Proclaim Hope. Make place for empowerment of women and girls – caritas.org

Report on Caritas Internationalis’s Commitment to Gender Equality and the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Introduction: Aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 5

Caritas Internationalis has issued a formal statement addressing the global crisis of violence against women and girls, a persistent issue with slow progress over the last two decades. This commitment directly aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5: Gender Equality. The organization’s strategy is centered on fostering equality, encounter, reconciliation, and renewal as the primary pathway to achieving the genuine empowerment of women, a cornerstone of SDG 5.

A Multi-faceted Approach to Achieving Gender Equality and Justice

Foundational Principles and SDG Alignment

The organization’s mission is rooted in principles that are foundational to several SDGs. These principles include:

• Human Dignity and Rights: Affirming the equal dignity of women and men as a core tenet, which supports SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
• Addressing Disproportionate Suffering: Recognizing that women are disproportionately affected by war, trafficking, poverty, and systemic violence. This highlights the intersectionality of the SDGs, linking the need for gender equality (SDG 5) with efforts towards SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
• Ending Violence: Identifying the epidemic of violence against women and girls, which affects one in three women, as a global human rights emergency that directly contravenes Target 5.2 of the SDGs (Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls).

Strategy for Transformational Action

Caritas Internationalis outlines a strategic framework for transformational action based on three pillars:

1. Encounter: Actively engaging with women to understand their experiences and challenges.
2. Listen: Committing to hearing women’s perspectives and learning from their lived realities.
3. Learn: Utilizing these insights to inform and guide collaborative action between men and women to build a culture of justice and peace, thereby contributing to inclusive societies as envisioned in SDG 16.

Commitment to Renewal and Institutional Strengthening

A Call for Global Partnership (SDG 17)

Echoing the Holy See’s zero-tolerance stance on violence against women, Caritas Internationalis calls for a broad-based coalition to foster renewal. This appeal is directed at member organizations, civil society, governments, and all people of goodwill, reflecting the spirit of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. The objective is to work in a hopeful, synodal spirit to establish a world where every woman and girl can live free from violence, fulfilling a key promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Internal Policy and Leadership for SDG 5.5

The organization is committed to modeling the change it advocates for externally. This involves concrete internal actions aimed at achieving Target 5.5 (Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership). Key commitments include:

• Strengthening internal policies and practices to ensure fairness, equity, and safety in tangible actions.
• Championing the greater inclusion of women in leadership roles at all levels, as articulated by Vice President Mena Antonio.
• Embedding the values of encounter, listening, and renewal into the leadership culture, from local to global levels, as confirmed by Secretary General Alistair Dutton.

Conclusion: Local Implementation for Global Impact

Caritas Internationalis aims to implement its strategy through community-level programs in over 200 countries and territories. This localized approach ensures that interventions are tailored to the specific needs of the communities served, with a particular focus on areas disproportionately affected by conflict, climate change, and extreme poverty. By bringing the voices of women and girls from these remote and vulnerable areas to the global stage, the organization works to ensure that progress on the Sustainable Development Goals is inclusive and leaves no one behind. The ultimate goal is to create a world where women and girls are safe, valued, empowered, and equally represented, fully realizing the vision of SDG 5.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This is the primary SDG addressed. The article’s central theme is the elimination of violence against women and girls, advocating for their equal dignity, rights, safety, and empowerment. It explicitly calls for an end to systemic violence and discrimination, and promotes women’s leadership and representation, which are core components of SDG 5.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article frames violence against women as a “global human rights emergency” and a “grave injustice.” By calling for a “zero-tolerance stance” and working to “dismantle structures of violence” and “build a culture of justice and peace,” the article directly connects to the goals of reducing violence and promoting just and inclusive societies as outlined in SDG 16.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.

  The article addresses this target by highlighting the systemic nature of the problem, noting that “the organisation of societies worldwide is still far from reflecting clearly that women possess the same dignity and identical rights as men.” Caritas’s commitment to strengthening its internal policies for “fairness, equity and safety” is a direct action towards ending discrimination within its own structures.

• Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.

  This is the most explicitly identified target. The article is framed around the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls” and repeatedly calls for an end to the “epidemic of violence against women and girls.” It mentions that women “continue to suffer disproportionately in war, in trafficking, in poverty, and through systemic violence,” directly aligning with the scope of this target.

• Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

  The article emphasizes the importance of women’s leadership. It quotes the Vice President of Caritas Internationalis committing to “champion the greater inclusion of women in leadership” and states the organization’s commitment to “ensuring women’s voices, leadership and representation at every level of our organisation.” This reflects a direct effort to achieve equal opportunities in leadership roles.

• Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

  The article’s call to end the “global crisis” and “epidemic of violence against women and girls” is a specific application of this broader target. By focusing on a particularly vulnerable group, the article contributes to the overall goal of reducing all forms of violence in society.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Implied Indicator for Target 5.2 (Prevalence of violence):

  The article explicitly mentions a key statistic used to measure this target: “the epidemic of violence against women and girls, affecting one in three women according to UN.” This figure is a direct reference to the type of data collected for indicators like 5.2.1 (Proportion of ever-partnered women subjected to violence) and 5.2.2 (Proportion of women subjected to sexual violence by persons other than an intimate partner).

• Implied Indicator for Target 5.5 (Women in leadership):

  The article implies a metric for measuring women’s leadership within its own organization. Statements such as being “committed to ensuring women’s voices, leadership and representation at every level of our organisation” and championing “the greater inclusion of women in leadership” suggest that progress can be measured by tracking the proportion of women in decision-making and leadership positions within the Caritas confederation. This aligns with the principle of indicator 5.5.2 (Proportion of women in managerial positions).

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: caritas.org