A plea for justice and peace: 50 years of global citizenship

50 years: it's an opportunity to take a step back and share the keys to successful sustainability, but also to question the challenges that every organization must face over time!

This year, the Justice and Peace Commission celebrated its fiftieth candle, with as much determination as ever. This jubilee is an opportunity to look back on the journey and perspectives of this civic and international organization. How can a mobilization of this kind be sustained over time? What are the keys to its sustainability? And, in the face of current political challenges, how can we remain creative while learning from the lessons of the past? The exercise, far from being navel-gazing or lesson-giving, offers a historical perspective and allows the sharing of experiences of a citizen organization anchored in the Belgian associative space. A historically international network One of the key aspects of the sustainability of the organization is obviously the institutionalization in which it has been able to be part of over time. Emanating from the Catholic Church, it was in 1967 that Pope Paul VI established the Pontifical Commission Justitia and Pax on the occasion of the Second Vatican Council, in order to promote the development of poor regions and social justice between nations. “ No Peace without Justice, no Justice without Peace » ; this was the slogan that launched the movement of Justice and Peace Commissions throughout the world, some local (diocesan), others national. Even today, we can find Justice and Peace Commissions in many countries around the world, as much in Europe as in Central Africa, in Asia... Although they maintain few institutional links between themselves and remain independent ^[1]Some are part of a logic of regional consultation, such as the 31 European Commissions which are organized via a joint alliance “Justicia and Pax Europa ". , however, they share the same values and objectives. The Commissions consult and organize themselves from time to time on common work themes in order to benefit from an international impact. At the national level, Belgium was one of the first countries to adopt the approach and create its own Commission; with the particularity that it was chaired by a lay person. Justice et Paix was thus able to gradually formalize its structure in the form of a non-profit organization (1978), before being recognized as a continuing education association by the French Community (1982) and by Belgian development cooperation, as a non-governmental organization ( NGO) of development education (1997). It still combines these three “hats”, always in the spirit of the social teaching of the Church. In 1974, the Belgian political context led the Belgian National Justice and Peace Commission to be split into two distinct entities: one Dutch-speaking, the other French-speaking. A separation which will lead the two organizations to pursue different routes. The Flemish entity (the Netwerk Rechtvaardigheid en Vrede) will gradually transform into an NGO umbrella, bringing together different Christian-inspired associations such as Caritas Vlanderen, Broederlijk Delen, Pax Christi, Orbit… On the French-speaking side, the institutional orientation was different: the Justice and Peace Commission preferred to maintain its own actions and themes, without neglecting synergies with its French-speaking and Dutch-speaking peers (Caritas International, Mutual Aid and Fraternity…). Today, it is not uncommon to see the members of this network join forces to offer conferences, implement advocacy strategies... in short, to take advantage of their complementarity. Thematic updates: between consistency and flexibility The sustainability of an organization cannot be guaranteed without recurring questions, including on the themes supported by the organization. As such, the Justice and Peace Commission has been able to address numerous concerns, diverse and varied, over time. From the campaign against apartheid in South Africa (and the boycott of Belgian banks) to that on conflict minerals, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the thematic evolution of Justice and Peace has always reflected contemporary issues. international. This versatility is valuable, because it allows us to tackle current socio-political contexts, without getting stuck on obsolete battles. However, such thematic adaptation cannot be done to the detriment of the coherence of a citizen organization. Societal issues are evolving more and more quickly, it would be futile to try to become ever more flexible. This could blur the readability of the organization and could disperse the active forces that constitute it. It is a delicate balance that must be found to make the most of experiences and expertise, while remaining both responsive and versatile. But what underlies all the fights of Justice and Peace is the search for a more just and peaceful world. The NGO was able to strengthen its message, with this permanent concern for the most vulnerable populations, here or elsewhere, aware that the social issue has – for a long time – become global ^[2]JM False, What do you think of…? The social teaching of the Church, fidelity, 2018. P.27.. An ultimate mission, structured around a solid logic After having developed thematic niches, it is necessary to develop strategies and methods to achieve our results, while taking into account the context in which we operate. As such, the “ Theory of Change » can be a useful tool. Developed in the 1990s, this methodology aims to promote long-term social change. It seeks