Gender, Social Justice, And Sustainable Development

Social justice is defined in the paper as fairness (or righteousness) in dealing with one another for the good of the whole body. Development is seen as a change for the better measured in terms of economic productivity, technological and industrial advancement, political stability, etc. The paper argues that there is a strict entailment relationship between social justice and sustainable development. Linking these two concepts to the question of the gender equation is the Weakest-Link Principle, which stipulates that the measure of development of any nation ought to be taken from its least developed sector or unit. Thus, in dealing with development issues, justice as fairness to everyone (or righteousness) for the good of the whole body demands respect for the dignity and inestimable worth of all men and women; and that any inequalities of treatment on the basis of gender be guided by the Weakest-Link Principle and the good of the whole body. KEY WORDS: Gender, Social Justice and Development. Global Journal of Humanities Vol.3(1&2) 2004: 1-