communications, Author at Franciscans International

As the effects of climate change have become increasingly felt in recent years, there has already been a steep rise in the number of displaced people as a consequence. Extreme weather events such as floods and hurricanes are becoming more frequent. At the same time, we also see slow-onset hazards, like desertification and sea level rise. This has already led to water scarcity, loss of agriculture and livelihoods, and the destruction of people’s homes, pushing them to relocate either internally or outside of their country’s borders.

During his recent Interactive Dialogue with the UN Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteur on climate change Ian Fry presented his report on the human rights implications of climate-induced displacement. This is the first issue covered by the new mandate since its creation in May 2022, showing the urgency of this issue. In his report, Mr. Fry highlighted the lack of legal protection for persons displaced by climate change across international borders. For example, they are not defined as refugees under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. While they are often informally called climate refugees, there is actually no such definition under international law, which exacerbates the risk of human rights violations against this group.

Franciscans International and partners organized two side events on climate displacement as well as one on the regularization of migrants, inviting speakers from the Americas and Asia-Pacific to share their experiences and stories with UN human rights experts and diplomats. They called attention to the disproportionate impact of climate change events on vulnerable groups such as women, children, and Indigenous Peoples. Research indicates that climate-induced displacement is not a gender-neutral phenomenon, with women being 14 times more likely to get killed if they are displaced than men. They are also more vulnerable to sexual violence, trafficking, and the lack of access to reproductive health.

Brother René Flores OFM, a member of the Franciscans Network for Migrants in Panama, explained the many ways in which people are impacted by climate change events, especially in Central America’s Dry Corridor*. While years of drought have led to water scarcity and food insecurity, hurricanes have also become more severe. In 2020, Eta and Iota caused floods and destruction across Central America, affecting millions of people. These events, combined with extreme poverty and violence, have driven substantial cross-border migration.

While the loss of resources linked to human mobility is important, non-economic losses can also be devastating. Ms. Lemaima Vaai, a young Indigenous woman from the Methodist Church in Samoa, raised the issue of the emotional and spiritual pain of relocation. For communities in the Pacific, there is a deep attachment to the land that often brings “feelings of loss and disconnect” when having to move, as well as the risk of Indigenous knowledge being lost.

Rev. James Bhagwan, General Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, also warned that “Pacific leaders have already identified climate change as the single most important threat for regional security”. Indeed, it can become a driver of conflict over land and resources, especially with the sea-level rise threatening the very existence of some nations. As there would be no place to return to for these populations, this would trigger permanent displacements as well as profound questions about statehood and sovereignty.

This is the case of the Republic of Kiribati, a group of 33 Pacific Islands of around 100.000 inhabitants, and one of the small islands developing states that is the most at risk of being engulfed. FI raised this case using the Universal Periodic Reviews of the country in 2014 and 2020 to push the international community to both recognize and address this issue.

As the consequences of climate change are becoming more severe, it is necessary to address the current protection gaps and to have legal instruments and policies that reflect the ongoing situation. To achieve this, it is essential that decision-makers at the UN hear from those that are most directly impacted to understand the reality on the ground.

FI joins the Special Rapporteur’s call for urgent action, especially considering the consequences of climate-induced displacement will only get worse every day we do not act. Together with our partners and Franciscan brothers and sisters at the grassroots, we will keep advocating for a human rights-based approach around climate displacement that ensures the respect of each person’s dignity.

• • •

For more information about Franciscan work on human mobility, check out our publication: “Tearing Down the Walls” and our interventions at the United Nations.

* “The Dry Corridor includes parts of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. It is characterized by long periods of drought alternating with periods of heavy rainfall that seriously affect the livelihoods and food security of its 10 million residents.”

Below, you can find all the statements made on behalf of Franciscans International during the Council’s 53rd session. Our previous advocacy interventions are available here.

• • •

Item 6: Universal Periodic Review – Sri Lanka (10 July)

During the adoption of Sri Lanka’s Universal Periodic Review, we expressed our concern that recommendations on accountability, a policy to search for people disappeared during the civil war, and the need to have a comprehensive strategy on transitional justice and reconciliation were not supported by Sri Lanka. Building on the domestic efforts by the Sri Lankan Catholic church, we reiterated our call to conduct an independent call for an independent investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

• Full statement (English)

Item 6: Universal Periodic Review – Guatemala (7 July)

In a joint statement, we expressed our concern over the lack of political will by the government to accept key recommendations to improve the human rights situation in Guatemala. Given the critical situation in country, we called on the members of the Council to collectively urge Guatemala to guarantee judicial independence; to prevent and investigate attacks against journalists, activists, and justice operators; to guarantee the consultation and prior, free and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples; and to strengthen protection policies for women, people with disabilities, children and adolescents.

