What is social justice?
The concept of social justice has its roots in the nineteenth-century teachings of the Catholic Church. Theologian John Ryan developed the term to mean a ‘living wage’ that would give dignity to every worker. The term later came to be widely used in the civil rights movements and the women’s movement helping to frame demands for equal social and political rights.
In the current South African context, the concept has at its core three key ideals: fairness, equality and dignity. Specifically, social justice supports participatory governance, transparency, equal access to justice and the realisation of socio-economic rights.
Realising fairness, equality and dignity can frequently only be achieved if there is systemic change. Ideally, this will manifest itself in a more socially cohesive society where everyone shares in a country’s prosperity. So, it is neither fair nor dignified for millions of South Africans to still be without running water or proper sanitation. This is especially true in a country where we have the resources to address these issues. Working towards a fair distribution of services requires promoting major changes in the manner in which government operates as well as the empowerment of communities.
Why is social justice important?
A socially cohesive and just society (such as the ones historically found in Scandinavian countries) is less vulnerable to social and financial upheavals. A country that treats its people with dignity and fairness, not only ensures that the conditions people live under are reasonable and decent, but also produces active and engaged citizens. These citizens are also likely to be better educated, more employable and committed to their country’s growth and development in the long term.
The building blocks for a just society are not only a fair distribution of resources, but also firmly established democratic processes, which in our case are expressed in our visionary Constitution. In a young democracy, efforts to hold government to account and to preserve and implement constitutional ideals are normal and healthy because they build an open and robust society. One of the unintended consequences of the country’s liberation is that people have become passive participants in our democracy. Being a citizen requires not just voting in elections, but also investing resources in the everyday processes that build a strong democracy and give meaning to the Constitution.
What are the returns on investing in social justice?
Many social justice organisations have, for years, strived to create the social and economic conditions envisaged by the Constitution. They have successfully supported community struggles for decent norms and standards in schools, for functional hospitals, for lighting in townships, for the right to be treated with dignity, or for women to be protected from domestic violence.
An investment in social justice is an investment in building a fair and just society where citizens have a voice and are actively involved and where government is accountable and more responsive. These results will not be immediately visible but will show themselves over time.
We are duty-bound to make this investment if we are to realise the promise of our Constitution. Ordinary citizens who remain affected by unfairness feel engaged when they experience incremental improvements in their day-to-day lives and enjoy the benefits that arise from the gradual realisation of their rights.
The state of funding to social justice
While all sectors of South African society give generously to charitable and development causes, this giving does not by itself address the underlying systemic causes of the problems, which is what social justice organisations seek to do.
Historically, and especially under apartheid, social justice work was funded by foreign donors. With South Africa’s emergence as a middle-income country and shifts in global development priorities, such support has been dwindling over the past ten years. The loss of support has shown itself in the growing number of service delivery protests as citizens find fewer vehicles through which to articulate their dissatisfaction and they experience the continued failure to realise their rights.
Today we find ourselves in a position where apart from a few small private international and local foundations, there is no significant investment being made in building social justice. At a time when independent voices and new governance models are most needed, support for social justice organisations has dwindled.
What can you do?
Clearly there is a need for South Africans to take on the responsibility for building a healthy democracy and a fair society. This means not just voting every five years, but engaging regularly and on a sustained basis with the unfairness and stark inequality that exist in our country. Contributing to social justice causes can achieve this.
There are many effective and creative projects to support and there are also innovative mechanisms through which to support them. One such mechanism is the recently created Social Justice Initiative, which mobilises resources for social justice projects across South Africa. However, the important thing is to contribute, either time in your local community or as a donor to a project.
South Africa will thrive when those who live here step up to the challenge of ensuring everyone lives with dignity and help to overcome our overwhelming inequality and its inherent unfairness.
Audrey Elster has over 20 years senior management experience in the NPO sector in South Africa, both as a funder and a grantee. She is the director of the RAITH Foundation, which is a private South African foundation working to promote social justice. Along with other philanthropists, RAITH has established the Social Justice Initiative, which aims to build philanthropy for social justice in South Africa.
Source details: Nedbank Private Wealth Giving Report II
