JUSTICE, PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

Overview

The Justice, Peace and Human Rights Commission (JPHRC) is a wing of the Diocesan Development Office (Caritas).  The Commission works within the parishes in the diocese through established Justice and Peace committees. They undertake assessment of social issues affecting their communities, monitor Justice and Peace programmes, and carry out mediation and referrals. 

Vision

To ensure a better life for all Sierra Leoneans: a just and a peaceful society where people are empowered to live in dignity and in harmony with each other and their environment.

Mission

Moved by the social teachings of the church, JPHRC is committed to a just and peaceful society that strengthens and upholds the dignity of all people. It will be sensitive and responsive to the needs of the people through empowerment, democracy and network.

jphrc

MOTTO

Justice, Peace and Equal Rights

The Overall Goal

To address the fundamental needs of the society by ensuring fairness, forgiveness, reconciliation and a peaceful co-existence that is characterised by the fundamental freedom and human rights of the voiceless and the marginalized within the society.

Thematic Areas

The Commission is involved in development and capacity building with an overall focus which aims at the following components:

  • Access to Justice for the Poor
  • Peace Building
  • Good Governance
  • Human Rights and Freedom
  • Women and Child Empowerment
  • Environmental issues
  • Research and Publication. 

Strategy

We strive to provide services to venerable groups and situations improve access to justice and ensure good governance thereby creating peaceful co-existence among people in their communities using the following strategies:

  • Seminars/workshops
  • Community outreach programmes
  • Conflict resolution
  • Providing pro bono legal services
  • Civic education

Projects implemented

  • Raising awareness against violence in elections (ENCISS)
  • Completed and confirmed application for AGEH personnel who will join the team in April
  • Letter of interest for partnership to Access to Social Justice Sector of UNDP
  • Coordinated the celebration of the International Day of Peace in the southern province in partnership with AGEH.
  • Worked with Self Reliance Scheme in implementing their Emergency Ebola Response Projects in parishes within the diocese of Bo
  • Part of the Psychosocial Pillar of the Bo District Ebola Response Centre

Current implementations

  • Emergency Ebola Response for Affected Communities (Missio Aachen)
  • Psychosocial Support Training for Teachers and Parishioners in five parishes in the four districts (Kindermissionwerk)

Pending

  • Concept paper to Missio Austria on Psychosocial Response to Ebola Affected Communities.
  • Concept paper to Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) on Facilitating Access to Legal Justice and Peace Education
  • Proposal to Manos Unidas on Women’s Empowerment

Challenges

  • There is need for training and recruitment of more staff for a more structured and organizational outlook.
  • To have target communities focus on the impact of the project rather than financial gains.
  • The prejudice of ‘talk shop’ which is rife in Sierra Leone.

Risks

  • Implementing among violence prone beneficiaries who receive inputs and disappear.
  • Unhealthy economic environment
  • Recurrence of conflict due to human rights abuse
  • Unpredictability of project plan and implementation in the light of the exigencies of the target communities

Conclusion
JPHRC is striving to live to its vision, mission and objectives according to the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church and other relevant national and international instruments promoting human rights and freedoms.