• Full statement (Spanish)

Item 6: Universal Periodic Review – Benin (7 July)

While welcoming the acceptance of several recommendations on children’s rights, we noted that in some parts of Benin, 40 percent of women still give birth without assistance of qualified medical professionals. Considering that proper care is also a key factor in the fight against ritual infanticide of children accused of witchcraft, we called on the government to pursue the construction of maternity units in at-risk areas, coupled with training and awareness raising of midwifes.

• Full statement (French and English)

Interactive Dialogue on the report of the Secretary-General on the adverse impact of climate change on the full realization of the right to food (4 July)

Climate change poses a serious threat to the full and effective realization of the right to food, disproportionately impacting those who have contributed the least to it. We welcomed the report of the Secretary-General and his findings on the link between deforestation and climate change. In the Solomon Islands, intensive logging is exhausting sea and forest resources, while bringing invasive species that destroy local agriculture. We urged the government of the Solomon Islands to reflect the report’s recommendations in their national policies, especially in the areas of forestry and sustainable land use.

• Full statement (English)

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on internally displaced persons (4 July)

During the Interactive Dialogue, we welcomed the inclusion of displacement resulting from climate change and generalized violence as key priorities for the mandate. Highlighting examples from Guatemala, Cameroon, and Indonesia, we raised several emblematic cases that were shared with us by our partners at the grassroots.

• Full statement (English and Spanish)

Annual panel discussion on the adverse impacts of climate change on the full realization of the right to food (3 July)

Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and greater frequency of both sudden and graduate disasters caused by climate change have damaged the productivity of agriculture, putting millions of people at risk of hunger and malnutrition. This disproportionately impacts countries and communities that are already vulnerable to food insecurity, like in Madagascar. FI delivered a statement on the situation in the country, where a prolonged drought, combined with three powerful hurricanes, jeopardized the local food system. We asked the panel what can be done to guarantee the right to food, especially in countries with limited financial capacity.

• Full statement (French and English)

Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change (28 June)

Human mobility is one of the most urgent issues related to climate change. During this Interactive Dialogue we raised the risk of human rights violations in the Americas due to the lack of adequate policies and international protection mechanisms in this context. Already, tropical storms, coastal erosion, sea level rise, flooding, erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, and desertification affect marginalized communities, leaving them no other options but to flee to safeguard their lives and personal integrity. We called on States to comply with their international obligations to guarantee the human rights of all people displaced by the effects of climate change.

• Full statement (English and Spanish)

Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants (26 June)

Although the legislation of many countries in the Americas establishes non-discrimination based on migration status, the reality is often different. Many migrants experience obstacles while attempting to access regularization processes, including high costs, push-backs, and expulsions. This happens in a context where human rights defenders and shelters working to support migrants are facing hostility, harassment, surveillance, defamation, and aggression. During the Human Rights Council, we urged all States to address both the processes for regularization of migrants and the causes that prevent migrants from accessing them.

• Full statement (English and Spanish)

_{Thumbnail: UN Photo / Violaine Martin}

As the Human Rights Council debates ended for the day in the nearby United Nations buildings, Franciscans and close partners from diverse backgrounds headed to Franciscans International’s office in the summer evening: it was indeed time to pause, unite and celebrate our joint presence and work.

The commitment of grassroots Franciscans and some of their closest allies is at the heart of the celebration. They come from Mexico, El Salvador, Panama, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia to bring up the concerns of migrants, displaced persons, and other people suffering human rights violations to the UN.

They were joined by FI’s staff, the directors of the OFM Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation Office who visited from Rome, and by Franciscan groups from Switzerland and France, in a spirit of fraternity. An evening to break bread, share stories, and be inspired.

Alejandra Conde, from the Franciscan La72 migrant shelter in Mexico, summarizes it all: “It has been an experience that made me feel part of a family. The reception, the familiarity and the sharing between Franciscan sisters and brothers have filled me spiritually and strengthened the work we do with the Franciscan Network for Migrants – because it reinforces the feeling that we are not alone”.

