Earthquake in Ecuador – Voices from the people we serve

Credit: CLAI
Credit: CLAI

 

My name is Maria Isabel Gracia, I have four children and I live in Daule community, in central Guayas, Ecuador.

It is very difficult to express what happened that day. It was around seven in the afternoon and I was taking care of the baby when the earthquake started. I could not move and I was terrified because I lost sight of my three children, my baby fell down from my arms and everybody was screaming all around. My mother and father were laid down on the floor and I thought everybody was going to die. When it finished I realized that my house was very affected. Two interior walls fell down and many cracks were visible in the structure.

I felt alone, my husband was in shock and could not react. Finally, we decide to abandon the house and join the community in the front yard. We did not have any food at all, but after some hours many people started bringing relief aid for us.

I am very grateful because all my family is safe and nobody was injured during the earthquake. We would not have overcome without the support provided by all the generous people and organizations. The goods that we have received are very useful for us. The container where we stored the water is dirty and grows worms. If we want to drink safe water, we have to buy it and when we do not money, we need to go to the river but that water is salty.

We are happy to receive the water purificator because it is something we have never had before and will contribute to my family wellbeing.

Interview and picture by Carmiña Guerrero, CLAI

Refugees in Armenia – The story of Abdullah Haddad

Armenia
Photo: ART

 

Abdullah Haddad, 46-year-old, is a hand master, preparing and repairing different things, though the current situation does not help him to provide for his family. The two elder sons were born with mental disorders. The elder one is 21 and the other one Shiraz is 18. They both attend a specialized center and the interaction with people helped them feel better, they started to speak and draw a little.

“I wish my sons were healthy and Syrian war hadn’t started,  said Abdullah who fled from Syria to Armenia in 2011 with his wife and three sons.

Photo: ART
Photo: ART

The younger boy is 8 years old. He attends an ordinary school and wishes to have a bicycle and colored pencils. He needs to color the paper hats that he makes himself and sells on holidays for 20-50 Armenian drams (0,04-0,05 USD) in the streets to buy ice-cream for his brothers. Anna, their mother can’t think of a job as she takes care of the boys.

Several NGOs assisted refugees families from Syria with a two-room flat – social housing (that is a real ruin), some furniture, a gas stove and refrigerator that is almost empty.

Yet, social protection is still a blurred concept to many refugees in Armenia. Access to good health care is not free.

According to humanitarian standards, “social protection is a human right which guarantees a minimum standard of living for all”. In close cooperation with other NGOs, the ACT Armenia forum has prepared and identified a list of the most vulnerable refugees requiring immediate assistance through the proposed action to the refugee crisis.

Do you want to help? Click HERE to read the ACT Appeal.

Refugees in Armenia – The story of Abdullah Haddad

Armenia
Photo: ART

 

Abdullah Haddad, 46-year-old, is a hand master, preparing and repairing different things, though the current situation does not help him to provide for his family. The two elder sons were born with mental disorders. The elder one is 21 and the other one Shiraz is 18. They both attend a specialized center and the interaction with people helped them feel better, they started to speak and draw a little.

“I wish my sons were healthy and Syrian war hadn’t started,  said Abdullah who fled from Syria to Armenia in 2011 with his wife and three sons.

Photo: ART
Photo: ART

The younger boy is 8 years old. He attends an ordinary school and wishes to have a bicycle and colored pencils. He needs to color the paper hats that he makes himself and sells on holidays for 20-50 Armenian drams (0,04-0,05 USD) in the streets to buy ice-cream for his brothers. Anna, their mother can’t think of a job as she takes care of the boys.

Several NGOs assisted refugees families from Syria with a two-room flat – social housing (that is a real ruin), some furniture, a gas stove and refrigerator that is almost empty.

Yet, social protection is still a blurred concept to many refugees in Armenia. Access to good health care is not free.

According to humanitarian standards, “social protection is a human right which guarantees a minimum standard of living for all”. In close cooperation with other NGOs, the ACT Armenia forum has prepared and identified a list of the most vulnerable refugees requiring immediate assistance through the proposed action to the refugee crisis.

Do you want to help? Click HERE to read the ACT Appeal.

 

Photos and text by Armenia Inter-Church Charitable Round Table Foundation (ARTF)

Refugees in Armenia – The story of Abdullah Haddad

Armenia
Photo: ART

 

Abdullah Haddad, 46-year-old, is a hand master, preparing and repairing different things, though the current situation does not help him to provide for his family. The two elder sons were born with mental disorders. The elder one is 21 and the other one Shiraz is 18. They both attend a specialized center and the interaction with people helped them feel better, they started to speak and draw a little.

“I wish my sons were healthy and Syrian war hadn’t started,  said Abdullah who fled from Syria to Armenia in 2011 with his wife and three sons.

