News Archives » Social Justice
OMI UN Update – February and March 2013 February 20th, 2013
The United Nations Commission on Social Development recently concluded its 10 day session in a call to give the poorest and most vulnerable populations the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty
According to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s latest report on promoting people’s empowerment, nearly 80% of the world’s population is without adequate access to social protection, leaving those feeling powerless to improve their position. The report also states that while more than 600 million people have overcome poverty since 1990, 1 billion people are still struggling to reach that goal by 2015. Globally 200 million people were unemployed at the end of 2011, an increase of 27 million jobless persons since 2007 and 621 million young people are neither in employment, school or training nor looking for work.
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WOLA Researchers Question Border Security Rhetoric February 20th, 2013
In a talk sponsored by the University of Chicago Human Rights Program, Adam Isacson and Maureen Meyer of the Washington Office on Latin America, a non-governmental organization which the Oblates support, said the voices in Washington calling for further buildup of border security mechanisms as part of comprehensive immigration reform are wrong. Their year-long study has shown them that what those voices call a “crisis” on the border, a “war-zone” with violent criminals, “illegal aliens” and terrorists streaming over the border into the U.S. does not exist on the U.S. side. The people in actual and terrifying danger are undocumented migrants passing through Mexico and crossing the border.
Read more about their findings here.
Oblate JPIC Welcomes Action for Comprehensive Immigration Reform January 30th, 2013
The Missionary Oblates JPIC have joined other people of faith in applauding the announcement made by President Obama and the bipartisan group of Senators calling for necessary reform to fix the broken immigration system.
Yesterday, on January 29, President Obama called on Congress to enact immigration reform that would create a pathway to citizenship for individuals who are currently undocumented, including undocumented youth or ‘DREAMers’, fix the immigration visa system to reunite separated families, and promote the integration of newcomers.
On January 28, a bipartisan group of eight U.S Senators had released a framework, which includes a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented in the nation. It also would reduce family backlogs in the immigration system, which requires family members to wait years to reunite with their loved ones.
President Obama’s immigration reform pillars and principles by the Senators represent a good starting place for Members of Congress to come together to create a reformed immigration system that better serves families and the common good.
As the new Congress considers comprehensive immigration reform legislation, it is important that people of faith make their voices heard and demand humane action on this issue in 2013. Stay tuned for updates on how to take action for comprehensive immigration reform.
Lenten Rice Bowl and more from NCRLC January 17th, 2013
For the full e-newsletter from the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, click here…
CRS Lenten Rice Bowl webinar, Jan. 17
Each year during Lent, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) promotes their Lenten Rice Bowl campaign to raise funds and educates Catholic youth on international relieve and development work. Part of the education includes an examination of climate impacts on the work of CRS around the globe.
CRS will host a webinar on their Lenten Rice Bowl program Thursday afternoon, January 17. The webinar is designed to provide information on integrating Rice Bowl activities into a parish youth ministry program. Parish directors of religious education, youth ministers, youth ministry teams, catechists and other parish staff and volunteers are encouraged to join in the webinar.
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2013 Farm Bill: Will Congress act this year?
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Indigenous Land Rights Asserted in Bangladesh Conference December 19th, 2012
- Participants in the December 7th Roundtable on Indigenous Land Rights in Bangladesh
Environment and indigenous rights activists demanded the formation of an Indigenous Peoples Commission led by an acceptable person on indigenous peoples’ right of plain lands to identify and solve problems towards protecting their rights.
This demand was raised at a discussion titled “Life and Livelihood Policy of Indigenous People and Legal Rights: Perspective of Khasi Community” organised by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Adivasi Poribesh Rokkha Andolon (APRA) at Reporters’ Unity in Dhaka.
An English translation of the report of the conference is available here. (Download PDF)
Ms Flora Bably Talang speaking at the Roundtable on Indigenous Peoples' Land Rights
