In his message on the World Day of Social Justice, 20 February 2016, Ban Ki-moon said the day highlights the imperative of building a future of dignity for all.

Guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the international community has pledged to end poverty by 2030 through effective integrated social, economic and environmental policies, said Ban.

These landmark blueprints for a better world, UN Secretary-General said, provide invaluable tools and a powerful vision to meet the needs of today’s generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.

Ban Ki-moon underlined that the social justice must be at the heart of our efforts.  “With exclusion and inequality on the rise, we must step up efforts to ensure that all people, without discrimination, are able to access opportunities to improve their lives and those of others.  We must build inclusive societies, promote decent work, bolster social protection floors, and bring people in from the margins.”

In all our efforts, partnerships are essential, he said, adding that sustainable development is only possible with the active engagement of governments, parliaments, employers, workers, civil society, the private sector and other agents of change.

“Let us work together to forge new integrated pathways for social, environmental and economic development rooted in social justice and the promise of a better future for all,” Ban concluded.