Agenda - 05-13-2010 - 1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 INTRODUCTION Social Justice is an issue that has been addressed primarily by nongovernmental grassroots organizations. Orange County is one of the first local governments to consider a social justice initiative. This Social Justice Goal is intended to provide a framework for the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) and other County government employees, as well as local residents and other stakeholders to ensure that social justice is paramount indecision- and policy-making. Delivering on the Goal will require collaborative efforts at all levels of government; careful allocation of tax dollars; and a personal and collective commitment to the ideology of equal access and equal treatment. WHAT IS SOCIAL JUSTICE? The Human Relations Commission has defined social justice in Orange County as a community that actively seeks to eliminate oppression) and create equal opportunity; where individuals may sufficiently provide for their physical and mental needs and the needs of their dependents; where individuals live in physically and mentally safe communities; where the environment and economy are sustainable and where all are able to participate civically. WHAT DO ORANGE COUNTY RESIDENTS WANT? The idea for an Orange County Social Justice Goal was formulated by the BoCC in 2004. The BoCC asked the Human Relations Commission (HRC) to develop a plan for ensuring social justice for all people in Orange County. From September 14, 2005 to June 17, 2006, the HRC solicited input regarding social justice in Orange County from the general public and county advisory boards and commissions.z The HRC conducted public "listening" sessions with the general community and directly contacted Orange County residents, volunteers, and employees for their comments.3 The project also was influenced by current trends in international human rights law and policy.4 Approximately 550 stakeholders gave input on the issue of social justice in Orange County. The categories of social justice are listed below in descending order of importance based on this community feedback. ' Oppression is the systemic and pervasive intentional or unintentional mistreatment of individuals in a disadvantaged group. Institutional imbalances in power contribute to this mistreatment. Oppression involves the systemic use of power to marginalize, exploit, silence, discriminate against, invalidate, deny, dismiss and/or not recognize the complete humanness of those who are members of the disadvantaged group. Stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination support oppression and keep it going. Oppressive systems and ideologies are maintained through discrimination. • Stereotypes are generalizations about groups of people that do not take into account within group differences. • Prejudice is a preference or bias toward or against a group of people based on incomplete or inaccurate information. • Discrimination is active; it is preferential or biased treatment based on stereotypes, prejudice, and /or historical practices. It results in unequal access and/or representation. z For a complete history of the Social Justice Goal process, please see Appendix A. s For a complete explanation of the data collected for this report, please see Appendix B. a The Government of the United States is a party to two international human rights treaties: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) and the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). A key concept in both conventions is the principle that every person is entitled to respect without distinctions of any kind such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Adoption of the Orange County Social Justice Goal is an expression of local-level implementation of these treaties that have already been endorsed by the Federal government. . ORANGE COUNTY DRAFT .SOCIAL JUSTICE GOAL