International leadership

International Jesuit Prison Network

We lead the International Jesuit Prison Network, which connects Jesuit prison ministries throughout the world. We established the network in 2013 to support Jesuit organisations and individuals who work in prisons, and with former prisoners transitioning back into the community, in order to create communities of solidarity.

The network provides a platform to:

• share experiences and information about local situations
• share ideas about models of practice and interventions
• identify current issues and common concerns where we could work together to address injustice – such as the death penalty, overcrowding and protecting young people in prison

Prisoners and ex-prisoners are among the most vulnerable and marginalised people in every country. We believe there is benefit in sharing experiences and ideas and mounting advocacy campaigns in partnership across the Jesuit network.

Learn more about the International Jesuit Prison Network at their official Facebook.

Justice in Mining Network

The Justice in Mining Network aims to ensure that issues of equity and sustainability are addressed in the governance of resources. The network is led by our CEO, Julie Edwards.

Justice in Mining is one of four global Ignatian advocacy networks. It supports and advocates on behalf of local communities affected by mining activities, and lobbies on human rights issues where appropriate.

The Network’s focus is on the extractive industries – operations like mining, and oil and gas extraction, which remove metals and minerals from the earth.

The Network supports several advocacy projects, including:

• Environmental Justice for Central America – builds local capacity to undertake environmental health monitoring, community education, and effective advocacy in the Caribbean, especially Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.
• The Conflict Minerals Project – raises awareness of conflict minerals, provides research and education on country-specific issues, campaigns for legislation change, to make sure companies practice due diligence in sourcing raw materials for manufacturing, and seeks to understand whether supply processes help channel funds towards violent conflicts.
• The EITI Project – progresses adoption of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative by countries where mining occurs, by monitoring country participation, supporting and resourcing the efforts of local advocates, and exploring opportunities for participation in key political and international forums.

The Network is also mapping mining activity in communities where Jesuits and Jesuit organisations work. This understanding of local impacts will inform the Network’s future advocacy work.

Learn more about the Justice in Mining Network on their official website and Facebook. You can also read an overview (published in Renew Economy) of steps being taken by the Vatican to protect our planet.