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Assignment for class discussion

1. Give three reasons why the Bill of Rights in your

country’s constitution is important to social justice
2. Identify groups in your society whose rights are
violated or not defended. Suggest reasons why.
Suggest ways of correcting this problem.
3. How does social justice affect the development of a
country?
4. Do you believe that the Caribbean Court of Justice
would improve social justice in the region?
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 What is Social Justice?

• It is a complex issue.
• Social justice is based on the premise
that all people are entitled to the same
basic rights and freedoms as
everybody else.
• Social justice is connected with issues
of equality and equity.
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 What is Social Justice?

• It refers to an ideal of society, where

"justice" refers to economic status rather
than to the administration of laws.

• It is based on the idea of a society which

gives individuals and groups fair treatment
and a just share of the benefits of society

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 What is Social Justice?
• It is giving people their due, what they
deserve.

• It is equal participation of all groups in a

society that is mutually shaped to meet their
needs

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 Equality and equity

• Equality: efforts to treat everyone in a

similar way.
• Equity: attempts to ascertain that
treatment is just and fair.
• Equity refers tohow fair the system is
to persons who pass through it.
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 The development of social justice in the
Caribbean

• Slavery and forced labour were not regarded

as wrong by the colonialists.
• Slaves were regarded as both people and
property.
• The fundamental principles of the colonial
state were exploitation, inequality and
injustice.
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 The development of social justice in the
Caribbean

• The principle of equality did not apply to the

colonial state.
• After emancipation in 1834, Caribbean people
were no longer regarded as property.
• In 1944 and 1946 respectively, universal adult
suffragewas introduced in Jamaica and
Trinidad. Other countries followed suit later.
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 The development of social justice in the
Caribbean
• In 1962, Jamaica and Trinidad became
independent. A Bill of Rights was included in the
constitutions of both countries.

• The Bill of Rights is a chapter in the constitution

which outlines and protects the fundamental rights
and freedoms of individuals in society.

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The development of social justice in the
Caribbean

• All independent countries of the Commonwealth

Caribbean have a Bill of Rights which is
enshrined/entrenched and protected in their
constitutions.
• The Bill of Rights is designed to perpetuate and
uphold equality and social justice
• Citizens have the power to redress any
infringement of his/her constitutional rights in
the courts.

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 Excerpt from Antigua and
Barbuda Bill of Rights

• Except as is otherwise expressly provided in

this Constitution, no law may abrogate,
abridge or infringe or authorise the
abrogation , abridgement or infringement of
any of the fundamental rights and freedoms
of the individual hereinbefore recognized and
declared.

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 Social justice issues
1. Gender equality

• Women
in
politics,
employment,
education.
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 Social justice issues
2. Class discrimination (employment,
education, justice)

3. Racial discrimination. (Racial groups:

White, Afro Caribbean, Indian,
Chinese)
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4. Minorities - Rastafarians, Caribs,
Maroons

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 Aboriginal peoples in the region
Country and Aboriginal Population Numbers
Population
Belize 146 000 Garifuna, Maya Mopan, Maya Kekchi 26 000

Dominica 73 705 Caribs 3 000

Guyana 756 000 Caribs, Arawak, Akawaio, Wai-Wai, 42 000

Macusi, Arekuna, Patamona,
Waspihana
St Vincent 113000 Caribs 6 000

Trinidad Caribs 400

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 6. The
5. The elderly disabled

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 Social justice issues

7. Street people/Vagrants
8. AIDS victims
9. Rights of the child
10. Cruel and unusual
punishment (the death
penalty)
11.Delay of execution
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 Social justice and development
• The human development model of
development emphasizes that people are the
means and end of development.
• Development cannot be considered to be
true development unless someone
experienced good from it and not at the
expense of others.
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 Social justice and development
• Social justice is a non material indicator of
human development

• Human development is predicated on

equity and inclusiveness

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 1. Equality in educational opportunity

• Equality of educational opportunity has been a social

demand in the Caribbean. This means that all groups in
society would be able to access schools without any
major obstacles directed at group.
• Is there inequality in accessing secondary education?
• Do all groups have access to education (primary,
secondary, tertiary)?

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 Obstacles to equality in secondary
education
• Classroom space
• Entry requirements – primary and post primary exam
• Inability to cater for a wide variety of
needs/skills/competencies
• Inability to cater for different clientele.

• The inability to provide adequate education can

impact a country’s development. It diminishes the
quality of life for the affected persons.
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 2. Social Justice and productivity

Individual rights may be infringed in the following

situations:
• Supercession in the Civil Service (workers with
less experience are promoted ahead of those with
more experience)
• Less pay for women doing the same job as men
• Wage level below the minimum wage

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 Effects on productivity
• The worker who is promoted may not be able
to perform the task. The aggrieved worker
may refuse to cooperate or may resort to
strike action, a ‘sickout’, go slow.
• Women may become demotivated
• Workers may resort to stealing, sabotage or
go slows

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 3. Quality of life and social justice

• Failure to provide facilities (e.g. ramps, special

schools, buses) and job opportunities for the
physically challenged, reduces quality of life for
the physically challenged.
• Failure to provide adequate help, medicare and
relief for the elderly results in increased
morbidity and mortality.
• Workers in low paying jobs are unable to
improve their housing or standard of living
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