Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous co-existence within and among nations. The United Nations declared 20 February as the World Day of Social Justice.
However, the word is yet to achieve the social justice for all. Today about 795 million people of the 7.3 billion people in the world are suffering from chronic undernourishment. 1.2 billion (20%) of the world population now lives on less that $1/day, and another 1.8 billion (30%) lives on less than $2/day. 800 million goes to bed hungry every day, and 30,000 to 60,000 die each day from hunger . And millions are refugee because of the climate change. All of these are happening just because social justice has not prevailed.
Researchers and experts have suggested that social injustice is the reason behind this growing inequalities, it is the root of poverty, and mass joblessness. Sustainable development is impossible without social justice.
Nobel Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus says, “Globally, the issues are the same, In terms of poverty, of welfare recipients, of housing problems, water problems, in terms of healthcare problems. These are common problems.” Fostering entrepreneurship is the solution, he says. And his concept of social business – created for pro-social goals, not profit – is the solution to social and environmental problems caused by intense capitalist competition. Some pioneering companies are already embracing it. Their reasons – genuine benevolence, good publicity, “greenwashing” – hardly matters, he says.
The companies that try to solve a social problems by applying social business principles—has attracted significant attention in recent years. Social business is one of the major player for sustainable development.
Grameen Telecom Trust with its projects under Social Business Learning and Innovation Fund (SBLIF) and Nobin Udyokta- NU (New Entrepreneur) program benefits society as well as trying to ensure social justice. It is working to create employment opportunities and economic empowerment through entrepreneurship development with the idea of social businesses focusing on three zeros- zero poverty, zero carbon emission and zero unemployment.
In future, millions of poor irrespective of their social and cultural status, will have the opportunity to access to the agents to change their lives through social business. In observance of World Day of Social Justice 2018, Grameen Telecom Trust promises to battle against poverty through promoting social business as socio-economic development is one of the strongest tools to eradicate social injustice.
