2. Content
• Meaning and definition of social justice
• Importance of social justice
• Relevance of social justice in mental health settings
• Features of social justice
• Meaning, definition, and importance of the concept of civil rights in mental
health settings
• Meaning, definition, and importance of the concept of Human rights in
mental health settings
• Meaning, definition, and importance of the concept of social defense in
mental health settings
• Meaning, definition, and importance of the concept of social security in
mental health settings
3. Social Justice
• Social justice involves measures taken for the advancement of the
depressed and disadvantaged classes of society. Hence it calls for
social engineering which is an attempt to change society in order to
deal with social problems. Such socio-economic changes can be
brought through law.
• Social justice aims towards creating political, economic and social
democracy, ending class and caste distinctions. It combines the
principles of socialism with the personal freedom granted by
democracy.
4. Definition
• Matthew Robinson defines "Social justice as "... promoting a just
society by challenging injustice and valuing diversity." It exists when
"all people share a common humanity and therefore have a right to
equitable treatment, support for their human rights, and a fair
allocation of community resources.“
• Social justice is generally equated with the notion of equality or equal
opportunity in society.
• The term social justice was first used in 1840 by a Sicilian priest, Luigi
Taparelli d'Azeglio.
5. • The concept of social justice is a revolutionary concept that provides
meaning and significance to life and makes the rule of law dynamic.
• When Indian society seeks to meet the challenge of socio-economic
inequality through its legislation and with the assistance of the rule of
law, it seeks to achieve economic justice without any violent conflict.
The ideal of a welfare state postulates the unceasing pursuit of the
doctrine of social justice.
6. Social justice is a value of Social Work Practice
• As the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics
states, "Social workers should engage in social and political action
that seeks to ensure that all people have equal access to the
resources, employment, services, and opportunities they require to
meet their basic human needs and to develop fully. Social workers
should be aware of the impact of the political arena on practice and
should advocate for changes in policy and legislation to improve social
conditions in order to meet basic human needs and promote social
justice"
7. NEED OF SOCIAL JUSTICE
• There are three Need of social justice: equal treatment for equals,
proportionate justice, and recognition of social justice.
1. The need of treating equals equally requires that there is no
discrimination on the grounds of class, caste, race, or gender. Justice
implies rewarding people in proportion to the scale and quality of their
efforts.
2. The second need states that social and economic positions should be
advantageous and open to all. Equal opportunities concentrate on
treating all people equally and giving them equal rights.
3. The third need of justice that we recognize is for society should take into
account the special needs of the people while distributing rewards and
duties.
8. PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE
• The principle of human dignity
• The principle of respect for human life
• The principle of rights and responsibilities
• The principle of the common good
• Principle of Priority for the Poor and Vulnerable
• The Principle of Solidarity
• Principle of Participation
9. • Social work practice at all levels strives towards social justice.
Social work practice:
direct service
community organizing
supervision
consultation
administration
advocacy
social and political action
policy development and implementation
education
10.
11. Human Rights and Mental Health
The term Human Rights in a broad sense means “those claims which
every individual has or should have upon the society in which he/she
lives. According to Richard Wasserstorm, it means, one that ought to be
claimed as entitlements (i.e. human rights) those minimal things
without which it is impossible to develop one’s capabilities and to live
life as a human being.
12.
13. • The first comprehensive statement of the rights of persons with mental illness
was UN's Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the
Improvement of Mental Health Care in 1991. Key principles include as follows:
• All people are entitled to receive the best mental health care available and be
treated with humanity and respect
• There should be no discrimination on the grounds of mental illness. All people
with mental illness have the same rights to medical and social care as others
• Everyone with mental illnesses has the right to live, work, and receive treatment
in the community, as far as possible
• Mental health care should be based on internationally accepted ethical standards
• Each patient's treatment plan should be reviewed regularly with the patient
• There shall be no misuse of mental health skills and knowledge
14. • Medication should meet the health needs of the patient and shall not be
administered for the convenience of others or as a punishment
• For voluntary patients, no treatment should be administered without informed
consent, subject to some exceptions (e.g., patients with personal representatives
empowered by law to provide consent)
• For involuntary patients, every effort should be made to inform the patient about
the treatment
• Physical restraint or involuntary seclusion should be used only in accordance with
official guidelines
• Records must be kept of all treatments
• Mental health facilities must be appropriately structured and resourced
• An impartial review body should, in consultation with mental health practitioners,
review the cases of involuntary patients.
15. reference
• Anshuman Gupta, Concept Of Social Justice And The Poor, Jamia
Millia Islamia
• A Social Work Tradition (Http://Www.Socialworktoday.Com/News/
Eoe_0306.Shtml)
• United Nations. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Geneva:
United Nations; 1948.
• United Nations. Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental
Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care. New York: United
Nations, Secretariat Centre for Human Rights; 1991