Photo: ART
Photo: ART

The younger boy is 8 years old. He attends an ordinary school and wishes to have a bicycle and colored pencils. He needs to color the paper hats that he makes himself and sells on holidays for 20-50 Armenian drams (0,04-0,05 USD) in the streets to buy ice-cream for his brothers. Anna, their mother can’t think of a job as she takes care of the boys.

Several NGOs assisted refugees families from Syria with a two-room flat – social housing (that is a real ruin), some furniture, a gas stove and refrigerator that is almost empty.

Yet, social protection is still a blurred concept to many refugees in Armenia. Access to good health care is not free.

According to humanitarian standards, “social protection is a human right which guarantees a minimum standard of living for all”. In close cooperation with other NGOs, the ACT Armenia forum has prepared and identified a list of the most vulnerable refugees requiring immediate assistance through the proposed action to the refugee crisis.

Do you want to help? Click HERE to read the ACT Appeal.

UN migration summit must move from discourse to action

PRESS RELEASE

19 September 2016 – A delegation of 10 ACT Alliance member organisations travelled to New York for the United Nations Summit to Address Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants taking place today (19 September 2016).

Joining over 600 civil society representatives, ACT Alliance added its voice to the chorus demanding that displaced populations be welcomed, supported and respected with dignity, justice and human rights in transit and in hosting nations.

“The outcome document of this United Nations conference [the New York Declaration], is only one step policy makers need to take to address the largest global migration of people since the second world war,” said Nick Clarke, Head of Strategy and Partnerships for ACT Alliance. “Creating, adopting and implementing a Global Compact on Responsibility Sharing for Refugees, and a Global Compact on Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration, which will be negotiated over the next two years at the United Nations level are needed with great urgency.”

According to the latest UNHCR statistics, there are roughly 65 million forcibly displaced persons, including over 21 million refugees, 3 million asylum-seekers and over 40 million internally displaced persons. The root causes of this increase in mass movements of people are manifold, but are often tied to conflicts, natural disasters and economic insecurity. Additionally, the vulnerability of refugee and migrant populations leaves them highly susceptible to exploitation, abuse and instances of human trafficking, slavery and various forms of modern day serfdom.

“The plight of people around the world who are desperate to escape their current unsafe, insecurity and unsustainable homelands to pursue a better life is only exacerbated with the dangers refugees and migrants experience while in transit,” said Christian Wolff, Co-Chair of the ACT Alliance Community of Practice on Migration and Development. “Far too many people are dying during their journeys – drowning by sea, collapsing along the road, experiencing terminal dehydration in the desert, or suffocating in cargo holds of crowded boats and trucks. Much of this is linked to the lack of legal access to asylum and pathways to labour markets in destination countries.”

ACT Alliance highlighted the following key elements essential for finding sustainable solutions to the issues being discussed in New York in its declaration and joint ecumenical statement ahead of the UN Summit. These include:

  1. Address the root causes of large-scale forced movements;
  2. Support the Sustainable Development Goals, and ensure they leave no one behind;
  3. Reaffirm existing international human rights, international refugee and international humanitarian law;
  4. Promote responsibility sharing inclusive of common but differentiated responsibilities among states;
  5. Provide legal, clear and accessible channels for regular labour migration;
  6. End criminalisation of the uprooted.

EU must take its share of responsibility for migrants & refugees

On the eve of the UN Summit on Migration and Refugees, ACT Alliance calls for increased investment in improving living conditions in fragile states and regions, more focus on the protection of vulnerable groups, and commitment to creating safe passages to Europe.

Syrian refugees walk in the countryside outside Messstetten, Germany. They have applied for asylum in Germany and are awaiting word on the government's decision. Meanwhile, they live in a room in a former army barracks in Messstetten, where church groups and other community members have provided a variety of hospitality. Photo: Paul Jeffrey
Syrian refugees walk in the countryside outside Messstetten, Germany. They have applied for asylum in Germany and are awaiting word on the government’s decision. Meanwhile, they live in a room in a former army barracks in Messstetten, where church groups and other community members have provided a variety of hospitality. Photo: Paul Jeffrey

 

1,046,600. That’s the number of refugees who applied for asylum in the European Union last year. A crisis for some. A tip of the iceberg for others – compared to the 65 million people forcibly displaced from their homes by conflict and persecution, including 21 million outside their home countries. For sure, Europe is no longer impermeable to migratory pressures and it highlights all the more that displacement is a global phenomenon, which has to be tackled globally, with a global sharing of responsibilities in solidarity.

Sadly, there is no sign at the moment that Europe – or rather the European Union – is ready to take its share of the responsibility. A quick glance at the policy put in place last year reveals one overriding objective: the fewer refugees that enter the European Union, the better.