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The negative impacts of logging on human rights in Solomon Islands remain largely unaddressed, despite promises made by the government at the United Nations. In a new publication, based on focus-groups discussions with over 300 people, Franciscans International provides an overview of the most pressing issues and offers concrete steps forward.

The publication was developed in close collaboration with Dominicans for Justice and Peace, the Society of Saint Francis, the Dominican Network in the Solomon Islands, and the Community of the Sisters of the Church (Solomon Islands – Pacific Province).

Following reports collected by Franciscans and Dominicans in communities living near logging sites, we first raised our concerns ahead of the 2021 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Solomon Islands. At the end of this process, during which the human rights record of all UN Member States is examined on a rotating basis, the government made several commitments to improve the situation. In October 2022, we visited six of the affected communities on Guadalcanal Island to ascertain the reality on the ground.

“We found that logging continues to disrupt almost all aspects of life for people who traditionally have a close relationship with the environment and rely on it for water, food, and medicine,” says Budi Tjahjono, FI’s Asia-Pacific Coordinator. “Other issues caused with logging, including the introduction of invasive species, conflict within communities, and domestic trafficking of young women and girls, threaten to cause generational harm.”

“The impacts of logging on human rights in Solomon Islands” offers a comprehensive overview of our key findings and breaks these down in seven thematic issues. Looking at the recommendations accepted during Solomon Islands’ latest UPR, the report also provides immediate steps that can be taken to both mitigate the harm already caused by logging and prevent similar issues during future projects.

A Pijin translation of the report is expected to be ready in September to ensure that it is accessible at the grassroots level. Building on their deep roots in Solomon Islands, local Franciscans and Dominicans are also incorporating the findings in their pastoral work to help further strengthen community resilience.

“It is our hope that this publication will make a positive contribution by proactively offering the government avenues that reflect the reality on the ground to start implementing the commitment it has made,” says Mr. Tjahjono. “It is not too late to meet these challenges, but it is imperative that meaningful action is taken now.”

Download the full publication

In Brazil, the administration of Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022) has pushed for more mining, including on protected Indigenous lands. These regressive measures accelerated not only deforestation but also the loss of biodiversity, contamination of water sources by mercury, food insecurity, and health hazards for local populations. Since President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office at the beginning of the year, a new Brazilian government has committed to removing illegal miners from Indigenous lands and bringing health care assistance to affected populations, especially on Yanomami territory.

Meet Brother Rodrigo Péret OFM, who lives in the state of Minas Gerais, known as the “storehouse” of mineral riches in soil. FI discussed his work on the environmental and human rights violations stemming from illegal mining, and how the change of administration is an opportunity for better accountability of the extractive industry, most recently through the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism.

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Can you introduce yourself and explain your work, especially on mining issues?

My name is Rodrigo, I’m a Franciscan Brother who lives in the Brazilian city of Uberlândia, and I belong to the Franciscans Custody of the Sacred Heart. I was born in Minas Gerais state, where two big mining disasters (2015 and 2019) killed all together 291 people, destroyed two rivers’ basins, and affected thousands of people. Since then, no real reparation or justice has happened. I have also been working since the 1980s on land conflict and agrarian reform because many people depend on the land to survive, whether for housing or to produce food. I later started to approach issues around mining because, in Minas Gerais, the extraction of phosphate rocks, niobium, and rare earth elements is causing significant environmental impacts. It is worth noting that this area is at the Cerrado Biome, which covers 25% of Brazil, and is one of the world’s most important ecosystems.

What inspired you to start this work? And how does it connect to your calling as a Franciscan Brother?

My inspiration comes from Francis. When he embraced the lepers, it meant that he embraced all those who were excluded. When I moved to Minas Gerais state in the region of the Triângulo Mineiro, I was thinking about who are the ones that are excluded from our society – the ones that I have to dedicate my life to as a consecrated person. This is not something I just do for work, it is also a way of living. I studied civil engineering, which helped me better comprehend mining and environmental issues, and thus serve the people better. I understand my life from this perspective, a gospel that has a social and environmental dimension.

According to you, what are some of the main challenges we are facing today?

I think the main challenge is how to understand ourselves in a consumerist world. Nowadays, we talk about the energy transition to so-called “clean energy”. But if lithium and other elements – metal and minerals – are necessary to develop these technologies, it means increasing mining, which is going to put more pressure on territories, resulting in more conflicts and destruction. The second challenge is how to approach those who are suffering the most from climate change. Because it does not have the same impact everywhere and on everyone, this is something we need to address. The last challenge is how to build a new world from this, with more respect for this planet, Mother Earth, that feeds and governs us.

