Celebrating World Day of Social Justice

Celebrating World Day of Social Justice

This week we will celebrate the World Day of Social Justice 2025 – intended to support equity and fairness for all people. This year’s theme is: Empowering Inclusion: Bridging Gaps for Social Justice.

This day was created in 2007 by the United Nations, with the first celebration in 2009. The day brings attention to worldwide issues including poverty, discrimination, and unemployment/lack of opportunities. This year in particular, observations are expected to focus on dismantling systemic barriers that prevent women and girls from achieving their full potential, including such issues as gender-based violence, unequal pay, and limited access to education and healthcare.

According to the Washington Post’s SUBSTACK, this year’s World Day of Social Justice is tremendously important with a catalogue of issues including:

  1. Climate Justice and Social Equity

Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue—it is a social justice issue. The 2025 World Day of Social Justice is expected to emphasize the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalized communities, including indigenous peoples, low-income populations, and developing nations.

  1. Digital Inclusion and Bridging the Digital Divide

The rapid advancement of technology has transformed the way we live, work, and communicate. However, the digital divide remains a significant barrier to social justice. The theme of inclusion will highlight the need to address disparities in access to technology, particularly for rural communities, women, and older adults, to prevent further marginalization in an increasingly digital world.

  1. Economic Inequality and Fair Labor Practices

The 2025 observance will spotlight the growing wealth gap, precarious work conditions, and the need for fair wages and labor rights. Particularly with threats to various labor and employment sectors, this issue may come to the forefront in our own country.

  1. Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

Gender equality continues to be the cornerstone of social justice. In 2025, such as gender-based violence, unequal pay, and limited access to education and healthcare will be areas of focus, as is the importance of empowering women and women’s leadership.

  1. Racial Justice and Anti-Discrimination

Race and ethnic discrimination are huge issues worldwide and in our country. In 2025, observances around education, housing, employment, and criminal justice will call attention to the importance of working to dismantle these structures – and focusing on DEI.

  1. Migration and Refugee Rights

One of the most significant challenges in our country, as well as globally, calls attention to the rights of migrants and refugees, Advocating for humane migration policies and protecting refugee and immigrant rights will continue to be a challenge to social justice advocates.

  1. Access to Education

Access to quality education is a fundamental human right. It is also a powerful and critical tool toward achieving social justice and a powerful tool for achieving social justice. It is one of the most critical contributors to poverty and is a key threat to children who live in rural communities and underserved areas.

  1. Health Equity and Access to Healthcare

The 2020 pandemic highlighted the huge inequities in global healthcare systems. Ensuring that everyone has access to affordable and quality healthcare, along with a focus on the social determinants of health, are critically important.

  1. Youth Engagement and Intergenerational Justice

Engaging youth in determining their future involves youth in decision-making and working toward intergenerational understanding.

  1. Partnerships and Global Cooperation for Social Justice

To achieve social justice, our global partners and governments will need to engage collectively and include the private sector.

Our founder, Louise Noun, was one of the strongest social justice advocates I have met, and her legacy in Chrysalis is to carry this work forward. Thank you for your leadership on behalf of all girls and women, and of all who are marginalized, vulnerable, and forgotten.