphold the human rights of every individual.
When is World Day of Social Justice?
World Day of Social Justice 2022 is on Sunday, February 20.
What is Social Justice?
So what exactly does social justice mean? The United Nations defines social justice as the underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations.
Essentially, social justice is the view that all people (despite age, race, gender, religion, culture and sexual orientation) have access to economic, political and social rights and opportunities.
Why is World Day of Social Justice celebrated?
In 2007, the United Nations declared that 20 February would be recognised as World Day of Social Justice, with the goal of promoting human rights and shining a spotlight on pervasive global problems, such as gender inequality, unemployment, and poverty.
The General Assembly of the United Nations acknowledges that social justice and social development are indispensable to both achieve and maintain peace and security around the world.
The aim of the day is to promote and generate greater awareness of social justice issues. In addition, the day brings together communities and organisations around the globe in the fight to reduce social injustices in our societies.
What is the World Day of Social Justice 2022 theme?
This year’s theme is “Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment”.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the vulnerability of workers involved in informal employment, with more than 60 percent of the world’s employed population earning their livelihoods in the informal economy.
World Day of Social Justice 2022 recognises that the formalisation of employment is a prerequisite for reducing poverty and inequality worldwide.
A call for social justice in the employment economy is focused on seeking solutions to overcome the divide caused by informal employment; ensuring that people have access to work opportunities that protect labour and human rights in the era of COVID-19.
What is the World Day of Social Justice 2022 hashtag?
Whether you’re hosting a morning tea or doing a walk-a-thon to raise awareness, be sure to hashtag #WorldDayofSocialJustice to let your friends know it’s World Day of Social Justice.
How can you celebrate World Day of Social Justice this year?
There are many ways you can celebrate World Day of Social Justice 2022. Here are a few ideas:
Host a morning tea
Whether fundraising at school, the office or over zoom, you can take the time to share some sweet treats and discuss social justice issues you’d like to help tackle. You could suggest a gold coin donation and donate it to a ChildFund appeal.
Create a Facebook fundraiser
Did you know that you can fundraise on Facebook for ChildFund Australia? Set up your fundraiser and invite family and friends to donate and help fight inequality. Set up your fundraiser now, and help work towards achieving social justice on a smaller scale.
Sponsor a child
This World Day of Social Justice, why not help change the life of a child with ChildFund?
You can sponsor a child to ensure they have access to opportunities that will help them to break the cycle of poverty while upholding their human rights.
Together we can help fight injustice, no matter how small the step is.
Whether you’re a company looking for a charity to support as part of your corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives – or a family wanting to make a difference through regular donating, choosing a charity to support requires careful consideration.
With so many worthwhile causes to support during these challenging times, the selection process can be a difficult one. To streamline this decision, we have created a guide covering the factors that most require consideration when choosing a charity to support.
1. Choose a cause
Would you like to support an organisation focused on animal welfare, the environment, sports, education, medical research, children – or something else entirely?
When choosing a charity cause, several factors come into play. These include considering what you are most passionate about, the community that you would most like to support, and what cause most resonates with your own beliefs.
2. Research charities supporting your chosen cause
Let’s say you have decided to support a charity focussed on the welfare of children. The next step is to create a list of charities which belong to this cause. These could include charities that target child poverty, or provide child protection services.
One great example of this type of charity is ChildFund Australia. ChildFund Australia is a part of the ChildFund Alliance – one of the world’s oldest and most experienced child-focused development agencies.
3. Refine and prioritise charities
After compiling a list of potential charities to support, it’s important to refine and prioritise the charities according to your own objectives.
Think about the changes that you would most like to see implemented for your cause of choice, and assess the priorities of the charities selected in alignment with these changes.
Perhaps you grew up in a single-parent household and had to commence work early to support your household. Or, you understand the importance of education and want to provide vulnerable children with the opportunity to go to school. Choose to support a charity whose mission resonates with your own experiences.
4. Review the websites of charities on your shortlist
Before committing financially, it’s important to establish the legitimacy of the charities on your shortlist. It can be helpful to review projects, testimonials, success stories and frequently asked questions on their official websites. You can also check the ACNC Register, to confirm that the charity is registered with Australia.
Published financial statements and annual reports can also be reviewed, as can any rewards or recognition received by a trusted body or authority related to the cause of choice.
After verifying the authenticity of your selected charities, it can be prudent to make a phone call to your top two or three favourites to discuss donation options.
Ask questions and see if they can provide the information you need — whether it’s further information about their annual report, or details regarding the programs on offer.
5. Volunteer
While an optional step, volunteering for a charity for a period of time can also provide firsthand experience as to how a charity operates and it’s real-world impact.
ChildFund Australia, for example, offers the opportunity to contribute to fundraising efforts. This includes options such as running a Facebook birthday fundraiser, personal fundraising event, or fundraising through school projects.
Supporting ChildFund Australia
Should you choose to support ChildFund Australia, there are a range of great donation and sponsorship options to consider.
Current priority projects include increasing COVID-19 awareness, providing hand washing stations with clean water, support of health outreach teams with vital equipment and staff.
Sponsoring a child or community can also be an effective way to contribute to ChildFund’s objectives on an ongoing basis.
Please get in touch with us today, should you wish to discuss any of the above options.
