9 Biggest Social Justice Issues of 2022

The social justice movement is gaining more and more traction. The past few years have been particularly turbulent with new sociocultural discourses emerging every month if not every week. But while some issues still stay undertheradar, others are more prominent and widely discussed.

Moreover, there are some social justice topics that are universal in their nature and have ongoing heated debates in communities all over the world. These are the biggest issues of 2021 that demand attention from anyone and everyone who isn't indifferent.

Coverage of this Article

COVID-19 Vaccination

-Last year as well as this year have been a difficult time for many people. With the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of 2019, nobody could have predicted just how disastrous its consequences would be.

Gun Violence and Police Brutality

-Another social justice at the center of discussion nowadays is gun violence.

Climate Change

-One social justice topic that has been in the spotlight for decades now is climate change.

Refugee Crisis

-The time we live in right now is considered to be one of the most if not the most peaceful periods in human history.

Hunger and Overpopulation

-Directly related to the refugee crisis are the topics of hunger and overpopulation. As many as 811 million around the world suffer from hunger despite the fact that there is more than enough food currently being produced to feed everyone.

Inequality and Poverty

-It is projected that half a billion people globally will live in extreme poverty in 2030.

Racism and Religious Injustice

-In the globalized world of today, it would seem that tolerating different nationalities, ethnicities, and races would be simple for the average global citizen.

Women's Rights and Gender Equality

-Much like some other social justice topics, feminism and gender equality have been discussed for decades now.

LGBT Rights

-Last but not least, LGBT rights are also talked about, especially in the Western world.

Final Thoughts

-At the end of the day, all of these social justice topics need attention. 

#1 COVID-19 Vaccination

Last year as well as this year have been a difficult time for many people. With the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of 2019, nobody could have predicted just how disastrous its consequences would be. Moreover, nobody probably thought that the question of the COVID-19 vaccine would be posed in the first place.

There are already many problems when it comes to healthcare availability, especially in countries such as the US where health coverage isn't universal. But the pandemic brought about a discussion about vaccination. In some countries, the availability of vaccines is limited, but at the same time, there is an anti-vax movement in other regions. While it truly is any person's own choice to get vaccinated, doing so is still essential to end the pandemic.

#2 Gun Violence and Police Brutality

Another social justice at the center of discussion nowadays is gun violence. More specifically, gun violence and police brutality. With the George Floyd protests in the US and the ones that followed internationally, it became all the more obvious that the problem has been around for quite some time and didn't actually appear out of nowhere.

Even back in 2017, almost 134 thousand people were shot and injured by firearms in the US alone. In addition to that, hundreds of people are shot to death by the US police every year. These statistics are astounding, yet they reveal a deeper underlying issue that needs to be addressed through reforms.

#3 Climate Change

One social justice topic that has been in the spotlight for decades now is climate change. With fresh faces like Greta Thunberg representing the cause, there are more and more measures being implemented by governments of countries all over the world. Companies large and small have also started aiming for more sustainability.

Claudia Booker, an expert from the writing service reviews site Rated by Students, provviding professional writing services reviews explains, "It's great to see change. I've been keeping an eye out for all the latest news on climate justice, and I can say that there are many great things being done already. But it's not enough. Unless those in power take action, we can't expect major changes that will truly make an impact."

#4 Refugee Crisis

The time we live in right now is considered to be one of the most if not the most peaceful periods in human history. And yet, crisis areas are sprinkled all over the world with ongoing wars and armed conflicts that result in millions of people being displaced. In fact, right now there are over 82 million refugees and displaced people around the world.

The European refugee crisis is a major topic while discussions in the US are just as prevalent, especially considering ex-president Trump's stance on the matter. While many countries have already accepted millions of employees, the question remains what the next steps might be. Should these people assimilate? Should they go back to their home country at some point? And where can resources be found to support all of this?

#5 Hunger and Overpopulation

Directly related to the refugee crisis are the topics of hunger and overpopulation. As many as 811 million around the world suffer from hunger despite the fact that there is more than enough food currently being produced to feed everyone. Moreover, the numbers are growing with millions of people becoming undernourished every year.

But there's more to the discussion than just access to food. Overpopulation leads to more consumption – not just of food, but also of housing, energy, healthcare, and so on. Consumption in large quantities eventually results in ecological degradation which is why overpopulation might be directly influencing climate change.

#6 Inequality and Poverty

It is projected that half a billion people globally will live in extreme poverty in 2030. Apart from current wars and armed conflicts, there are many different causes of poverty. The income gap is by far one of the most widely discussed aspects of it.

Patrick Griffith, an expert from the custom writing reviews site Trust My Paper, says while writing a comparative essay, "There are so many different factors that influence poverty rates. In the past few years, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that forced millions of people to become poor. Who knows what we'll face in the nearest future?"

#7 Racism and Religious Injustice

In the globalized world of today, it would seem that tolerating different nationalities, ethnicities, and races would be simple for the average global citizen. And yet, racism and religious injustice are still rampant.

Cases of gun violence and police brutality in the US are often linked to racism. Likewise, with the refugee crisis in Europe, there is a debate about whether migrants are driving crime rates up or there is actually almost no reason for concern. Nevertheless, hate crimes are still common all over the world.

#8 Women's Rights and Gender Equality

Much like some other social justice topics, feminism and gender equality have been discussed for decades now. And while, women did get more rights in the past century or so, there is still gender inequality even in many Western countries. They try to find out what are the technical professions for women, smart money, engineering online and a lot of other men occupations.

As mentioned earlier, there is already the issue of the income gap, but the gender pay gap seems to be an even more widely discussed topic. If you are female, you might work as a graphic designer with metal textures or as a manager at a construction site, but in both cases, you've probably encountered some form of gender inequality on the labor market.

#9 LGBT Rights

Last but not least, LGBT rights are also talked about, especially in the Western world. There's the issue of representation in works of art and culture as well as more official matters such as same-sex marriage.

Moreover, discussions of LGBT rights are also often connected to other issues such as healthcare accessibility. Mental health is especially important as it is directly tied to gender identity and sexual orientation. LGBT adoption rights are front and center too.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, all of these social justice topics need attention. It is unlikely that all issues will be solved in the nearest future, but the first (even minor) steps should be taken. And such steps can only happen through action. Do take action, speak out, support relevant causes, and spread the word about the global problems that need to be solved.