Topic 3 - Government And Civil Society: Social Equality And Human Rights Flashcards
What is Social Responsibility ?
This is when individuals, groups, media and governments commit themselves to making a difference to the lives of others and have a genuine concern for the welfare of others in society.
They want to change the society for the better and bring about social justice and social equality for all
What is Social Justice and Equality ?
Everyone should have equal opportunities in life, including access to education, leisure, facilities, housing and work and no-one should be excluded from any aspect of social life.
Treating people unfairly can lead to social inequality and social injustice.
What is the social responsibility of governments ?
A democratically elected government has a social responsibility to make decisions in the interest of the common good of the population and elected politicians such as MLAs are accountable to the public for their actions. The government must :
- Ensure peoples human rights are safeguarded
- Promote inclusion and uphold the rights of minorities
- Uphold laws
- Ensure health and wellbeing of citizens e.g. through the NHS
- Ensure the education of citizens e.g. through free education services
- Support democracy
- Protect the environment
- Support the economy
What is the social responsibility of public representatives in supporting democracy, social justice, social equality and human rights ?
Public representatives include people in various leadership positions in government agaenor bodies. They must ensure the services they provide meet the public need and provide value for money as they are paid for by taxpayers. They have a social responsibility in the same way as elected politicians
Examples include : Education Authority, CCEA, Social Security Agencies and the Prison Service
What is the social responsibility of Media Companies in supporting democracy, social justice, social equality and human rights ?
Media broadcast and publications provide information, but from the viewpoint of those who own or control the different media companies. This means that the media can influence the views, attitudes and behaviours of politicians in parliament and the general public. To be socially responsible the media should :
- Provide accurate unbiased information
- Raise public awareness of social injustice and inequality, human rights abuses and acts against democracy
- Challenge government/politicians on their policies and actions
- Avoid using inflammatory language which would lead to public disorder
What should the media do to be socially responsible ?
- Provide accurate unbiased information
- Raise public awareness of social injustice and inequality, human rights abuses and acts against democracy
- Challenge government/politicians on their policies and actions
- Avoid using inflammatory language which would lead to public disorder
How can young people demonstrate social responsibility ?
- volunteering for a charity / NGO
- Fundraising for a charity / NGO
- Raising awareness about social justice issues using social media
- Signing a petition about a social justice issue
- Behaving responsibly towards others
What is social inequality ?
Social inequality is when there is an uneven distribution of resources between groups of people, leading to a gap in those who are richer and those who are poorer. Social inequality exists within countries and between countries globally.
What are some of the causes of social inequality ?
Some people in society may have fewer resources because of social and economic factors, which may include:
- The country or situation into which they were born
- Government policies
- Income related to their type of employment/ unemployment
- Education
- Socio - economic status
What are consequences of social inequality for individuals ?
- Poverty
- Homelessness
- Poor Health
- Loneliness
- Fear/ anxiety
- Lack of willingness to participate in society
What are the consequences of social inequality for society ?
- Economic impact due to the increased strains on the health service
- Economic impacts due to increased numbers of people n benefits
- Economic impact due to the reduced number of
What is social injustice and why does it happen ?
Social injustice is the unfair treatment of a group of people within a society. This happens when a societys resources and benefits are not distributed fairly among its citizens. These benefits include human rights, healthcare and education. Some groups may be disadvantaged or suffer discrimination and marginalisation
What is discrimination ?
Discrimination is treating someone unfairly because of the group they belong to and this may be because of their gender, race, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation
If someone is discriminated against what may that lead them to getting excluded from ?
- Educational opportunities
- Leisure facilities
- Housing
- Work/ employment opportunities
What happens when people become excluded from society ?
When people are excluded from society they become marginalised
When people are excluded from society they become marginalised and that may lead to what ?
- Fear in te community or workplace
- Depression
- Loneliness
- Crime
- Poverty
- Ill health
What are some examples of positive discrimination ?
- Those with special needs may require additional time in exams
- Disabled car parking spots near shops
- Those who are homeless and living in poverty may need help obtaining housing
How does the government promote Social Equality, Social Justice and Human Rights?
