About Organization

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Vision

We believe in the idea of a free, equal, and cohesive solidary society. This can be achieved, if we fight for freedom from economic, social, and political oppression and for universal welfare. This is possible if the fight is uncompromised, unified and does not exclude anyone.

Mission

Social Justice Center is a left-wing organization working on human rights and social justice, which aims to identify the structural reasons for economic, social, and political inequality, and to share critical knowledge while contributing to the transformation of the existing order via democratic means.

After gaining independence, the economic development of the country was based on aggressive market economy principles, which led to the rise of poverty, unemployment, and deep economic inequality. Economic experiments and policies undertaken in the country are justified by their proponents through the notion of progress and the desirability of the “small state” approach thus normalizing the harsh social impact caused by these experiments. The concept of the small state, which implies deregulation, privatization, and weak social responsibility, cannot address concerns and interests in the society and deprives larger social groups of access to social welfare, resources, and power. The dominant idea of a small state further narrows the political sphere and leaves important dimensions of social and economic life outside the realm of democratic control. Governments contain social dissatisfaction mainly through repressive measures, which not only lead to large-scale human rights violations, but also cause people’s estrangement from democratic processes, and essentially dehumanize them. In this context, the real concerns and interests of the population are excluded from the political agenda and are not articulated by existing political elites and interest groups.

The political sphere is mainly occupied by experts – financial and intellectual elites, while citizens are deprived of real political agency and power. After independence, political elites have not produced a cohesive political vision, which could be the basis of a fairer and more inclusive understanding of societal unity, which would give the non-dominant ethnic and religious groups the opportunity to recognize themselves and their interests within that understanding. Issues of social justice, universal welfare and common interests are omitted from these dominant views and from the projects about progress, which weakens their social legitimacy. The all-encompassing commoditization and exchange processes increasingly threaten experiences and traditions of solidarity, unity, and welfare. On a daily basis, this process leads to cultural conflicts and estrangement.

We acknowledge the explicitly unequal, unfair, and inhumane nature of the existing economic and political order and hold that its radical transformation is essential.

We fight for creating an environment for all social groups, which will be fair, inclusive, and democratic on political, as well as economic and social levels.

We act in line with principles, which are focused on bottom-up democratic organization, critical knowledge and the building of cohesive networks, and for this, we are using the radical potential inherent in the activist means of struggle and in individual and collective rights.

To accomplish these purposes, Social Justice Center works on the issues of social and equality policies, judicial matters and democracy.

The Social Policy Program works on developing such social and economic policies, which are based on principles of social justice, solidarity, and human rights.

The Equality Policy Program works on embedding an inclusive and fair understanding of citizenship and on developing a political and social environment for non-dominant groups, which will be truly equal and cohesive.

One of the purposes of the Justice and Democracy Program is to strive for freeing the existing political system from a centralized power devoid of democratic control. The second purpose is to develop justice and law-enforcement systems, which will be accessible, socially sensitive and based on ideals of human rights. 

Work Strategies

We act and transform by producing critical knowledge, bottom-up democratic organization, and the building of solidarity between various groups.

We attempt to embed the real needs, concerns, and political demands of local communities in the political agenda and trigger social and political changes for them and together with them.

Small changes “here and now” is the means for strengthening citizens and in the long-term for contributing to their emancipation and deeper and more fundamental social transformation.

Values

Our daily work, work ethics, methodology and strategies are based on ideals of participation, equality, and solidarity.

The management of Social Justice Center is horizontal and democratic; it is collectively governed by a board of directors. Significant decesions are made based on the discussion with staff.