Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political, and social rights and opportunities, and it has long stood alongside cooperation.
Almost 700 million people (8.5% of the global population) live in extreme poverty (World Bank data), and January’s World Economic Forum cited escalating armed conflict and climate emergency as the causes for greatest concern over the next decade. Poverty, conflict and unequal access to resources underpin social injustice but are also areas in which cooperation and mutual support tackle the underlying issues.
The World Day of Social Justice takes place every year on 20 February, established by the UN General Assembly in 2007 to remind us of the need to build a fairer and more equitable world and to urge all efforts to combat unemployment, social exclusion, and poverty.
Today (20 February) we published a Policy brief elaborated by the ICA in collaboration with COPAC containing more than 10 examples of how cooperatives are the best tool for advancing social justice.
Echoing these findings, Ariel Guarco, President of the International Cooperative Alliance, underlines how Cooperatives are “powerful forces for social justice, proving that economic success and collective well-being can go hand in hand. As we mark Social Justice Day, let us recognize and strengthen cooperatives as key drivers of economic growth for all, paving the way for a fairer, more just, and more resilient world.”
In a statement for last year’s International Day of Cooperatives, International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo, highlighted how “cooperatives are a vital tool addressing discrimination and inequalities and promoting gender equality. [Their] impact is significant and wide-reaching.”
In November 2023, the ILO established a Global Coalition for Social Justice, to foster multilateral cooperation and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It wanted to champion social justice on a global scale, and in July 2024, the ICA joined the coalition as a partner.
Addressing injustice and economic inequality was a key driver behind the early development of cooperative movements across the world, and this activity is embedded in the values and principles that are the foundations of our movement from Democratic Member Control and Concern for Community to the values of equity, equality and solidarity. There are countless examples of cooperatives working in this area, from healthcare and food security, to land retention and addressing racism.
This year, the ILO will mark the occasion with five events held in different cities around the globe, bringing together high-level speakers from across the world of work to discuss how to put social justice at the centre of international, national and regional policy agendas. Cooperatives are invited to be part of this agenda to elevate knowledge and share experiences – particularly in this International Year of Cooperatives. Cooperatives are working towards building a better world, and ensuring social justice for all is a key part of making this happen.
