Conceptualisation and Contextualisation of Social Inclusion and Exclusion under Equal Opportunity Commission Report: Reflections and Appraisal

Abstract

The conceptualisation and contextualisation of social exclusion under the constitutional goal of equality of opportunities founded on the principles of liberty, dignity, fraternity and social justice form the core of this paper. Social and economic empowerments of disadvantaged sections of society and attainment of civil liberties in education and employment foster social solidarity and inclusion. Access to opportunities in all spheres of public and private life requires conceptualisation and contextualisation of social exclusion constitutional conspectus. The stark inequalities compounded with boundaries of social groups make inter-group inequalities more vulnerable. The need to affirmative action through the Equal Opportunity Commission Report rightly conceptualised and contextualised social inclusion in praxis of an evidence-based advocacy. National data availability suggests existence of disadvantaged groups by various circumstances, which are neither of their creation nor within their control to overcome. This institutional deficit and unfair discrimination requires availability of equality in reality. This paper hypothesises that conceptualisation and contextualisation of equal opportunities will raise the status of deprived groups and will enable accessing of equal justice through judicial processes, which ultimately pave way for social inclusion of socially excluded groups.