On World Heritage Day, CIDSE’s US Member, the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, released the following statement, as a member of the Maasai International Solidarity Alliance*, in support of the human rights of the Maasai in northern Tanzania. PDF VERSION April 18, 2024 On this day, known as World Heritage Day, we give thanks to God, our Creator, for the diversity of cultural heritage in our global community. As missioners committed to living the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with compassion and justice for all, we recognize that all persons are made in God’s image. We recommit ..read more

The first meeting of the Board of the Loss and Damage Fund established at COP28 in Dubai will take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from 30 April to 2 May 2024. Ahead of this important event, CIDSE and Caritas Internationalis sent a letter to the members of the Board to congratulate them on their appointment and to outline what they believe should be the priorities of the Board. PDF VERSION Dear Loss and Damage Fund Board Members, Congratulations on your appointment to the Board of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF). We are grateful for your acceptance of this responsibility and your comm ..read more

On 24 April 2024, the European Parliament will vote in plenary on the proposal for the Plant Reproductive Material (PRM) marketing reform (2023/0227). This new regulation will shape the seed market and farmers’ seed systems for decades to come. On the occasion of the International Day of Peasant Struggles, we publish the following article by Patricia Verbauwhede and Bram Jacobs of Broederlijk Delen*, which outlines the issues at stake in this new legislation. “The European Parliament is currently discussing a bill for the production and trade of plant reproductive material within the European ..read more

CIDSE oral statement EN PDF On 12 April 2024, Ambassador Cristian Espinosa Cañizares, Chair-Rapporteur of the UN Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group (OEIWG) on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights and Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations in Geneva, convened a consultation on the proposed draft roadmap for the 10th session of the OEIGW (Geneva, 21-25 October 2024). Our network was represented by François Mercier from Fastenaktion, CIDSE’s Swiss member organisation. Below is the text of the oral statement he delivered ..read more

A story of how local communities in Portugal are fighting against exploitation of their lands by large corporations  Read the tales here Demonstration at Barroso Mountains region In this blog, we share with you ‘New tales from the Barroso Mountains’, set in the region of Barroso, in Northern Portugal. The tales are written by Mariana Riquito & João da Montanha to further disseminate the struggle and voices of the local community around the ongoing conflict(s) over prospective lithium mines in the region.  Worldwide, transnational corporations are engaged in large-scale mining in ..read more

PDF version CIDSE is an international family of Catholic social justice organisations. We work with global partners and allies to promote justice, harnessing the power of global solidarity to achieve transformational change for people and the planet. We challenge systemic injustice and its destructive impacts through connecting, mobilizing, influencing and telling stories of change. We promote environmentally and socially just alternatives to allow everyone to thrive in our common home. www.cidse.org. The CIDSE Secretariat, located in Brussels, is currently looking for an: EXTERNAL FUNDIN ..read more

“Stop Big Oil Influence & Protect Human Rights at Azerbaijan Climate Summit”, over 150 organizations demand. Read the Open Letter A large coalition of over 150 civil society organizations, including CIDSE, is calling out oil industry participation in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in a bid to rid the process of a serious conflict of interest that could threaten the success of COP29, the UN climate summit due to take place in Azerbaijan in November. The recent announcement that Azerbaijan will include state oil boss, Rovshan Najaf, in the organizing committee, continues a wor ..read more

An overview of concepts, approaches and practices, Misereor Discussion Paper, March 2024  Full Paper Authors: Shrishtee Bajpa, Susanne Friess, Ashish Kothari, Kai Kuhnhenn, Boniface Mabanza Bambu and Nina Treu  As the need for a socio-ecological transformation becomes more and more apparent, the question of viable alternatives to the capitalist economic system arises; alternatives that meet the needs and rights of billions of people and ensure justice and peace while also respecting the boundaries of our planet. Transformation must not be another project imposed by a powerful Global ..read more

Join the civil society call for the recognition of the Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment at the Council of Europe EN DE ES FR As the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss escalates, the importance of protecting the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment has been reflected by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021, by the UN General Assembly in 2022, and by over 160 countries worldwide. However, it has yet to be formally recognised by the Council of Europe (CoE), the continent’s strongest human rights protection an ..read more

Stories of hope and resistance from the CIDSE network Each year, International Women’s Rights Day (IWD) is a moment to give extra visibility and support to the daily struggles of women to fight for their rights, to call for bold action to address gender injustices worldwide, to spotlight the work of women, women’s rights movements and gender justice organisations that inspire us, and to reflect on the sacrifices and achievements made by women all around the world.  In this blog, we spotlight some of the many stories of hope and resistance that our members and their partners shared on IWD ..read more