FAR FROM A LIFE WORTHY OF HUMAN DIGNITY

On February 20, the World Day of Social Justice, Civil underlines one more time that the life of Macedonian citizens, both men and women, is far from worthy of human dignity.

Tomorrow is the World Day of Social Justice. The United Nations passed a Resolution to observe 20 February as the World Day of Social Justice, starting from 2007 (A/RES/62/10). Macedonia was among the countries to vote for this Resolution, a Resolution containing a number of obligations to be discharged by the Government. Included therein was the recommendation for every government to devote this day to promoting activities in accordance with the overriding objectives of the Copenhagen Summit, as well as the conclusions of the World Summit for Social Development in terms of development, exclusion and justice which were adopted by United Nations General Assembly at its 60^th session.

Hence the following question: What are the relevant institutions in the country doing to ensure respect of social rights of the citizens? Civil suggests to the journalists to start asking questions about social justice now, today; to address this question to each speaker within the decision-making and implementation structures in Macedonia, on both national and local level. The same suggestion applies to the civil society organisations.

On the occasion of the World Day of Social Justice, Civil comes out, once again, with the conclusion that Macedonian citizens, both men and women, are sinking into destitution and humiliation. Their life is far from worthy of human dignity. In the same time, Macedonian citizens are insufficiently educated about their rights, especially concerning some big issues in the area of social justice. We urge them to rise up and demand justice. However, before they do that, they have to be aware that nothing can be achieved without solidarity.

On this day we need to remind ourselves that the objectives the world has set at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen (1995), the Millennium Development Goals, the World Summit in 2005 and elsewhere: are not achieved!

The institutions in question should not use prior events, or the occurrence of the world financial or economic crisis as a comfort, even less, as an excuse. On the contrary, they need to take series of measures and refrain from splurging in order to show people that they respect the human, and consequently, social rights of the citizens.

State institutions and business owners, are no less accountable before the laws and the international standards that have been ratified in the country, if they fail to provide decent working conditions and employees' wages. The rights to strike and protest must be enjoyed at its maximum, until the minimal conditions for a life worthy of human dignity and social justice are provided, at the very least.