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MDG Target on Access to Safe Drinking Water Met! March 12th, 2012

“Today we recognize a great achievement for the people of the world. This is one of the first [Millennium Development Goals] MDG targets to be met. The successful efforts to provide greater access to drinking water are a testament to all who see the MDGs not as a dream, but as a vital tool for improving the lives of millions of the poorest people.”

- United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement responding to a report released by the World Health Organization and the UN Children’s Fund.

The WHO/UNICEF report concluded that the world has met the MDG target of halving the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water well before the 2015 deadline. However, while they praised this accomplishment, several media outlets and observers (including Stephanie Cappa on the InterAction blog), have pointed out that the related MDG target on sanitation is off-track and unlikely to be met by 2015.

Read the report: Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation 2012 update

Victory in US Senate for Tax Justice! March 9th, 2012

This week, the Senate took a stand against one of the largest revenue drains facing developing nations today – tax avoidance. Members of the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition, have been speaking out against the abuse of off-shore tax havens. And the Senate listened.

Amendment 1818, the Levin Amendment, passed the Senate last night and is a blow against corruption, secrecy, and tax avoidance that aims to end the use and abuse of off-shore tax havens. These tax havens help large corporations and corrupt individuals avoid paying a fair share of taxes to the nations in which they operate. An estimated $160 billion dollars is lost in tax revenue in developing countries due to the use of off-shore tax havens. The Levin amendment gives law enforcement officials tools to stop financial institutions in tax havens from aiding US tax cheats, and help put an end to developing country tax avoidance.

Jubilee USA and the Oblates are founding members of the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition. Learn more about tax justice… 

 

Symposium: “Towards Healing and Renewal” March 9th, 2012

A symposium on child protection in the Church, titled “Toward Healing and Renewal,” was held in Rome in February. The Gregorian University, which hosted the gathering, is developing resources for further training that will be available on their website. They propose a 30-hour training in child protection for students and professors from across the world. The content will be in four languages.

For more information, visit The Pontifical Gregorian University Centre for Child Protection. The internet portal offers information and training for all those dealing with child protection in the Church.

Lenten Reflections on Water February 24th, 2012

The World Council of Churches offers a unique Lenten practice, in solidarity with half the world, for whom water is scarce, whose waters are polluted or who have difficult access to water. This resource is available through the WCC-sponsored Ecumenical Water Network, a network of churches and Christian organizations promoting people’s access to water around the world.

Praying, reflecting and acting for a just economy of WATER:

• 7 weeks for water
• 7 semaines du carême sur l’eau
• Siete semanas para el agua

 

OMI JPIC Immigration and Human Trafficking Flyers Now Available February 17th, 2012

The OMI JPIC Office has produced some wonderful new materials on Immigration and Human Trafficking. Click on the hyperlinked text below to access the documents.

We have crafted a two-page flyer on Immigration emphasizing the five principles articulated by the US Catholic bishops in their 20003 Pastoral Letter on Immigration, a short prayer, and suggested resources.

A one-page flyer on Human Trafficking talks briefly about the issue, includes a brief prayer, and lists organizations working to prevent this scourge. This flyer is also formatted as a half-size 2-page resource that may be easier to distribute.

We encourage you to print these and distribute them widely. Both are available in the Resources section of this website, under Parish Resources. Oblates can contact the JPIC Office by phone or email if they would like printed versions for distribution. Our contact information is in the About Us section of this website.

Bishop Wester Speaks Out at Conference on Migration February 9th, 2012

The address excerpted below was given at the opening of the Salt Lake City Immigration Conference (January 11, 2012) by Bishop John C. Wester, bishop of Salt Lake City and chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration and Refugee Services. The complete address can be found on the Justice for Immigrants web site.

“…
It seems as if time is up as well in terms of waiting for comprehensive immigration reform, at least if you believe some people in Washington. But it is the American public, including the Catholics, who will decide the final outcome. So many people—so many of you—have worked so hard these past years to achieve what seems like an elusive goal. Yet, we must never give up hope, and I fully believe that one day we will be successful. In the meantime, we must always keep focused as we advocate for immigration reform in this complex and constantly changing landscape in our country today.

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