What would you say is your proudest achievement?

It is to understand that God is everywhere. Even in extreme poverty, people have their own dignity, and life is there. But when fundamental rights are being threatened, it is necessary to work with all the existing tools, which is why it is important to be in discussions at the UN and the local level. It is also to be able to use these instruments from a different perspective, having in mind that the construction of what we call the Kingdom of God is a process where we must involve different people. We need to come together to have one strong voice and to make it heard.

How have you been using the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism? And do you think the new government will have an impact on its use?

The UPR is an important process because it reveals the human rights obligations that the countries have. We wrote a report on the consequences of Bolsonaro’s term: it was a real disaster, especially in terms of the extractive economy, the lack of compliance with environmental laws, and the destruction of the Amazon. We came to the pre-sessions in August last year, and the countries made recommendations to Brazil in November. Now our goal is to translate these recommendations to civil society, and open avenues for negotiations to go towards more business accountability related to human rights. To do so, we need to work at both local and international levels, involving the whole Franciscan family in the process. It won’t be easy to recover from the last years, but I think the new government of Lula will bring a better implementation of these recommendations. Still, we are going to need international pressure to push for important changes in domestic policies.

In the last decade, Brazil has been listed as the deadliest country for land and environmental defenders. Have you ever felt that risk? And what do you think needs to be done in terms of protection?

Of course. Like many other people, I have faced regular threats related to my line of work and have even been arrested. I am now on a protection program. In Brazil, those who are most at risk are HRDs dealing with environmental issues. I think it is important to build a network in the territory of people protecting each other. But it is also necessary that the federal government better implements policies related to the protection of human rights and environmental defenders. Now with the change of government, we have more avenues to make this work.

For more information, check out our main article on Franciscans at the Forefront of Human Rights.

This year, World Environment Day focuses on the theme of plastic pollution and the need for accelerated action to combat it. As part of this effort, UN negotiations towards a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution have begun. Importantly, the resolution establishing negotiations called for provisions in the instrument which encourages “action by all stakeholders, including the private sector.”

In a statement released ahead of World Environment Day, the UN Special Rapporteurs on toxic wastes and on the environment highlight the scale of the problem: every year, the world is generating 400 million tons of plastic, the production of which almost exclusively relies on fossil fuels. They warn that “Plastic, microplastic and the hazardous substances they contain can be found in the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. While everyone is affected by the negative human rights impacts of plastic, the level of exposure to plastic-related pollution and waste affects marginalised communities the most.”

Franciscans International underscores the role of the private sector in plastic pollution, and indeed in the whole triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution that the world currently faces. We must confront the reality that while the operations and activities of corporations are a driver of this crisis, there has been little accountability. Instead, our partners on the ground continue to call attention to the adverse impacts that their communities face as a result of business activities, ranging from extractive industries to waste disposal.

“In today’s globalized world, both business activities and the pollution they cause know no borders. The negative human rights implications of this situation can only be addressed through a collective effort by the international community,” says Markus Heinze OFM, Executive Director of Franciscans International. “We cannot tolerate a situation where communities, particularly in the Global South, are first exploited for their resources, bear the brunt of climate change, and often turned into ‘sacrifice zones’ for waste and pollutants. Strong, legally binding UN mechanisms in this context are instrumental for a just and livable world.”

In this vein, Franciscans International continues to advocate for a UN legally binding instrument to regulate transnational corporations under international human rights law. While the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council resolutions recognizing the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment recall the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, it is clear that States must move beyond non-binding principles and commitments. Rather, States must fulfill their human rights obligations, prevent violations and environmental degradation by business entities, including extraterritorially by businesses “domiciled in their territory and/or jurisdiction,”¹ and ensure appropriate redress.

Moreover, as noted by the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, States violate their obligations when they “prioritize the interests of business entities over Covenant rights without adequate justification […].” Franciscans International calls attention to the presence of business entities (and interests) at the UN, including in forums related to the environment, as part of so-called “multi-stakeholderism.”² Businesses can only be “part of the solution,” as underscored by UN officials, when there is appropriate regulation and when they are held accountable for human rights abuses and environmental degradation caused by their activities.

On this World Environment Day, Franciscans International underscores the gravity of the triple planetary crisis and the urgency for ensuring that business bottom lines do not continue to be prioritized over people and planet.

