Social Justice in an Open World: The Role of the United Nations
pertaining to work and conditions of work. In article 6, recognition is given to the "right to work, which includes the right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely chooses or accepts". Paragraph (c) of article 7 emphasizes the need to ensure "equal opportunity for everyone to be promoted in his employment to an appropriate higher level, subject to no considerations other than those of seniority and competence". In recent United Nations texts, this concept of equality of opportunity is not limited to issues of work and employment but is being increasingly identified as a general organizing pririciple of society. It is a modern and somewhat technical manifestation of the notion of economic justice, which is itself a traditional dimension of distributive or social justice as a basic aspiration of human beings. It centres around the principle of "to each according to his talents and deeds" rather than "to each according to his needs". It is also a key aspect of the issue of equality between women and men and a key dimension of democracy as understood in the Anglo-Saxon political culture. By emphasizing and basing its action on the idea that equality is best understood as equality of opportunity within the broader context of economic justice, the United Nations is meeting a profound and probably universal human need and aspiration. In simple terms, those who exercise their initiative and talent should be fairly compensated, and entrepreneurship should be adequately supported and rewarded. Finally, in the new doctrinal orientation of the United Nations with regard to development and social justice, recognition is given to the vital role of non-State and non-public actors in the economic and social evolution of societies and of the world as a whole. Initiated during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro and further reinforced within the framework of the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen and the World Conference on Women and Development in Beijing, the participation of civil society organizations in the normative and operational work of the United Nations is now firmly established. The modalities of this participation require clarification and improvement, but at present, few Governments would use the argument that the United Nations is an intergovernmental body to deny NGOs the right to articulate their views on world affairs and contribute to various development activities. If there is any hope of one day achieving an international and global democracy, its seeds are certainly to be found in the United Nations. Strengthening this assertion is the fact that important efforts have been made over the past few years to build a relationship between the Organization and the private sector. Currently, this relationship is characterized by a number of imbalances. Transnational corporations, with their enormous power and close links to some Governments, are in a position to reject any attempts to regulate their activities. Their respect for international law, in particular the International Bill