Social inclusion is one of those terms that is usually thrown around in debates or political conversations. But, as much as we want to, not everyone understands what it truly means or how it affects us and the society we live in. So, let’s break it down! 

According to the United Nations, social inclusion is the process of ensuring that everyone is given equal opportunities and can “achieve their full potential in life.” This means that policies are enacted, and actions are taken to give everyone equal access to public services and “enable citizens’ participation in the decision-making processes.” This ensures that everyone’s needs are met and that they have a voice in the laws or policies that affect them.

Sounds simple, right? Let’s do a quick thought experiment so we can fully understand what social inclusion means.

For a few minutes, try to imagine yourself playing outdoor games with your neighbors. You’re supposed to play basketball, but nobody picks you on their team when team leaders choose their members. You wait for your turn until the next game, but then, after all the games, you were never picked to play even for once. And, in the end, other neighbors asked you to leave the courtside because you were not going to play anyways. Why do you think this happened?

In that scenario, social inclusion was lacking because no actions were taken to ensure that everybody present — including you — is given an equal opportunity to participate in the game and, thus, have a good time. In the end, you suffered the consequences of being asked to leave the courtside because, again, you didn’t have the chance to participate in the games or even be included in any of the teams. Needless to say, this should not have happened.

Social Inclusion In The Real World

Unfortunately, the reality of our society is that it needs more work when it comes to social inclusion. Most, if not all, social issues either stem from the lack of social inclusion or are not solved simply because social inclusion is not prioritized.

Take education as an example. During the pandemic, schools were forced to shift into a distanced learning set-up to avoid the spread of COVID-19 and to keep everyone safe. In this set-up, some schools chose to go online, some resorted to using printed modules, while some used a combination of both. In theory, these were good ideas to continue learning during a pandemic. Still, the reality is that some students were “left behind” because they don’t have access to resources for their education. Some don’t have gadgets such as phones, laptops, or tablets; some don’t have internet access; and some are unable to produce the modules they need. This is the reason why students continue to call for #LigtasNaBalikEskwela. Remember, social inclusion is about giving everyone equal opportunities. One student left behind is one too many.

Overwhelmed? That’s just one social issue that we have. Other important issues also exist where social inclusion is badly needed: gender and diversity, climate change, good governance, and digitalization, just to name a few. Can you identify other social issues that also need social inclusion?

Representation Matters

One of the ways we can help in fostering social inclusion is to value representation. Representation is where different sectors of society have a voice and can use that voice to enact change or push actions that can help live their lives better. However, this is also a problem in our society.

Underrepresentation continues to be a problem in political discussions or even in the decision-making process. It is not rare to see, for example, a room full of men talking about legislation that affects women’s lives. Or, a room full of city dwellers talking about how indigenous people need to adapt to modern times. We are not saying that men can’t talk about women or that people who live in the city don’t have any knowledge about indigenous people. In social inclusion, there must be efforts to ensure that the people affected (or stakeholders) are there and can raise their voices in these discussions. There must be a way to include them in conversations that concern them. Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) must be present when laws about healthcare are being crafted; students from far-flung regions must be heard when we’re talking about education during the pandemic; and, the LGBT+ community must be represented when we talk about gender-based discrimination in our country.

Without proper representation, we may never hear the true stories of the people who are not us. It is only through genuine representation that everyone can be included in dialogues and discussions about the social issues that we, as a society, face.

Where Do We Go From Here?

So, what’s next for us? Well, like other things, change can start with you and me! Though we are young, we are more than capable of setting an example for our peers, and even to those who are older than us!

Start with your own community. Look around you. What social issue/s can you observe? In these social issues, are the stakeholders represented? Is everyone included in the dialogue or in the action plan to solve the problem? Are you, as part of the youth, welcome to be involved? Can you lend in your voice?

The key to having a more inclusive society is us being able to recognize where inclusion is not present. What’s good about it is that we don’t have to look at the entire nation or be political experts to even observe where the lack of inclusion happens. From our families, friends, school, or workplace, we can see problems and offer solutions — starting with pushing forth social inclusion that benefits everyone!

Are you ready to speak up?

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About UNDP 

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. 

About Citi Foundation 

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant communities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com. 

About Edukasyon.ph

Launched in 2015, Edukasyon.ph is the largest online youth platform in the Philippines empowering millions of Filipino students to make better education decisions that lead to a fulfilling career and life. Students use our website to access courses, schools, scholarships, online education, and other resources and opportunities to take the paths best suited to their own interests, skills and passion. We’ve worked with hundreds of schools, corporations, and foundations to enable them to reach and engage with our student community along the journey from education to career.