Faced with the influx, Europe was overwhelmed and a self-preservation instinct prevailed. On 13 September 2015, Germany re-established border controls, even though it nonetheless welcomed 1.1 million asylum seekers last year. It was followed by Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden. Hungary and Slovenia erected fences to prevent crossings. And the Balkan route was eventually completely sealed, leaving 55,000 asylum seekers trapped in Greece.

On 22 March, the EU signed a deal with Turkey in which it pledged to pay Turkey €3 billion for its help in stemming the migratory flow into Europe. This meant that all migrants and refugees who then crossed into Greece illegally – including Syrians – were to be sent back. In exchange, the EU committed to resettle 70,000 Syrian refugees from Turkey.

This model of externalising migration flows is the new trend. The European Commission and European Council are paving the way for other bilateral agreements of a similar kind, starting in the African continent. The effective blocking of migrants from reaching the EU and the readmission of deportees is planned as a key condition for the release of development funds.

The EU congratulates itself for destroying the human smugglers’ business models in the Aegean Sea and reducing the number of illegal and dangerous crossings. Still, an estimated 292, 246 asylum seekers and migrants have entered Europe since the beginning of the year, while 3, 198 have died or are missing over the same period in the Mediterranean Sea.

Progress on the resettlement and relocation of refugees has been extremely slow. In July 2015, EU member states agreed to resettle 22,000 refugees and in September 2015 to relocate 160,000 refugees from Greece and Italy. As of 5 September, 4,519 out of the 160,000 refugees had been relocated and 7,272 of the 22,000 resettled.

As faith-based organisations we have the knowledge and possibility to reach actors and areas that few other organisations can and work with people in need of protection in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.  The idea of a society welcoming protection seekers and promoting solidarity is particularly important to us. Nonetheless, our call on European governments to take in their fair share of people in need of protection – from an EU internal as well as a global perspective – is grounded not only on moral and theological arguments. We understand that the drivers for migration are not going to disappear overnight. However, we fear that the envisaged approach, which combines border externalisation and protracted shelter can fuel more instability.

Interestingly, research by the Clingendael Institute of international relations says that “attempts to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis in the region of origin are likely to continue to be insufficient as long as the greater political and funding imperatives are geared mostly towards preventing irregular migration to Europe.”

The research states that leaving critical refugee protection and resilience objectives to governments who are motivated predominantly by a desire to prevent long-term settlement, obstructs refugees from establishing decent livelihoods.  It also “puts [pressure] on resources for host communities [that] may prompt both groups to resort to alternative or negative coping strategies, leaving them at risk of exploitation or recruitment by extremist groups”.

In ACT Alliance’s work with refugees and migrants in the horn of Africa, the Middle East and Latin America for example, we see that the voices of women and children are often in the shadows. Child marriages are common in refugee camps and among people seeking a safe space. A study by our members found that protection seekers are often at risk of sexual violence.

As the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants takes place on 19 September in New York, we ask the EU to press for clear commitments and to invest in improving living conditions in fragile states and regions; to increase the focus on the protection of vulnerable groups and to create safe passages to Europe. These are critical for those in need of international protection and badly needed for migrants seeking resettlement, humanitarian admission, family reunification, worker mobility across all skill levels and student visas.

___________

agnesAgnès Bertrand has more than ten years’ experience in EU external affairs and human rights. She is currently the European refugee crisis advocacy officer for the ACT Alliance, based in Brussels, Belgium, since May 2016 and was previously the Middle-East policy officer for ACT Alliance EU. In her current position, she is charge of advocacy to the European Union in relation to its policies vis-à-vis refugees. Agnes is holds a PhD in International law from the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) and a masters in European law from the Sorbonne. She taught international law at SOAS and external relations of the
European Union at Science Po Lille.

Message in a bottle

On the eve of the UN Summit on Migration and Refugees, ACT Alliance calls for increased investment in improving living conditions in fragile states and regions, more focus on the protection of vulnerable groups, and commitment to creating safe passages to Europe.

Syrian refugees walk in the countryside outside Messstetten, Germany. They have applied for asylum in Germany and are awaiting word on the government's decision. Meanwhile, they live in a room in a former army barracks in Messstetten, where church groups and other community members have provided a variety of hospitality. Photo: Paul Jeffrey
Syrian refugees walk in the countryside outside Messstetten, Germany. They have applied for asylum in Germany and are awaiting word on the government’s decision. Meanwhile, they live in a room in a former army barracks in Messstetten, where church groups and other community members have provided a variety of hospitality. Photo: Paul Jeffrey

 

1,046,600. That’s the number of refugees who applied for asylum in the European Union last year. A crisis for some. A tip of the iceberg for others – compared to the 65 million people forcibly displaced from their homes by conflict and persecution, including 21 million outside their home countries. For sure, Europe is no longer impermeable to migratory pressures and it highlights all the more that displacement is a global phenomenon, which has to be tackled globally, with a global sharing of responsibilities in solidarity.

