Creation of social justice department in T.N. essential to achieve just society, says NGO

Madurai civil society workshop emphasizes need for social justice department to achieve equity and equality in society.

“Creation of a social justice department akin to health and education departments is essential to create a more just society,” said A. Kathir, founder of Evidence, an NGO based in Madurai.

He was speaking at a civil society consultation workshop on social justice and equity organised by Madras School of Social Work (MSSW) along with the Tamil Nadu government organised for various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in the district and surrounding districts, here on Tuesday.

“Though the State which is well-known for its social justice movements has many policies towards achieving the goal, the effective implementation of the schemes and the programmes remain a question mark,” he said. 

Pointing to the inefficiency in implementing programmes to achieve social justice, he pressed the need having an ‘Inclusion,’ department in all the universities in the State alongside a separate social justice department in the State. 

“Equality is an aspiration and equity the working method to achieve that. We speak a lot about equality, but providing opportunities to achieve the dream of equal society is not being cared much,” Mr. Kathir added.

It is popularly said that when society gets wealthier, poverty would be eradicated, but, in reality, wealth would only further poverty by accumulating wealth in certain few hands, noted Mr. Kathir.  

“The practical way to eradicate poverty is by achieving social justice,” he added.