to identify the missions of social organizations, as well as the causal links that exist between direct actions carried out on the ground and results (direct or indirect), in the form of “ path of change » . A real intellectual exercise to identify our long-term impacts and our levers of action on the social change that we wish to see. Continuing this methodology, Justice et Paix has focused its mission in Belgium around different actions (analyses, awareness-raising, training, political advocacy) aimed at complementary audiences (citizens, teachers, journalists, political leaders). The NGO is betting on a change in mentalities and behaviors, and thus seeks to lead to the emergence of positive citizen initiatives, both collective and individual. We remain convinced of the existence of a strong interconnection between the “North” and the “South”, through our consumption, our international policy, our historical past, our presence within the European Union… We believe that the actions implemented here can have a concrete impact on the problems of the countries of the South, for which we bear part of the responsibility. Our work towards social change is organized today around the three axes of democracy, peace and natural resources. At the center of this strategy therefore lies the “South”. The “South”, for Justice and Peace, is essentially Central Africa and Latin America. Two regions in which the NGO has been able to develop certain expertise and where it benefits from a solid network of partners. Thus, in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and even in Peru, Justice and Peace can count on civil society organizations with expertise in the aforementioned themes. It is the populations of the South who suffer the most from inequalities and injustices, from the economic, social, environmental and political violence of our model of society/development, so it seems normal that the floor should be given to them, and that our partners should be able to speak out. express here in Belgium. Citizens, at the heart of an organization An organization that claims to be a citizen must obviously prove itself and demonstrate its roots in Belgian society. The Justice and Peace Commission was founded by committed citizens, and it still exists today through and thanks to its volunteers, of all ages and all backgrounds. They engage with the themes of social justice, democracy and international issues, and also nourish them. Veronica and Jean are two very active members within the organization, they tell us about their journey and their motivations: Jean “ I was born in 1938, where availability and commitment to serving others were the very meaning of existence. Militancy, volunteering, volunteering and the desire for professional work well done were synonyms for the regional YOC presidents that my parents had been. I was imbued with it, and J&P is one of the links in a chain of materializing this state of mind. (…) It was professionally that I discovered Justice and Peace in 1993, sent as a member of the AG by the World Confederation of Labor, a union of which I was confederal secretary. Co-opted after my retirement, I became president, and remained so for 8 years. I am still a member of the AG and of two commissions, available elsewhere, as much as possible, to respond to occasional calls from the authorities or the permanent team of this ecclesial institution! “Veronica” Arriving in Belgium in September 2015 to start a Master in International Relations, I quickly realized that I had a lot of time available between one course and another. I wanted to have a volunteer experience (…) and why not start in the world of NGOs? I had always had a strong interest in issues related to human rights, conflicts and developing countries... Justice and Peace allowed me to deepen all of this and even more to lead me towards a path of professional growth. as personal (…) When I started my volunteer work, I did not expect to get so much out of this commitment! I learned the value of group work, expressing my ideas among an audience of experts and not selling myself short when a new experience presents itself » Relying on members and volunteers guarantees real open-mindedness on the issues that affect citizens. Their role is therefore essential for an association which aims to be linked to citizen considerations. Through three regional commissions and around ten thematic groups (Central Africa, Latin America, etc.), volunteer groups enrich exchanges and are at the heart of the action. A short guide to creating an NGO As we have seen, it is far from easy to place a citizen movement in time and in History. Far from being fixed, socio-political contexts evolve rapidly and require a serious capacity for adaptation (without even mentioning budgetary contexts not conducive to development cooperation). However, certain organizations, such as Justice and Peace, benefit from a historical foundation, which has led it to become formalized over time and take root in the landscape of Belgian civil society. However, diligent strategic monitoring of the Belgian and international socio-political context will enable any organization to avoid getting stuck in time. Between continual renewal and identity coherence, it is necessary to adjust the cursor to respond to the new challenges of our time, to the new issues in terms of human rights, the violations of which remain – for their part – always present… If the road to change is still a long way off, we are convinced that we are heading in the right direction. Timur Uluç.

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