Social Justice in the Current Landscape of Social Entrepreneurship
“Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance.”
― Ban Ki-moon, Former UN General Secretary
Neha Arora, founder of Planet Abled, had a personal experience with the inaccessibility of travel due to her mother being a wheelchair user and her father’s blindness. Despite better travel facilities that came with more family income, societal stigma against disabled people was still a major barrier. This inspired Arora to create an inclusive ecosystem within the travel industry and make travel possible for disabled people. Since its launch in 2016, Planet Abled has been taking people with and without disabilities on unique travel experiences, such as karaoke, musical jams on moving metro trains, skiing trips for blind people, and rafting adventures for wheelchair users. Planet Abled is the first of its kind and continues to make a positive impact on the travel industry by promoting inclusivity and accessibility (Mohan, 2021).
On World Social Justice Day, which is held on February 20 every year, the United Nations defined social justice as being “based on the values of fairness, equality, respect for diversity, access to social protection, and the application of human rights in all spheres of life, including in the workplace.”
One of the steps taken by the UN to work on global problems is coming up with the Sustainable Development Goals (hereafter referred to as SDGs), with the aim for the countries to work on the problems segregated into 17 goals by 2030. One such goal that addresses social justice is SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, whose aim is to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.”
An inspiring case study of social justice within the development sector is of Hiware Bazar, a village in Maharashtra’s drought-prone Ahmednagar district, which was sliding into an abyss after degrading its environment. But in less than a decade it has turned itself around into one of the most prosperous villages of the country. There was no magic wand, just common sense. It used funds from government schemes, to regenerate its natural resources — forests, watershed and soil — led by a strong village body. It had a role model in the district — Ralegan Siddhi, the village Anna Hazare turned around.
Seeing the title of this blog, perhaps you are wondering, “What does entrepreneurship have to do with social justice?” Entrepreneurship can be seen as a matter of social justice. While some people strive for commercial gain, others fight for justice and equality to make a positive impact on the world. Victims who become entrepreneurs are driven by the desire to transform their lives and achieve their dreams. For them, business represents much more than just profit-making; it embodies sustenance, resilience, deliverance, and dignity. The battlefield of their struggles becomes the classroom where they learn the skills necessary to succeed, and entrepreneurship becomes a means of restoring social justice. If we look at how India is faring in entrepreneurship states that India’s entrepreneurial activity increased in 2021, with the country’s total entrepreneurial activity rate (the percentage of adults (aged 18–64) who are starting or running a new business) rising to 14.4% in 2021, up from 5.3% in 2020, according to GEM India Report 2021–22.
Within the realm of social justice and entrepreneurship, multiple NGOs and NPOs have been involved in working with marginalised communities to upskill them for setting up their startups or projects focusing on the issues they feel are an obstacle to their places, one of which is Connecting Dreams Foundation, who through their 3C model of Changemaking (Collecting Dreams, Creating Solutions and Changing Lives) have trained the youth from rural, urban parts of India, including people from the Transgender community. But just like any other field, entrepreneurship is also filled with systematic challenges that hamper or become a hurdle for people belonging to marginalised groups, who want to implement their ideas at the grassroots.
Challenges in Accessing Entrepreneurial Resources
How Can Entrepreneurship Be Used As A Tool For Social Justice?
Apart from the commonly-known reasons like economic development, job upskilling and creation, other factors that show that entrepreneurship is one of the means for marginalised communities to empower themselves are as follows:
Measuring Impact on Social Entrepreneurship
In general, wherever you work on something, shooting in the dark and expecting impactful outcomes will get you nowhere. There is a need to plan and strategise the steps one will take in any field to come up with SMART goals for measurable outcomes. The same thing applies to social entrepreneurship since one is working at the grassroots to figure out the outcomes. In a Forbes article on “How Social Entrepreneurs Begin To Measure Impact?” Uma Sekar, Impact & ESG Manager, Capria Ventures, suggests starting with an impact thesis. “Entrepreneurs should start with an impact thesis or strategy, set goals that are achievable and align their core metrics. Some of the common metrics are lives impacted, job creation and geographic coverage. The more specific they are about the populations they are addressing — the base of the pyramid, low-income, minorities, women, refugees, etc. — the better.”
When the strategy and goals are well-defined, it becomes easier to measure impact and have adequate documentation for accountability purposes, since the Government and the private sector expect business-like behaviour and accountability from NPOs whenever they request funding for their projects, with donations and grants being dependent on evidence of performance and realised social value. Other reasons for being accountable in the entrepreneurial world are:
· Transparency and Trust: Being accountable promotes transparency in the operation of social enterprises. When stakeholders, including beneficiaries, donors, and partners, can see how resources are used and the impact achieved, trust is built, which is crucial for the success and sustainability of any social venture.
· Effective Resource Allocation: Accountability ensures that resources are used efficiently and effectively. By tracking expenditures and outcomes, social entrepreneurs can allocate resources where they are needed most, preventing wastage.
· Improved Decision-Making: Accountability provides data and insights that inform decision-making. It helps social entrepreneurs understand what strategies are working and where adjustments are needed, leading to more informed and effective choices.
· Increased Credibility: Accountable social enterprises are viewed as more credible and reliable by stakeholders. This credibility can attract additional funding, partnerships, and support, allowing the organization to expand its reach and impact.
· Alignment with Values: Many social entrepreneurs are driven by a strong commitment to values and ethics. Being accountable helps them ensure that their actions align with their core values, preserving the integrity of the mission.
Conclusion
In conclusion, social justice and entrepreneurship are intertwined, and promoting entrepreneurship can be a means of achieving social justice. While entrepreneurship can provide a path for people living on the margins to create opportunities, there are still systematic challenges that need to be addressed. By addressing these challenges and promoting access to resources like mentorship, education, and capital, we can create a more just and equitable entrepreneurial landscape for people from marginalised communities.
Sources:
Mohan, 2021. “Start-ups Are Shaking Up The Disability Space”. The Hindu https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/cover/start-ups-are-shaking-up-the-disability-space-even-as-investors-lag/article35871207.ece#:~:text=Arora%20used%20up%20her%20life's,and%20over%2040%20international%20destinations.