Sadly, there is no sign at the moment that Europe – or rather the European Union – is ready to take its share of the responsibility. A quick glance at the policy put in place last year reveals one overriding objective: the fewer refugees that enter the European Union, the better.

Faced with the influx, Europe was overwhelmed and a self-preservation instinct prevailed. On 13 September 2015, Germany re-established border controls, even though it nonetheless welcomed 1.1 million asylum seekers last year. It was followed by Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden. Hungary and Slovenia erected fences to prevent crossings. And the Balkan route was eventually completely sealed, leaving 55,000 asylum seekers trapped in Greece.

On 22 March, the EU signed a deal with Turkey in which it pledged to pay Turkey €3 billion for its help in stemming the migratory flow into Europe. This meant that all migrants and refugees who then crossed into Greece illegally – including Syrians – were to be sent back. In exchange, the EU committed to resettle 70,000 Syrian refugees from Turkey.

This model of externalising migration flows is the new trend. The European Commission and European Council are paving the way for other bilateral agreements of a similar kind, starting in the African continent. The effective blocking of migrants from reaching the EU and the readmission of deportees is planned as a key condition for the release of development funds.

The EU congratulates itself for destroying the human smugglers’ business models in the Aegean Sea and reducing the number of illegal and dangerous crossings. Still, an estimated 292, 246 asylum seekers and migrants have entered Europe since the beginning of the year, while 3, 198 have died or are missing over the same period in the Mediterranean Sea.

Progress on the resettlement and relocation of refugees has been extremely slow. In July 2015, EU member states agreed to resettle 22,000 refugees and in September 2015 to relocate 160,000 refugees from Greece and Italy. As of 5 September, 4,519 out of the 160,000 refugees had been relocated and 7,272 of the 22,000 resettled.

As faith-based organisations we have the knowledge and possibility to reach actors and areas that few other organisations can and work with people in need of protection in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.  The idea of a society welcoming protection seekers and promoting solidarity is particularly important to us. Nonetheless, our call on European governments to take in their fair share of people in need of protection – from an EU internal as well as a global perspective – is grounded not only on moral and theological arguments. We understand that the drivers for migration are not going to disappear overnight. However, we fear that the envisaged approach, which combines border externalisation and protracted shelter can fuel more instability.

Interestingly, research by the Clingendael Institute of international relations says that “attempts to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis in the region of origin are likely to continue to be insufficient as long as the greater political and funding imperatives are geared mostly towards preventing irregular migration to Europe.”

The research states that leaving critical refugee protection and resilience objectives to governments who are motivated predominantly by a desire to prevent long-term settlement, obstructs refugees from establishing decent livelihoods.  It also “puts [pressure] on resources for host communities [that] may prompt both groups to resort to alternative or negative coping strategies, leaving them at risk of exploitation or recruitment by extremist groups”.

In ACT Alliance’s work with refugees and migrants in the horn of Africa, the Middle East and Latin America for example, we see that the voices of women and children are often in the shadows. Child marriages are common in refugee camps and among people seeking a safe space. A study by our members found that protection seekers are often at risk of sexual violence.

As the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants takes place on 19 September in New York, we ask the EU to press for clear commitments and to invest in improving living conditions in fragile states and regions; to increase the focus on the protection of vulnerable groups and to create safe passages to Europe. These are critical for those in need of international protection and badly needed for migrants seeking resettlement, humanitarian admission, family reunification, worker mobility across all skill levels and student visas.

___________

agnesAgnès Bertrand has more than ten years’ experience in EU external affairs and human rights. She is currently the European refugee crisis advocacy officer for the ACT Alliance, based in Brussels, Belgium, since May 2016 and was previously the Middle-East policy officer for ACT Alliance EU. In her current position, she is charge of advocacy to the European Union in relation to its policies vis-à-vis refugees. Agnes is holds a PhD in International law from the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) and a masters in European law from the Sorbonne. She taught international law at SOAS and external relations of the
European Union at Science Po Lille.

Message in a bottle

On the eve of the UN Summit on Migration and Refugees, ACT Alliance calls for increased investment in improving living conditions in fragile states and regions, more focus on the protection of vulnerable groups, and commitment to creating safe passages to Europe.

Syrian refugees walk in the countryside outside Messstetten, Germany. They have applied for asylum in Germany and are awaiting word on the government's decision. Meanwhile, they live in a room in a former army barracks in Messstetten, where church groups and other community members have provided a variety of hospitality. Photo: Paul Jeffrey
Syrian refugees walk in the countryside outside Messstetten, Germany. They have applied for asylum in Germany and are awaiting word on the government’s decision. Meanwhile, they live in a room in a former army barracks in Messstetten, where church groups and other community members have provided a variety of hospitality. Photo: Paul Jeffrey

 

1,046,600. That’s the number of refugees who applied for asylum in the European Union last year. A crisis for some. A tip of the iceberg for others – compared to the 65 million people forcibly displaced from their homes by conflict and persecution, including 21 million outside their home countries. For sure, Europe is no longer impermeable to migratory pressures and it highlights all the more that displacement is a global phenomenon, which has to be tackled globally, with a global sharing of responsibilities in solidarity.

