On December 10th, we commemorate International Human Rights Day to mark the anniversary of the United Nations’ adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. This historic document guarantees the inherent dignity and equal rights of all people regardless of their background. Today, we reflect on the progress made towards justice and dignity for all. However, it is also a stark reminder that human rights abuses persist, both here in Canada and around the world.
Indigenous communities in Canada continue to face systemic inequalities, including the ongoing impacts of residential schools, lack of access to clean drinking water, and the disproportionate rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2 spirit peoples. Globally, millions are denied basic needs and freedoms due to conflict, oppressive regimes, and discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or identity.
As fellow human beings, it is our shared responsibility to stand against these injustices. At PSAC, we believe that the labour movement has an important role in fighting the social and economic inequities that impact the lives of workers and people in Canada and around the world. The Social Justice Fund is one of PSAC’s contributions to that struggle. PSAC has many active campaigns focused on human rights, including our Still Thirsty for Justice campaign.
Our union is guided by the members, who are at the forefront of our human rights initiatives. This important work will carry on in 2025, with several human rights-related resolutions passed at the last convention. These include fighting for affordable and accessible childcare, raising awareness on environmental racism and advocating with affected people, showing solidarity with the Women, Life, Freedom movement in Iran and so much more. We encourage all our members to get involved and stand up for the rights of all people.
We remain committed to advocating for justice, amplifying marginalized voices, and ensuring that everyone has what they need to live a dignified life. The fight for justice is far from over and the only way we will win is if we fight together.
We’ve curated a list of books by authors from diverse backgrounds highlighting the importance of inclusivity and celebrating the contributions of equity-seeking groups to society and culture. Supporting authors that highlight the perspectives and struggles of equity-seeking groups aligns with the union’s broader commitment to fighting discrimination, advocating for fair treatment, and addressing systemic inequalities in the workplace and beyond.
By promoting books written by authors who belong to equity-seeking groups, we help amplify and empower voices that are often underrepresented or overlooked in mainstream discourse.
| Equity group | Book & Author | Language | Type of book |
| Racialized members | How to Pronounce Knife, Souvankham Thammavongsa | English | Short Stories |
| Dans le ventre du Congo, Blaise Ndala | French | Fiction | |
| Les racistes n’ont jamais vu la mer Yara El-Ghadban, Rodney Saint-Éloi (several selections of novels) | French | Novel/essay | |
| Women | Junie by Chelene Knight | English | Fiction |
| We Have Always Been Here, Samra Habibs | English | Memoir | |
| Le boys club – Martine Delvaux | French | Essay | |
| Members with Disabilities | Maudite Folle, Varda Étienne | French | Memoir/autobiography |
| The Monster and the Mirror, K J Aiello | English | Fiction | |
| The future is disabled, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha | English | Essay | |
| Indigenous | This Accident of Being Lost, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson | English | Short Stories |
| Nauetakuan, un silence pour un bruit, Natasha Kanapé Fontaine | French | Fiction | |
| J’aime les filles, Diane Obomsawin | French | Fiction | |
| 2SLGBTQIA+ | La fille d’elle-même, Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay | French | Auto-Fiction |
| Noa intersexe, Samuel de Champagne | French | Fiction | |
| PRIDE, Angel John Guerra and Michael Rowe | English | Non-fiction |
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