—

CESCR, General Comment no. 24, Para.26
See for example: COP27: Sharp rise in fossil fuel industry delegates at climate summit, BBC, 10 November 2022; Corporate Capture of the United Nations, ESCR-Net, 11 February 2021.

The International Board of Directors (IBD) of Franciscans International met in Assisi, Italy from 11 to 14 May 2023. After significant deliberations, prayer and discernment, on 13 May the IBD appointed Blair Matheson TSSF, to be the new Executive Director of FI. He will replace Brother Markus Heinze OFM on 1 January 2024.

Blair is an Anglican Third Order Franciscan from New Zealand. He and Br. Markus will work together during the transition period from now until the end of the current calendar year. The Board recognizes the tremendous contributions by Br. Markus, who, over the past eleven years, guided FI through significant changes toward both organizational and financial stability.

The members of the IBD look forward to working with Blair and the dedicated staff of FI as we continue to stand up for human dignity, care for creation, and promote peace, defending human rights and raising these concerns at the United Nations and to the international community.

Photo from left to right: Markus Heinze OFM; Blair Matheson TSSF; Michael Perry OFM; Carlos Trovarelli OFMConv (liaison from the Conference of the Franciscan Family); Charity Nkandu SFMA; Carolyn Townes OFS; James Donegan OFMCap; José Eduardo Jazo TOR; and Joseph Blay OFMConv.

We are delighted to be launching our new website today! For the past year and a half, Franciscans International has been working to build a website with one simple goal in mind: making our work more accessible to you.

We warmly invite you to have a look around and hope that you’ll share our enthusiasm. Before you visit, we’d like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the new features that we are most excited about.

Franciscans and the United Nations

Franciscan values are at the core of our advocacy at the United Nations. The new website features more information about how we connect these two worlds and how it shapes the work we do. We have also added new sections with stories about the sisters and brothers that advocate at the UN and with resources that explore the roots and spiritual dimensions of our work at the United Nations.

Improved access to our resources

All our advocacy interventions, tools, and publications are now easily accessible in one section. The website is built with a new functionality that will allow you to search through and filter these resources based on their type, subject matter, date range, and the countries and regions covered. We added a similar functionality to help you navigate through our past annual reports and newsletters. Finally, an improved general search bar at the top of our website will also allow you to find what you look for more easily.

Get to know us in six languages!

We want to make sure that our work is accessible to everyone: that’s why our new website is available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. You can easily switch between the different languages by selecting your desired option at the top and the bottom of the screen. Although we’re doing our best to make our content available in all languages, if there is no translation available, the English version will still appear by default.

Understanding our work

Franciscans work on a wide variety of issues across the world – we realize sometimes this can get complicated. You can now find a simple overview of how we translate this work at the grassroots into concrete action at the United Nations. We’ve also added new sections where you can read up on our thematic and regional advocacy and see our latest activities in each area at a glance.

Supporting Franciscan voices at the UN has never been easier!

Last but not least, we can only amplify Franciscan voices at the United Nations thanks to the generous support of our donors. However, this should not be the complicated part. We’ve updated our donation platform to make things as easy as possible for anyone who wants to support our work. Through the new website you can make a contribution – big or small – with just a few clicks. Spread the word!

Tell us what you think!

We hope that you will enjoy this website and all its new feature. Together with the experts at Longbeard, we’ve done our very best to make the work of Franciscans at the UN as accessible as possible. We invite you to share your feedback with us, so we can continue to improve.

Franciscans International participated in the twenty-second session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in New York, focusing on “Indigenous Peoples, human health, planetary and territorial health and climate change: a rights-based approach.” During these two weeks, FI had the opportunity to meet with grassroots and other partners, including the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI) and the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network (REPAM), whose delegations included individuals from the Amazon in Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Many interventions by Indigenous groups focused on the so-called “energy transition” and raised concerns over the extensive mining of Indigenous lands and consequent impacts on the environment and human rights.

Building on its work at the UN in Geneva, FI called for support for the ongoing negotiations toward a legally binding instrument to regulate transnational corporations under international law. FI previously raised the negative impacts of business activities on Indigenous Peoples during a high-level side event at the 20^th session of the UNPFII.

FI also shared recommendations with some members of the UNPFII to include language on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment (R2HE) in the final report, following the recognition of this right by the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Brother Rodrigo Péret OFM also joined FI during meetings on the margins of the forum and made a presentation to the Mining Working Group on extractive issues and on how civil society organizations across the world can work together to counter these trends.