Sadly, there is no sign at the moment that Europe – or rather the European Union – is ready to take its share of the responsibility. A quick glance at the policy put in place last year reveals one overriding objective: the fewer refugees that enter the European Union, the better.

Faced with the influx, Europe was overwhelmed and a self-preservation instinct prevailed. On 13 September 2015, Germany re-established border controls, even though it nonetheless welcomed 1.1 million asylum seekers last year. It was followed by Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden. Hungary and Slovenia erected fences to prevent crossings. And the Balkan route was eventually completely sealed, leaving 55,000 asylum seekers trapped in Greece.

On 22 March, the EU signed a deal with Turkey in which it pledged to pay Turkey €3 billion for its help in stemming the migratory flow into Europe. This meant that all migrants and refugees who then crossed into Greece illegally – including Syrians – were to be sent back. In exchange, the EU committed to resettle 70,000 Syrian refugees from Turkey.

This model of externalising migration flows is the new trend. The European Commission and European Council are paving the way for other bilateral agreements of a similar kind, starting in the African continent. The effective blocking of migrants from reaching the EU and the readmission of deportees is planned as a key condition for the release of development funds.

The EU congratulates itself for destroying the human smugglers’ business models in the Aegean Sea and reducing the number of illegal and dangerous crossings. Still, an estimated 292, 246 asylum seekers and migrants have entered Europe since the beginning of the year, while 3, 198 have died or are missing over the same period in the Mediterranean Sea.

Progress on the resettlement and relocation of refugees has been extremely slow. In July 2015, EU member states agreed to resettle 22,000 refugees and in September 2015 to relocate 160,000 refugees from Greece and Italy. As of 5 September, 4,519 out of the 160,000 refugees had been relocated and 7,272 of the 22,000 resettled.

As faith-based organisations we have the knowledge and possibility to reach actors and areas that few other organisations can and work with people in need of protection in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.  The idea of a society welcoming protection seekers and promoting solidarity is particularly important to us. Nonetheless, our call on European governments to take in their fair share of people in need of protection – from an EU internal as well as a global perspective – is grounded not only on moral and theological arguments. We understand that the drivers for migration are not going to disappear overnight. However, we fear that the envisaged approach, which combines border externalisation and protracted shelter can fuel more instability.

Interestingly, research by the Clingendael Institute of international relations says that “attempts to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis in the region of origin are likely to continue to be insufficient as long as the greater political and funding imperatives are geared mostly towards preventing irregular migration to Europe.”

The research states that leaving critical refugee protection and resilience objectives to governments who are motivated predominantly by a desire to prevent long-term settlement, obstructs refugees from establishing decent livelihoods.  It also “puts [pressure] on resources for host communities [that] may prompt both groups to resort to alternative or negative coping strategies, leaving them at risk of exploitation or recruitment by extremist groups”.

In ACT Alliance’s work with refugees and migrants in the horn of Africa, the Middle East and Latin America for example, we see that the voices of women and children are often in the shadows. Child marriages are common in refugee camps and among people seeking a safe space. A study by our members found that protection seekers are often at risk of sexual violence.

As the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants takes place on 19 September in New York, we ask the EU to press for clear commitments and to invest in improving living conditions in fragile states and regions; to increase the focus on the protection of vulnerable groups and to create safe passages to Europe. These are critical for those in need of international protection and badly needed for migrants seeking resettlement, humanitarian admission, family reunification, worker mobility across all skill levels and student visas.

___________

agnesAgnès Bertrand has more than ten years’ experience in EU external affairs and human rights. She is currently the European refugee crisis advocacy officer for the ACT Alliance, based in Brussels, Belgium, since May 2016 and was previously the Middle-East policy officer for ACT Alliance EU. In her current position, she is charge of advocacy to the European Union in relation to its policies vis-à-vis refugees. Agnes is holds a PhD in International law from the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) and a masters in European law from the Sorbonne. She taught international law at SOAS and external relations of the
European Union at Science Po Lille.

Common statement by 177 European and national Civil Society Organisations and Trade Unions

 A new Europe for people, planet and prosperity for all

Europe is at a crossroads, and the future of European cooperation and the benefits it brings are at stake. This is about the future of our society and how we want to be viewed by the wider world. The future of our planet and the kind of Europe our children will grow up in. The current crisis highlights the urgent need to reflect on fundamental questions: how do we ensure that the European project reclaims its promise of peace, democracy and solidarity? How can Europe work for its people?

