global solidarity and local action crs presentation
TRANSCRIPT
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!
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
For more information….