From Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25, Catholic Relief
Services (CRS) will host a conference entitled "For Whom There is No Room - a Catholic Consultation on Protection" in Baltimore. Leading policy advisors, academics and advocacy specialists from the
United States and around the world will come together to discuss how to ensure the safety and dignity of vulnerable populations overseas in times of war and natural or man-made disasters. Protection-the effort by international humanitarian organizations such as CRS to guarantee the well-being and human dignity of people caught up in conflict or disasters, is carried out in
accordance with international law (refugee, humanitarian and human rights law). It is provided without regard to race, national or ethnic origin, language or gender. People seeking refuge-whether they
meet the traditional definition of "refugee" or are fleeing their homes because of natural disasters-are examples of those in need of protection. So are women, children, elderly and disabled people
who've been forced out of their homes due to lack of food-or those who have been traumatized by the effects of war. The conference will examine how to protect these populations within
the larger context of ensuring the human dignity and development of the whole person-two of the key tenets in Catholic Social Teaching and two guiding principles at CRS. "These groups
are extremely vulnerable," says Daisy Francis, conference organizer and advisor on protection issues at CRS. "In this three-day gathering, we'll review and debate some of the global trends-such as
armed conflict, disasters, scarcity of food and the increasing flow of refugees to urban areas-and how these trends impact the safety of displaced people. We'll also talk about the theory of
protecting people vs. the reality on the ground, and look at future challenges in the field."Organizers and participants hope to engage the global Catholic community involved in this
issue, to identify the unique Catholic voice as it relates to protection, and to articulate clear public policy recommendations aimed at the United States government, the United Nations, and the wider
community of donors interested in this issue.Cutting-edge topics in protection of vulnerable people will be coupled with new technology mediums to enhance the conversation. Conference
planners are piloting the use of a 'live' discussion/blog site during this consultation (moderated by CRS staff). You are welcome to track the debate at http://symposia.crsprogramquality.org/consultation-protection/. ###Catholic Relief Services is
the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community. The agency provides assistance to people in more than 100 countries and territories based on need, regardless of race,
nationality or creed. For more information, please visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
