Social Justice Day

By Sedem Kwasigah
In 2007, during the sixty-second session of the UN General Assembly, February 20 was designated
the International Day of Social Justice. On this day, the International Community creates a
dialogue around issues that promote social justice such as poverty, unemployment, ageing, gender,
accessible healthcare, education etc. The aim is to promote equity and fairness in the distribution of
opportunities and privileges within a society. In a 1994 report, the commission for social justice
stipulated the aims of social justice as being the creation of worth, equal rights, opportunities for all
and the elimination of inequalities reinforced by poverty. But perhaps, the greatest form of
inequality faced has to do with gender inequality. The signs and symptoms are widespread and can
be seen in every part of the world.
Out of the 12 key proposals raised in his “Our Common Agenda,” report, the UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres listed the number one as being “leave no one behind”, and number two as “place
women and girls at the centre” highlighting the need for inclusion of women and social justice
across societies in the world.
While the Secretary-General’s intention was noble, the reality on the ground presents a difficulty.
A 2022 UN news report indicated that approximately 81,000 women were murdered in 2021, out of
which 56 percent was intimate partner related. This puts the figure at more than 221 on a daily
basis.
Globally, the global gender gap stands at 68.1 percent. According to the World Economic Forum, it
will take 13 decades to close this gap.
The theme for this year’s edition is “Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social
Justice”, as such, it opens up a dialogue with key stakeholders on how to improve the status quo
amidst conflict, natural disasters and broken local and international laws.
Africa
Generally, Sub-Saharan Africa has a high gender gap of 67.9 percent, representing a high gap of
more than 30 percent at which women are less likely to have the same opportunities as males.
However, there are African countries that defy this trend. Among the top ten countries in the world
with the closest gender gaps, two African countries are featured, Rwanda and Namibia ranking 6
and 8, and 1 and 2 on global and regional stages respectively. With a female legislative
representation of 61.25 percent and 44 percent respectively, it is not surprising that the two nations
are at the forefront regionally.
Generally, most African countries have closer gaps in health and education on all levels.
Ghana
Despite the general case of social justice in Africa, Ghana being one of the most stable democracies
in the region has shown a level of resilience by deviating slightly from the norm. Ghana, however,
has a dozen of successes and challenges. In the 2022 world hunger index, Ghana ranked 67, placing
the nation among nations designated as “moderate” according to welt hunger life. Furthermore,
statistics from micro trends show a decline in Ghana’s hunger statistics from 2016 to 2020. Despite
these figures, certain looming conditions threaten to derail the country off its path. A 2022 report by
COCOBOD revealed that 80% of selected farmlands in the Eastern, Ashanti and Western regions
were lost to illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as Galamsey. In 2019, 19000 hectares of
land were reportedly lost to the same. Furthermore, the effects of climate change on rain patterns
has been projected to reduce food production by percentages ranging from above 10.
A 2020 world bank press release stated that Ghana was faced with a 12% youth unemployment rate
with a corresponding more than 50% underemployment. These figures are both lower than the
overall unemployment rates in Sub-Saharan African countries. Unfortunately, most Government
interventions to curb the menace have not done well to affect the figures, thus providing the
platform for activities such as illegal mining and other forms of crime to increase.
On the gender front, the country has seen a steady decline in the gender gap report since 2017. The
report indicates that Ghana has dropped from the 59th position in 2016 to 108th in 2022. As far as
economic participation is concerned the country dropped from position 10 to 18 and from position
85 to 118 in the health and survival category from 2017 to 2022. This is clearly evidenced by the
14.2% parliamentary and 20.7% female ministerial representation. Furthermore, twelve years after
the procedure to enact it began, the Affirmative Action Bill is yet to see the light of day.
Whiles policies such as free senior high school education seeks to promote universal secondary
education in Ghana, the system is not without its challenges.
Female unemployment
Females in the fight against galamsey
As part of efforts to promote healthcare, the country boasts of the National Health Insurance
Scheme and a free maternity health policy. As of 2021, about 70% of Ghanaians were on the health
insurance scheme (statistica). Whiles the prospects of these two policies are good, one would argue
that there is still a lot to be done to break the divide within the healthcare delivery system in Ghana.
Since the introduction of the two, allegations of corruption and inefficiency have been raised
against the two policies. Factors such as infrastructural and transportation challenges still persist in
many parts of Ghana.
Conclusion
As we celebrate World Social Justice day, it is crucial to remember and focus our efforts on bringing
about concerted actions that reduce inequality in different parts of the planet. The inequalities that
exist did not come about by chance. They exist because they were carefully orchestrated by those
with the power to do so. It will take time to get to a better tomorrow, but unless these inequalities
are dealt with, we cannot as a global people achieve the aims we set out for ourselves in the
Sustainable development Goals.

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By Sedem Kwasigah

Females in the fight against galamsey

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