The first ever World Day of Social Justice, which fell yesterday, holds special importance during these trying times for the globe.

The day not only highlights the need to step up efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion and unemployment, it is also a rare chance to think of the huge challenge of achieving social justice in the wake of the global economic crisis.

Globalization and interdependence have opened many new opportunities through trade, investment and capital to improve people's standard of living around the world in recent decades.