“Breaking the stigma around sexual and gender-based violence to overcome its under-reporting is one of the main challenges we face in Uganda,” explains humanitarian expert Madan Bam. “Power imbalances, poverty, illiteracy and trauma are among the root causes of the problem.”
An awareness-raising campaign focusing on human trafficking and gender-based violence in Malaysia invites people to join forces to eradicate these phenomena. As part of the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence global campaign, Good Shepherd Services has published a series of stories and testimonies on human trafficking, a modern-day form of slavery.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) celebrated its 100th birthday this month at a Mass held during its general assembly in Maryland. In his homily, Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, praised USCCB’s longtime migration and refugee work, saying that “the urgent need to welcome and integrate new waves of immigrants continues unabated” today as was the case when it began in 1917.
Sometimes small gestures of kindness can go a long way towards restoring a shared sense of humanity. For example, gestures like Muhammad’s, a Pakistani boy who inspired people to do more to support refugee children in Islamabad. Refugee children in Pakistan often struggle to access quality education. The public-school system is overstretched and the UN Refugee Agency only funds elementary school programs for children up to 10-11 years.
At a time in which the world has the largest number of refugees since World War II, community-based programs are providing people forced from their homes with resettlement and integration opportunities. Responding to the needs of uprooted people may seem an overwhelming task when a record 65.6 million people had been forcibly displaced worldwide by the end of 2016. Among them, nearly 22.1 million were refugees.
Dealing with the highs and lows of being a teenager can be a challenge. Much more so when you grow up far away from everything you once called home.Sajia, Farwardeen, and Farhad are three Afghan teenagers* who have something in common besides age and nationality. Together with their mothers and siblings, they all fled domestic violence in their country and found shelter in a safe home in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital city.
Largely unnoticed by the mainstream media, an innovative private-public initiative involving faith-based communities and government is facilitating refugees enter Europe since 2015. The year 2015 saw an unprecedented number of refugees arriving in Europe. More than one million people were risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean Sea with thousands perishing in perilous journeys at the hands of people smugglers.
The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) welcomed the resolution on “Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights” adopted by the Human Rights Council on 29 September. The Human Rights Council voiced concern about the risks faced by unaccompanied or separated children who may suffer grave abuses and human rights violations in countries of transit or destination.
A two-day conference in Brussels with the theme “The Role of Churches and Christian Organizations in Community-based Sponsorship Programmes of Refugees in Europe,” explored the benefits of sponsorship in engaging local communities, churches and faith-based actors at the grassroots level. The event was organized by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) Europe in cooperation with Caritas International in Belgium, and the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe.
A compassionate, dynamic leader, Saira Bukhari spearheads the ICMC Pakistan’s response to Child Protection activities of the UNHCR-funded project, which serves refugee victims of violence and other vulnerable individuals in need of protection.