- Policies - the government can set out it’s programme which provides targets and actions to tackle the causes of inequality and injustice in society and to build good community relations. These actions have to be monitored evaluated and reviewed for effectiveness
- Communication - Government communicates it’s policies to the public through the media and through it’s websites, in order to raise awareness, seek support and influence public behaviour
- Education - The government can ensure issues of social justice and equality are taught in classrooms. It can provide funding for the production of education resources and education programmes to raise awareness among young people of these issues
- Legislation - Passing laws and also ensuring that they are upheld through the justice system (police and courts) which prosecutes and punishes those who break the law. Legislation isnthe most significant action which the government can take to ensure equal opportunities
How does the government promote social equality, social justice and human rights through policy ?
The government can set out it’s policies which provides targets and actions to tackle the causes of inequality and injustice in society and to build good community relations.
These policies and actions have to be monitored, evaluated and reviewed for effectiveness
How does the government promote social equality, social justice and human rights through communication ?
The government communicates it’s policies to the public through the media, and through it’s websites, in order to raise awareness, seek support and influence public behaviour.
How does the government promote social equality, social justice and human rights through Education?
The government can ensure issues of social justice and equality are taught in classrooms. It can provide funding for the production of education resources and education programmes to raise awareness among young people of these issues
How does the government promote social equality, social justice and human rights through Legislation?
The government can pass laws and ensure they are being up held through the justice system ( police and courts) which prosecutes and punishes those who break the law.
Legislation is the most significant action which the government can take to ensure equal opportunities.
Give 3 examples of laws in Northern Ireland which ensure equal opportunities and how they protect people ?
- Equal Pay Act 1970 - Gives women the same pay as men for the doing the same job (equal pay for equal work )
- Disability Discrimination Act 1995 - Protects disabled people from discrimination
- Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 - Upholds equality for all in Northern Ireland; requires government and all public bodies to actively promote equality of opportunity and promote good relations in society. Section 75 protects people against discrimination and makes sure that marginisaled groups in society have access to the same opportunities as everyone else in employment and in access to goods and services
How does the Equal Pay Act 1970 protect people ?
It gives women the same pay as men for doing the same job (equal pay for equal work)
It means it is illegal for a woman to be excluded from promotion at work because of her gender
How does the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 protect people ?
Protects disabled people from discrimination and makes it unlawful to discriminate against disabled people in connection with employment, facilities, education and transport.
How does Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 ensure equality and protect people ?
It upholds equality for all in Northern Ireland; requires government and all public bodies to actively promote equality of opportunity and promote good relations in society.
Section 75 protects people against discrimination and makes sure that marginisaled groups in society have access to the same opportunities as everyone else in employment and in access to goods and services.
What is the role of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland ?
The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland is and independent body set up to promote equality and tackle discrimination in Northern Ireland, as a part of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998
What does the Equality Commission do ?
- It gives free advice to businesses, employers and public bodies on equality issues,
- It gives free advice to individuals with potential complaints under anti-discrimination legislation
- It investigates complaints about equality issues and supports individuals in court
- It campaigns to inform the public about equal rights laws
- It advises government on key areas of policy
What is the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission ?
Respect for Human Rights was seen as essential to solving conflict so the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was established as part of the God Friday Agreement 1998 and is an independent body, not part of the government
What is meant by cival society ?
Cival society can be described as groups of people coming together in voluntary collective activity to make a difference, bring about change, safeguard human rights and promote social justice. Examples exist at community, national and international levels and they include
- Neighborhood or community schemes
- Charities, pressure groups and NGOs
- International organisations like the Red Cross
What does the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission do ?
- It advise government, organisations and individuals about Human Rights
- It can take Human Rights cases to court
- It investigates the matters of Human Rights concerns e.g. standards in care homes
- It ensures laws are in line with Human Rights standards
Give 3 examples of civil society ?
- Neighborhood or community schemes
- Charities, pressure groups and NGOs
- International organisations like the Red Cross
How do civil societies work in promoting social equality and safeguarding human rights ?
They work by :
- Getting people to work together cooperatively
- Providing relief for those in need through fundraising
- Organising campaigns to raise awareness
- Putting pressure on governments to take action
