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In response to the call of GC35 to involve in the world in a new way, the way of networking and advocacy , the Global Ignatian Advocacy Network (GIAN) has chosen the themes of Ecology, Education, Governance of Natural and Mineral Resource, Migration and Peace and Human Rights. We affirm with the Congregation the hope that the Society of Jesus can become truly universal, when it connects its apostolates and provinces and the men working within them, in open dialogue with all men and women of good will and utilizes the synergies created between those working in the field, those engaged in research and those involved in advocating with and for the poor. (GIAN Plan of Action, 2010)
The thematic group on Peace and Human Rights spent substantial time in looking at the complexity of the issues involved in Peace and Human Rights. It was recognized that it is challenging and difficult to arrive at a single issue that all can work on given the diverse activities that members are pursuing on Human Rights and peace.
It was acknowledged that some progress can be made by exploring how the network can engage on Human rights issues at a transnational level; adding value to what is being done at a local level and as well as enabling individual institutions achieve what cannot be done alone.
We asked ourselves, what can we do together? Can we do something in Brussels together? What should be our focus? A focus we can develop using the international presence we already have. What can be this type of work and how far is it necessary to strengthen the international space?
In our discussions we felt that we should
• Focus on one point and plan concerted activities. For instance the right of the people to live in their homes and not forcibly be evicted.
• Be aware of our role in the world today committed to a transnational vision
• Individual good versus common good
After elaborate discussions, in a tentative conclusion the group has proposed that
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF CONFLICTS AND VIOLENCE and
Peace Initiatives with special emphasis on RECONCILIATION will remain our primary focus.
We will address several types of conflict (political, ideological, intercommunal, ethnic, religious, over econmic resources, etc.) and we will deal with several kinds of rights violations that are caused by conflict (including the most grave violations of genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes as well as other rights violations that are serious but less grave, such as forced migration, loss of political self-determination, economic deprivation, etc.
In addressing this general focus, we will attend to the following dimensions:
Response – Prevention – Restoration.
In situations of conflicts and violence, how do people now respond, what preventive measures are taken and should be taken, and what restoration measures that lead to reconciliation are in place, what should be added? These concerns will guide our mapping exercise and eventually guide our search for concrete advocacy measures as part of the GIAN.
The Jesuit Conference of Asia-Pacific has carried out a mapping of the entire Social Apostolate. We don’t know of any other mappings that include Peace and Human Rights centres.
This is a proposal that we will discuss in Loyola, feel free to play around with it! Versión castellana abajo.
Ignatian Advocacy 
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