Social justice is a concept of fair and just relations between the individual and society.

This is
measured by the explicit and tacit terms for the distribution of wealth, opportunities for personal
activity and social privileges. In Western as well as in older Asian cultures, the concept of social
justice has often referred to the process of ensuring that individuals fulfill their societal roles and
receive what was their due from society.[1][2][3] In the current global grassroots movements for social
justice, the emphasis has been on the breaking of barriers for social mobility, the creation of safety
nets and economic justice.

The different concepts of justice, as discussed in ancient Western philosophy, were typically centered upon
the community.

Plato
Plato wrote in The Republic that it would be an ideal state that "every member of the community must be
assigned to the class for which he finds himself best fitted."[19] In an article for J.N.V University, author D.R.
Bhandari says, "Justice is, for Plato, at once a part of human virtue and the bond, which joins man together in
society. It is the identical quality that makes good and social. Justice is an order and duty of the parts of the
soul, it is to the soul as health is to the body. Plato says that justice is not mere strength, but it is a harmonious
strength. Justice is not the right of the stronger but the effective harmony of the whole. All moral conceptions
revolve about the good of the whole-individual as well as social".[20]

Aristotle
Aristotle believed rights existed only between free people, and the law should take "account in the first
instance of relations of inequality in which individuals are treated in proportion to their worth and only
secondarily of relations of equality." Reflecting this time when slavery and subjugation of women was typical,
ancient views of justice tended to reflect the rigid class systems that still prevailed. On the other hand, for the
privileged groups, strong concepts of fairness and the community existed. Distributive justice was said by
Aristotle to require that people were distributed goods and assets according to their merit.[21]

Socrates
Socrates (through Plato's dialogue Crito) is attributed with developing the idea of a social contract, whereby
people ought to follow the rules of a society, and accept its burdens because they have accepted its
benefits.[22] During the Middle Ages, religious scholars particularly, such as Thomas Aquinas continued
discussion of justice in various ways, but ultimately connected being a good citizen to the purpose of serving
God.
The United Nations’ 2006 document Social Justice in an Open World: The Role of the United Nations, states
that "Social justice may be broadly understood as the fair and compassionate distribution of the fruits of
economic growth..."[39]:16

The term "social justice" was seen by the U.N. "as a substitute for the protection of human rights [and] first
appeared in United Nations texts during the second half of the 1960s. At the initiative of the Soviet Union, and
with the support of developing countries, the term was used in the Declaration on Social Progress and
Development, adopted in 1969."[39]:52

The same document reports, "From the comprehensive global perspective shaped by the United Nations
Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, neglect of the pursuit of social justice in all its
dimensions translates into de facto acceptance of a future marred by violence, repression and chaos."[39]:6
The report concludes, "Social justice is not possible without strong and coherent redistributive policies
conceived and implemented by public agencies.

In its early days, the term social justice specifically targeted poverty and the need for an equal distribution of
resources. Today, the term has acquired a broader and more detailed definition (including issues of
segregation) that accounts for specific modes of moral treatment.

The blueprint for achieving social justice is often structured by governmental implementation of laws/rights
that provide equal distribution of resources and opportunities, which in effect protects human dignity. If a
government supports inequality with oppressive laws then it is up to a non-government coalition to stimulate
the change of such laws in a non-violent manner.

Social Justice is important because it promotes and works toward a society that celebrates diversity and
equality. Having more equality and diversity in a society is good for society because it promotes opportunity,
growth and social well being.
Social justice aims to give individuals and groups fair treatment and an impartial share of social, environmental
and economic benefits. The concept promotes the fair distribution of advantages and disadvantages within a
society, regardless of background and status.

Social justice issues occur globally, nationally, regionally, locally, and within groups. These issues are a result of
unequal wealth and resource distribution, unfair treatment of individuals with differing traits (race, culture,
sextual orientation, religion, etc), and laws that support segregation.

Social justice principles refer to values “that favors measures that aim at decreasing or eliminating inequity;
promoting inclusiveness of diversity; and establishing environments that are supportive of all people.”[1] The
social justice principles include: equity, diversity and supportive environments.

“Equity means that resources are allocated in accordance with the needs of individuals and populations with
the desired goal of equality of outcomes.”[2] This results in particular groups within Australia receiving more
funding and being identified as priority groups in Australia because they have poorer health outcomes than
other Australians. ATSI are an example of a people group who require additional funding and resources in
order to improve health outcomes.

Diversity refers to the differences that exist between individuals and people groups. Australia is a very diverse
multicultural country, which requires a number of measures to be in place to ensure each people group within
our diversity has access to health care and achieves good health outcomes. Providing brochures in multiple
languages and having interpreters in hospitals are examples of being inclusive of diversity.

Supportive environments are environments where “people live, work and play that protect people from
threats to health and that increase their ability to make health-promoting choices.”[3] The government looks
to create supportive environments for all people, but also looks at the environments of particular people
groups to determine if these might be reasons for poorer health outcomes. Rural and remote people are an
example of people whose environment is not as supportive as other environments.

The social justice principles seek to recognise and address both the health outcomes, such as: incidence and
prevalence of disease, and death rates, and the factors that influence health, such as: socioeconomic status,
environment, and cultural factors.

Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and
opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of
valuing different behaviors, aspirations and needs equally, regardless of gender.

Gender equality, equality between men and women, entails the concept that all human beings, both men and
women, are free to develop their personal abilities and make choices without the limitations set by
stereotypes, rigid gender roles and prejudices. Gender equality means that the different behaviour,
aspirations and needs of women and men are considered, valued and favoured equally. It does not mean that
women and men have to become the same, but that their rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not
depend on whether they are born male or female. Gender equity means fairness of treatment for women and
men, according to their respective needs. This may include equal treatment or treatment that is different but
which is considered equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations and opportunities.

ender equality is a human right. Women are entitled to live with dignity and with freedom from want and
from fear. Gender equality is also a precondition for advancing development and reducing poverty:
Empowered women contribute to the health and productivity of whole families and communities, and they
improve prospects for the next generation.

Still, despite solid evidence demonstrating the centrality of women’s empowerment to reducing poverty,
promoting development and addressing the world’s most urgent challenges, gender equality remains an
unfulfilled promise.

Gender equality means that the different behaviour, aspirations and needs of women and men are
considered, valued and favoured equally. It does not mean that women and men have to become the same,
but that their rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or
female.
Equity and equality are two strategies we can use in an effort to produce fairness. Equity is giving everyone
what they need to be successful. Equality is treating everyone the same. Equality aims to promote fairness,
but it can only work if everyone starts from the same place and needs the same help