Council’s commitment to social justice

Published on 24 April 2024

Council has reinforced its commitment to protecting human rights as well as advancing social justice and health equity at a local level, with the endorsement of a revised Social Justice Framework 2023-2033.

Under the previous Human Rights and Social Justice Framework 2017-2021, Maribyrnong recognised the need to adapt to changes in international, national, and state policies, as well as the evolving landscape of health inequality in a post-pandemic environment.

This led to a review in 2022, which identified opportunities to strengthen Council's role in advancing social justice for the community with the community invited to provide comment on the draft document earlier in 2024 to ensure it responded to their needs.

One significant addition to the Framework is the inclusion of health inequality and climate justice as part of the Council's social justice commitments for the first time.

City of Maribyrnong Mayor, Cr Cuc Lam, said this reflects the Council's recognition of the interconnectedness between social justice, health and the environment.

“The new Framework places a stronger emphasis on implementing social justice values across the organisation specifically,” she said. “It aims to ensure Council processes and decisions do not contribute to further disadvantage or undermine aspirations for equity, diversity, inclusion and resilience.”

The ten-year period covered by the Framework provides a long-term vision for the Council's commitment to social justice. It allows for sustained efforts in addressing systemic issues and promoting positive change within the community.

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