Peace on the agenda

Manuela Silva, chairman of the national Commission for Justice and Peace (CNJP), has indicated what ought to be the priorities for the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union (from 1 July 2007). They range from poverty to migration: “The role that civil society can and must play in the promotion of sustainable global development and the defence of a model of co-existence that may ensure social cohesion and peace between all peoples is being increasingly recognized. The global market, though it presents the positive aspect of economic growth, is nonetheless a market blind to the common good and unable to ensure a just distribution of its costs and benefits, both on the world scale and within the individual nations. For this reason, the concentration of businesses caused by globalization and the consequent hegemony of economic and financial power is a matter of concern to civil society and induces it to make its voice heard”. It is with this intention that the CNJP proposes to submit its own concerns to the consideration of the Portuguese Presidency of the EU. A statement of these concerns, comprising some of the issues on which the CNJP has been reflecting for some time, is presented below. POVERTY . It is the responsibility of the EU, as an economic and political area of great importance at the world level, to contribute to the recognition that poverty constitutes a violation of human rights. As such, it deserves, both on the part of the public policies of EU states and institutions, and on the part of other social players (businesses, NGOs, social partners, churches), redoubled attention aimed, in particular, at overcoming the economic, political and social factors that produce it.MIGRATIONS. Migrations, as mass phenomena, reflect the dramatic situation of many millions of people who fail to find in their places of origin even the minimum satisfactory conditions of life and, in some cases, not even the means to ensure their survival. This shameful situation, which regards the African populations in particular, demands on the part of the international community, and of EU in particular, a serious commitment to the realization of the Millennium Goals in terms of cooperation in the development of these countries and the courageous overcoming of the structural factors that impede their growth. At the present time, migration is an unstoppable phenomenon in the member countries of the EU in general. Recognizing the positive contribution of these migrants is a duty of elementary justice […]. The conditions in which migration takes place, the situations of exploitation in which many migrants are forced to work and live, and the inadequate policies of asylum and integration in the host countries deserve, in our view, greater concern and further commitment by the national governments and institutions of the EU. In particular, the situation of migrants who are considered irregular, because they are not in possession of the necessary documents, is a matter of concern to us. LABOUR RELATIONS. We recognize the need for a proper reform of labour law that should take into due consideration the indispensable need to adjust to the global market, but we consider it unacceptable that the innovation to be introduced into the law and regulation of labour relations should take the form of a mere loss of juridical status, and of the rights and guarantees of workers, especially in relation to security of employment. Both in Portugal and in the EU as a whole it is important to promote decent conditions of work, in the sense conferred on them by the International Labour Organization (ILO). In this regard, we should especially point out the conditions in which some processes of the relocation of productive activities are taking place at the present time.THE “EUROPEAN SOCIAL MODEL”. The “European social model” needs to be fostered, and not dismantled or reduced. If this happens, social cohesion is prejudiced and the disparities between the citizens of the European Union grow.SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF BUSINESSES. In the present context, we consider it vital to find supporting mechanisms and institutions that may reinforce the social responsibility of businesses. The rights and duties of citizenship need to be attributed to businesses, particularly as regards the promotion of sustainable development from the point of view of environment protection and social cohesion. It would be desirable if Christian communities were to show greater attention to these problems and use their means of influence to urge the Portuguese Presidency to better serve justice and peace.