Too many people across Europe are dissatisfied and disillusioned with the European Union and feel remote from its institutions and policies. But there are groups of committed politicians, trade unions, community groups and non-governmental organisations across Europe who are ready to take action and work for a renewed Europe. Together, we can shape a Europe that is inclusive, open, just, sustainable, and that works for people of all ages, social backgrounds and nations.

Where do we go from here to build the Europe we want and need?

Reject populist solutions 

This crisis in confidence comes as people struggle with decreasing living standards, declining buying power and the rise of precarious work, hardship created by austerity policies, anxiety over movements of people to our shores, and the impacts of climate change and environmental destruction. As people search for answers, euroscepticism and nationalism, intolerance and misinformation are winning out over cooperation, humanity and solidarity with one other. We must all – leaders, media and individuals – actively and at every opportunity speak out and act against division, marginalisation of different groups in society and those that play on fears for their own political ends.

Tackle challenges together 

Many of the challenges facing Europe – such as inequalities, climate change, natural resource depletion, and a global economy that benefits the few and not the many – are better tackled together than by countries individually.

The European Union, which embodies international cooperation and collaboration, needs to be leading in ensuring sustainable and inclusive development, advancing human rights, and allowing for dignified movements of people, where refugees are welcome and all people feel safe.

Fight for a sustainable, social Europe for people and for our planet 

There needs to be a decisive and transformational change in political will, direction and policy. Such a vision is provided in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in which people, social justice, environmental and health protection, democracy and transparency take centre stage. Guided by this agenda, EU economic policies need to go hand in hand with strong social and environmental policies. The EU single market and international policies must promote enforceable rules to protect workers, consumers, all citizens – men and women, young and old – and the planet. EU policies must support democracy, dialogue and more equality within and beyond the EU. We need a Europe that aims at improving the living standards of everyone.

Work for better Europe, not less Europe 

The current tendency to weaken EU institutions and to strip away protections for people and planet in the name of ‘deregulation’ is not the answer. Current economic policies of reducing deficits and boosting ‘competitiveness’ have promoted too narrow an interpretation of growth, and corporate profits have failed to make it into workers’ wages or trickle down to improve people’s lives.

It is these policies, not ‘too much Europe’, that have alienated people, leaving them feeling disempowered and left behind. We now need new, progressive European initiatives to deliver tangible benefits for people and to win back their confidence and trust. A ‘better Europe’ is where joint European action creates tangible benefits for people and planet. This includes a new focus on equality and inclusion, a relaunch of the European social model to provide decent work, quality jobs and better living conditions, strong environmental protection, meaningful action on climate change, and an EU-wide effort to welcome and integrate migrants.

Listen and engage 

EU leaders, prime ministers, presidents, chancellors and parliamentarians must listen and engage actively with citizens of all ages and social backgrounds to understand and respond better to people’s concerns and propose a new, positive vision of Europe. Everyone, perhaps most importantly the young, needs to be more actively involved in decisions that have an impact on our future. Together, we can take the decisions and actions on the issues that matter.

Make the case for Europe 

We need a genuine, democratic and inclusive dialogue on the future of Europe, and on how the EU can deliver tangible benefits for Europeans. We stand ready to play an active role in this dialogue, and to work even harder in making the case for the benefits that working together have brought to European citizens, and the values for which this Union stands.

_________

This common statement was drafted on the initiative of WWF, CONCORD, ETUC and European Youth Forum, and supported by the 177 signatories below. European and International signatories 


For media inquiries: 

Angelika Pullen, WWF European Policy Office, apullen@wwf.eu, +32 473 947 966

Helene Debaisieux, CONCORD, helene.debaisieux@concordeurope.org, +32 2 743 87 93

Sarah Farndale, European Youth Forum, sarah.farndale@youthforum.org, +32 496 396 765

Julian Scola, European Trade Union Confederation, jscola@etuc.org, +32 2 224 04 30

 

European and International signatories 

ACT Alliance EU

ActionAid International

ADG

Africa e Mediterraneo

AGE Platform Europe

ANME – Association for Natural Medicine in Europe

BirdLife Europe

BLOOM ASSOCIATION

CARE International

Civil Society Europe

Climate Action Network Europe

COFACE Families Europe

CONCORD

Culture Action Europe

Don Bosco International

Don Bosco Youth Network West Africa

Dynamo International – Réseau International des Travailleurs sociaux de rue

EASPD

EFFAT

ENAR – European Network Against Racism

ENNA – European Network of National Civil Society Associations

ENSIE – European Network of Social Integration Enterprises

ERGO Network

Eurocadres – Council of European Professional and Manageral Staff

Eurochild

Eurodiaconia

EuroHealthNet

European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN)

European Central Council of Homeopaths

European Citizen Action Service (ECAS)

European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI)