We welcomed the draft report of the UNPFII, which reiterated FI’s recommendations on the following issues:

On the R2HE: “The right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, the right to health and development and the rights of Indigenous Peoples must be seen as interconnected and must be strengthened in intergovernmental negotiations as essential elements of an integrated planetary health governance framework.”

On a legally binding instrument: “The Permanent Forum welcomes the ongoing international efforts to develop legally binding instruments that ensure accountability and due diligence by transnational companies. The reflection of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in such instruments is essential.”

FI will keep monitoring developments on related issues as well as the implementation of key recommendations. We will also continue to advocate for better protection of Indigenous Peoples against human rights abuses caused by business activities. To learn more about FI’s commitment to elevating the voices of Indigenous Peoples, especially in the context of extractive industries, have a look at our article on ‘working toward business accountability at the United Nations’.

The Philippines has experienced severe human rights violations in the past decades, especially linked to the “war on drugs” by former President Duterte (2016-2022). His term was defined by threats, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and harassment of human rights defenders.

Meet Sister Susan Esmile SFIC, who belongs to the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception.^* In 2008, she was assigned as the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Coordinator of the Philippine North Province. Since then, she has worked to protect people at risk, feed the poor, strengthen communities, and support the victims of injustice.

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What are the main human rights issues in the Philippines and how do these relate to your work?

Violations of the right to life, right to food, clean water, and shelter, as well as corruption, are the main human rights issues in the Philippines. People living in poverty are the most vulnerable, and when they are not able to study or lack better opportunities, they sometimes can fall into the trap of selling drugs. During Duterte’s “war on drugs”, thousands of people disappeared or were found dead. Under Operation “Tokhang”, the police were allowed to raid suspects’ homes without a warrant.

They were supposed to persuade them to surrender and stop their illegal activities. In reality, most of them were unlawfully killed, often in their own homes. We visited the wake of the victims and tried to console the bereaved families with our presence. We gave a little financial help to the poorest, especially when those killed were the families’ breadwinners. We tried to organize and gather the families of the victims living in the same area and referred them to other institutions that can help them address their traumas.

What inspired you to start work on human rights issues, and how does it connect to your calling as a Franciscan Sister?

For me, our commitment to God means embracing the cause or the mission of Christ. This means the protection of life, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, freeing the captives, etcetera. It is a tall order for me if I want to be Christ’s disciple. Believing that Saint Francis of Assisi has followed Jesus and the Gospel almost verbatim, I feel that this is also my calling – to be faithful in following his example of total dedication to the cause of Christ.

Can you give examples of people you helped protect?

Many people were being hunted or run after by the military because of their political orientation or because they witnessed extrajudicial killings. In 2007, a corruption scandal involving then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was exposed by Mister Rodolfo Jun Lozada. He received many death threats from the people involved in that scandal, so I was usually the one to accompany him to the hearings.

We also took care of the family of a young girl who witnessed the killing of Kian de Los Santos, one of the numerous victims of the “Tokhang”. For more than a year, we accompanied the witness at court hearings to ensure her safety and give her moral support. Of course, there was always the risk of being caught by the police, the military, or vigilantes while transporting the person from one place to another, especially if it was someone high-profile.

What is your proudest achievement?

I invited victims of human trafficking and families of the victims of Duterte´s war on drugs, and I asked them to share their experiences with the sisters as a way of helping them release their pains and sufferings and to find support from them. As for the sisters, it made them more aware of what is happening in our society so that their prayers for the victims of injustice are more concrete after meeting personally and hearing first-hand experiences of the victims. During the pandemic, we also asked for donations and worked with some groups and individuals in providing help: goods like rice, canned goods, and vegetables, through community pantries to the poor, especially those who have lost their jobs.

According to you, what is the difference between charity and human rights work? And do you think they complement each other?

Charity and human rights are similar in many obvious ways. They are both acts of compassion and recognition of the dignity of the individual person. But charity is more about giving material goods to the poor whereas human rights work is addressing the roots of their suffering. There is no obligation to charity. Human rights work is something more – it is a necessary commitment.

* The SFIC is a member of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP) now called the Conference of Major Superiors in the Phils (CMSP). One of the mission partners of this institution is the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPICC) whose members are the JPIC representatives from the different member congregations.

For more information, check out our main article on Franciscans at the Forefront of Human Rights.