Orange graphics with blue text overlaid. Text states: Taking holistic approaches to social & environmental needs for World Day of Social Justice with reflections on the LA wildfires and prison labour. CIJ Insights vol.2 Written by Elle Thielke

World Day of Social Justice February 20 marked World Day of Social Justice. This year’s theme focused on “a Just Transition for a Sustainable Future” and the importance of “a holistic approach that weaves environmental sustainability with social justice”- as stated by the United Nations.

CIJ Insights vol.2 “As flames raged through the Palisades and Eaton, approximately 1,100 incarcerated individuals fought alongside professional fire crews, risking their lives for minimal pay. These inmate firefighters, crucial to battling blazes, earned between $5.40 and $10.24 USD a day, with an additional $1 USD an hour during emergencies—starkly lower than their civilian counterparts, some of whom made up to and over $1,000 USD a day. “ CIJ Insights With Elle Thielke

“This disparity has shocked many worldwide and invites us to examine similar practices closer to home in Australia. Here, incarcerated workers are paid between $30 and $70 AUD a week, rates that many former inmates liken to modern-day slave labour... ”Prison work programmes are often heralded as pathways to skill development and employment post-release. However, the reality is that many former inmates continue to encounter significant employment barriers...” CIJ Insights With Elle Thielke

On February 20, we marked #WorldDayOfSocialJustice. This year's theme, “A Just Transition for a Sustainable Future,” underscores the urgent need for a holistic approach that fuses environmental sustainability with social justice, as highlighted by the UN.

#SocialJustice2025 #SustainableTransition