European Disability Forum

European Environmental Bureau

European Federation of Building and Woodworkers

European Federation of Public Service Unions

European Humanist Federation

European Institute Foundation

European Institute of Women’s Health

European Medical Students’ Association

European Movement International

European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP)

European Parents’ Association

European Public Health Alliance

European Race and Imagery Foundation (ERIF)

European Trade Union Confederation

European Transport Safety Council

European Transport Workers’ Federation

European Volunteer Centre (CEV)

European Women’s Lobby

European Youth Forum

Fair Trade Advocacy Office

FEANTSA

Fédération Européenne des Femmes Actives en Famille

FEMS – European Federation Salaried Doctors

Friends of the Earth Europe

Fundación Jóvenes y Desarrollo

Greenpeace

HEAL – Health and Environment Alliance

Housing Europe

IBFAN Africa

IBFAN Europe

IBFAN LATIN AMÉRICA AND CARIBBEAN

ICSW – International Council on Social Welfare

IFSW-Europe – International Federation of Social Workers Europe

IGLYO

ILGA-Europe – European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association

International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN)

International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC)

International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA)

International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network

International Union of Tenants (IUT)

Light for the World International

Mental Health Europe

Migrant Tales

Misiones Salesianas

Naturefriends International

Network of European LGBTIQ* Families Associations (NELFA)

Oxfam International

PICUM – Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants

Plan International

Social Platform

SOLIDAR

SOS Children’s Villages International

The Club of Rome EU-Chapter

The European Federation of Older Persons – EURAG

The Oslo Times

The Salvation Army EU Affairs Office

Transport & Environment

UNI Europa

Volonteurope

World Vision

WWF

YES Forum

 

National and regional signatories 

ACT Grupa

Active Retirement Ireland

AEPADO – European Association for the Defense of Human Rights

Alaturi de Voi Romania Foundation

Albanian Society for All Ages (ASAG)

All Ears TM

arbeit plus – Social Integration Enterprises Austria

Artenave Atelier – Associação de Solidariedade

Asociación Nacional Presencia Gitana

ASPUR

ATDAL Over40

Ateliere Fara Frontiere

Atelierul de panza SRL

Ateljee vzw

Baby Milk Action/IBFAN UK

BAGSO

BirdLife Finland

BirdWatch Ireland

Bulgarian Red Cross

CEIPES Belgium

Centar za životnu sredinu/FoE Bosnia and Herzegovina

Center for Equality Advancement

Centre for Peace Studies, Zagreb

CHEN, patient fertiltiy association, Israel

Conference of Religious of Ireland and Irish Missionary Union

Conseil de la Jeunesse

Consorzio di cooperative sociali EVT

Consorzio Sociale Abele Lavoro

Coordination SUD

CRIES

Cultúr Migrants Centre

Czech Society for Ornithology

De Omslag

EcoPolítica

ENEA apa

Estonian Green Movement

Estonian Human Rights Centre

FAEDEI – Federación de Asociaciones Empresariales de Empresas de Inserción

FATEC (Federació d’Associacions de Gent Gran de Catalunya)

Federació d’Organitzacions Catalanes de Gent Gran, Dones i Família – FOCAGG

Fédération des entreprises d’insertion

Filipino Women’s Council

FONSS – Federatia Organizatiilor Neguvernamentale pentru Servicii Sociale din Romania

France Nature Environnement

Friends of the Earth Cyprus

Friends of the Earth Finland – Maan ystävät ry

Fundació Trinijove

Generation 2.0 Rights, Equality & Diversity

Generation Earth

Hellenic Ornithological Society

Initiative for Development and Cooperation

Inter Environnement Wallonie

JURATRI

KISA – Action for Equality, Support, Anti-Racism

Latvian Ornithological Society

Liga para a Protecção da Natureza

Lipu BirdLife Italy

Mayo Intercultural Action

NABU – Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (German partner of Birdlife International)

National Youth Council of Ireland

natur&emwelt

Natuurpunt

Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities

Old’up

OVN -NL

Polish Society for the Protection of Birds

QED Foundation

RESIT – Rede de Empresas Sociais de Inserção pelo Trabalho

Roma Community Centre Vilnius

Slovenian Coalition for Public Health, Environment and Tobacco Control

Social Firms England

SOF – BirdLife Sverige

SOS/BirdLife Slovakia

Sport Against Racism Ireland

SST vzw

Stichting Laka

Tallinn Children’s Hospital Foundation

The Integraiton and Support Unit

türkiye emekliler derneği

BirdLife The Netherlands

volare a s.stefano

WERVEL – Working Group for a Fair and Responsible Agriculture

Youth for Human Rights Denmark

Združenie Slatinka

 

 

DiPaz and ACT Colombia Forum joint statement on Colombia ceasefire

Bogota, July 4th, 2016

Our churches and faith-based organisations are committed to providing accompaniment for the civilian population in the demobilization zones in the context of the Colombian peace-process, through the implementation of protection measures, peace education and reconciliation, and verification of the ceasefire and demobilization process.

