9 Biggest Social Justice Issues of 2020
2020 has been a year of ups and downs for everyone. This year has taught us a lot of things. However, there was one thing that has been constant throughout the years that did not take a backseat this year as well. Wonder what that might be? The fight against social injustice. Social injustice is defined as “a way unjust actions are done in society”. In this article we will shed light on nine biggest social injustices of 2020 that require your help.
Racial Injustice: Racism has been a social injustice issue throughout ages. In 2020, we saw one of the major backlashes from the people of America when Black Lives Matter protest took over. Not only America, but in India as well we saw a rage in people at several instances. There are many social workers who are working with the community to improve the mental health of the people stuck with this social injustice.
Income Gap: The richer are becoming richer and the poor are becoming poorer. This sentence defines the income gap to us. There is a sexist income gap where males are paid more than females for the same job. And then there is a difference of pay in different strata of society. With Covid-19, this gap has widened. Social workers are working day in and day out to bridge this gap.
Voting Right: Though this might not sound as a social injustice but exercising voting rights and teaching people about the importance of voting has been an issue for the social workers. The social workers are encouraging people, especially from low-income groups, college students, and minorities to come forward and exercise their vote to help form a good government.
Climate Change: Climate change needs no introduction; we all know how 2020 has changed the climate of the world. From Australia’s wild bush fire to record break temperature in the Arctic. Though climate change is not a new concern but what makes it a major concern in 2020 is the fact that we have seen so many calamities this year. Though this issue may not seem like a big concern for social workers, as it falls majorly in the scientist category but taking care of the well-being of the people suffering from the calamities is the work of social workers.
Healthcare: Social work and healthcare are tied together. There are multiple challenges when it comes to receiving healthcare. In this pandemic we saw a rise in this social injustice, with a major section of people struggling for basic healthcare facilities. Social workers often extend support to individuals, groups, and communities struggling with their health.
Equality: It is one of the most prominent social injustice prevailing in the world. Equality is thus an essential part of a social worker’s job. Now in this pandemic, it has become painfully real as the pandemic has brought challenges for the marginalized people. Obtaining equality is one thing that all social workers are trying to achieve.
Hunger: One third of the world goes to sleep hungry every day. This statistic is not even half of the reality. With rise in unemployment and schools shut down, the free meals that children received are no longer available. The rise in food insecurity and hunger is one of the major injustice that became relevant in 2020.
Gun Violence: With easy access to guns and rise in the hot tempered nature of people, gun violence is now becoming a major social injustice in many parts of the world. The impact of gun violence is not only on the people who have been killed but also on the families of the victim and the people who get injured. These people can suffer long-term effects on their physical and mental health.
Refugee: Refugee crisis is not talked about often as a social injustice. Many people move away from their born countries for better opportunities, however, not everyone ends up living that dream. Most people are left to live or die in refugee camps. Around 30 million people live as refugees in camps that are not well equipped with access to education, proper food and sanitized environment to live in. They need additional support, not only financially but mentally as well.
Hope you like this article and it enables you to help people in need to eradicate all of the social injustices in the society.