global solidarity and local action crs presentation

Cheryl MrazikCatholic Relief Services

Global Issues Affecting the Poor and Vulnerable

“Not only our beneficiaries…

…But also our teachers”

-Dr. Carolyn Y. Woo, CRS President and CEO

Partnership and Solidarity

We are an Easter people!

Good News For a Change!

#GoodNews4aChange

But challenges remain…

Poverty: 21% of the world’s population still lives below $1.25/day

Poverty is linked to violence:– 1.5 billion people live in areas affected by fragility,

conflict, or large scale criminal violence– 73% of the world’s poorest billion lived through or

are in a violent conflict

MigrationAn integral part of the Biblical story…

Adam and EveNoahAbrahamMosesJoseph and MaryJesus

…and human history

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me… Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” —Matthew 25

Our Gospel Mandate...

“The Church’s approach to migration has and will continue to include

both the reduction of the need to migrate

and the protection of those who have

little choice but to do so.”-Mary DeLorey, CRS

CRS’ Focus• The right NOT to migrate: “Persons have the

right to find opportunities in their homeland.” (Strangers No Longer)

• Address root causes of migration by developing economic/political/social conditions that preclude necessity to migrate (JFI campaign principle)

International Migration

• More than 200 million people in the world live outside their country of birth.– Doubled in past 30 years– 3% of the global population

• The number of the migrants worldwide would constitute the fifth most populous country in the world.

Who are our migrant brothers and sisters?

• Asylum seekers (983,000)• Refugees (10.4 million)• Internally Displaced Persons (15.6 M)• Economic migrants • Climate/Environmental Migrants• Trafficked persons (int’l 800,000-2 M)

Facts & Figures1/3 of migrants: Developing

Developing1/3 of migrants: Developing

Developed

Urban migration (1/2 of world population in 2008, growing to 2/3 by 2030)

49.6% are women

30-40 million are unauthorized in host country

If you know someone or a group of people who has migrated, what specific factors led

to that decision?

If not, what factors would motivate you to leave your home?

• Low wages• High unemployment/lack of jobs• Corrupt governments• Lack of social safety net • War & Natural disaster• Culture of migration

Push Factors

Pull Factors: Jobs

• Liberalization of trade– Employment sectors can

move, but not people• Changing demographics

– Aging populations, low fertility rates in developed countries

– Service sector economies

Economic Reality ≠ Political Reality

The United States has about 500,000 unskilled jobs available each year.

Current Immigration System only allows for 66,000 low-skilled labor positions = gap of 434,000

Most Americans with college degrees do not and will not do these types of jobs

Pull Factors: Wage Disparities

Migrants can earn 20-30 times more than

in their home country!

Ratio of average income of 5 richest countries to 5-10 poorest countries:

In 1900, 9:1In 1960, 30:1

Today, 100:1

Pull Factors

Family reunification & social networks

Equality/Freedom

Safety/security/protection

Past CRS’ Responses

Farmers in MexicoGreenhouses in AfghanistanDisplaced Persons in

Colombia Human trafficking in

MoldovaDrought interventions in Kenya

Conflict: Syria• 3 years• 150,000 killed• 2.5 million refugees• 75% are women and

children• 65% of children show

signs of PTSD

CRS and partners: currently supporting 3,000 refugee children (250,000 refugees total)Goal: 10,000 children

Child-friendly spaces

Art therapy

“Please know that Syrians are kind. We are hospitable. It is a beautiful country and we will be happy to get back there and to rebuild. But right now we wish for more attention to our kids. We wish that nobody will see what they have seen. We need help.”

-Hanan Yousef Abdel-Razaq, young mother from southern Syria now living in Jordan

What Can You Do?

•Pray•Learn•Act/Advocate•Give

www.confrontglobalpoverty.org

What Can You Do?

Tell President Obama and your Members of Congress:

Stop the violence and provide adequate humanitarian assistance to people affected by violence in Syria!

Central African Republic (CAR)

700,000 displaced

Peacebuilding

What Can You Do?

*Action Alert this week*

Tell Congress: I care about peace in the Central African Republic!

Natural Disasters: Typhoon Haiyan

The Toll

6,245 people killed28,626 injured1,039 missing

16 million impacted

1.1 million homes damaged, including550,928 homes destroyed

4 million+ displaced

Shelter

Coconut farmers

What Can You Do?

Tell Members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees:

Approve Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months for the

Philippines!

Centro Independiente de Trabajadores Agricolas (Independent Agricultural Workers' Center –CITA)

Sonora, Mexico

Youth Builders program

Countries

• El Salvador• Nicaragua• Honduras• Guatemala• Haiti• Dominican Republic

Impact

(Since 2007)

84% finish secondary degree

58% find employment

Managua, Nicaragua

What Can You Do?

Support the USCCB’s Justice for Immigrants (JFI) campaign for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, including language in legislation to address root causes of migration.

What Can You Do?

Support the Fraudulent Overseas Recruitment and Trafficking Elimination Act of 2013 (FORTE Act), H.R. 3344., which would:• Incorporate anti-trafficking and anti-slavery measures into foreign

assistance programs

• Creates requirements of foreign labor contractors who bring laborers to the U.S., and of employers who use these contractors, and measures in order to address complaints against contractors and employers

Fair Trade/Conflict-Free/Sweat-Free

crsfairtrade.org

What Can You Do?

•Pray•Learn•Act/Advocate•Give

Always think local

and global!

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Social Media

Catholic Relief Services

@CatholicRelief

CRS Rice Bowl

www.crs.orgwww.confrontglobalpoverty.org

Cheryl MrazikCRS, Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Office

610-293-4669cheryl.mrazik@crs.org

For more information….