On June 23, 2016, the Colombian Government and the largest guerrilla group in Colombia, the FARC-EP, made a Joint Statement[1] announcing their agreement on Bilateral and Definitive Ceasefire, End of Hostilities and Disarmament. The agreement defines 31 areas for the demobilization of the FARC over a period of 6 months[2]. As with the previous partial agreements, the bilateral ceasefire and disarmament will begin to operate once the final peace agreement is signed, which is expected to occur within the next few months.

We welcome this agreement and recognize its importance for building a just and sustainable peace in Colombia. At the same time we are concerned about the implications for the local civilian population of the establishment of these Demobilization Zones, and the risk of incursions by other armed groups into the territories where the FARC has traditionally had a presence. We believe there is an increased risk of confrontation in these areas between other non-state armed actors, such as post- or neoparamilitary groups and the ELN  guerrilla group.

Since July 20 last year, when the FARC-EP guerrilla declared a unilateral ceasefire, the members of the Inter-Ecclesiastical Dialogue for Peace (DiPaz) have conducted pastoral visits to verify compliance with the ceasefire. During these visits we have witnessed the vulnerability of the civilian population in the territories and as we have expressed in a previous statement[3], we are deeply concerned about the huge challenge that this vulnerability, as well as the continuity of paramilitary structures and the prolongation of the armed confrontation between the national government and the ELN, represent for the implementation of the Final Peace Agreement.

The civilian population that lives in the demobilization zones has also expressed uncertainty, fear and anxiety over the peace-process, in particular regarding the demobilization process.

This situation has already caused concern among churches and faith-based organizations internationally. The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has committed to “studying – in collaboration with the ACT Alliance and other ecumenical partner organisations – ways of supporting and promoting the effective participation of churches, religious organisations and civil society in the following stages of dialogue between the Colombian Government and the FARC-EP” [4].

At this historic moment, when we have the opportunity to put an end to one of the longest running armed conflicts in the world, churches and other DiPaz member organisations consider that it is of vital importance to provide accompaniment for the civilian population, through the implementation of protection measures, pedagogical actions for peace and reconciliation, and verification of the ceasefire and demobilization process.

To do this, we the members of DiPaz, and members of the ACT Alliance Colombia Forum are committed to establish Humanitarian Protection Houses in some of these zones, with permanent national and international presence and accompaniment to the communities, and to contribute to their protection, while also urging the government and local, regional and national authorities to implement the necessary measures to maintain safety and security in these territories. We appeal to the international community to act as an observer of this process with the goal of safeguarding the rights and protection of the civilian population.

END

Picture1

  1. Asociación Menonita para la Paz, Justicia y Acción Noviolenta (Justapaz)
  2. Comisión de Paz del Consejo Evangélico de Colombia – (CEDECOL).
  3. Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz
  4. Comunidades Construyendo Paz en los Territorios (CONPAZ)
  5. Concilio de las Asambleas de Dios de Colombia (AD)
  6. Confraternidad Carcelaria de Colombia
  7. Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias (CLAI)
  8. Corporación para el Desarrollo Social Comunitario (CORSOC)
  9. Corporación Universitaria Reformada (CUR)
  10. Fundación Menonita Colombiana para el Desarrollo (Mencoldes)
  11. Fundación Universitaria Bautista (FUB)
  12. Hermanas Franciscanas de Nuestra Señora de Lourdes, Colombia.
  13. Iglesia Evangélica Luterana de Colombia (IELCO)
  14. Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia (IPC)
  15. Movimiento Estudiantil Cristiano de Colombia (MEC)
  16. Visión Mundial Colombia

 

Actalliance_sRGB

                         Colombia Forum

  1. Lutheran World Federation (LWF)
  2. Lutheran World Relief (LWR)
  3. ICCO Cooperation
  4. Christian Aid
  5. Swiss Church Aid (HEKS EPER)
  6. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH)
  7. Church of Sweden
  8. Centro Regional Ecuménico de Asesoría y Servicio (CREAS)

___________

[1] http://www.altocomisionadoparalapaz.gov.co/procesos-y-conversaciones/documentos-y-comunicados-conjuntos/Paginas/Comunicado-Conjunto-No-75-22-junio-2016.aspx

[2] The “Transitory Normalization Zones” as these demobilization areas are called, have three objectives: facilitate the end of hostilities, guarantee disarmament and contribute to the transition of FARC-EP combatants to civilian life.

[3] https://dipazcolombia.wordpress.com/2016/06/23/dipaz-manifiesta-su-alegria-y-su-esperanza-por-lo-que-significa-el-historico-comunicado-conjunto-75/

[4] –http://www.oikoumene.org/es/resources/documents/central-committee/2016/statement-on-colombian-bilateral-ceasefire-agreement

 

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