NKV and Justice & Peace: Programmes
Dr. Berma Klein Goldewijk represents the Network of Catholic Women (NKV) in the Episcopal Advisory Commission Justice & Peace (J&P), which is dedicated to human rights, social justice, and empowering change-makers. Upon nomination by the NKV, the Bishops’ Conference of the Netherlands appointed her to the Commission J&P as of November 2023.
Justice & Peace is committed to creating a lasting impact on human rights and social justice by working with change-makers internationally and within the Netherlands. To accomplish this goal, J&P has organized its work into two main programs: Human Rights Defenders & Security and Migration & Human Rights.
Human Rights Defenders & Security
In a world where human rights defenders often face adversity at the cost of their safety and well-being, J&P stands by them. This program focuses on their empowerment, protection, and security. By creating safe havens where human rights defenders can re-energize, re-strategize, rebuild their capacities, and rest, J&P ensures they can continue their work more safely and effectively over the longer term. This program comprises four initiatives: Shelter City, Artists’ Safe Haven, Journalists’ Safe Haven, and Activist Lab.
Migration & Human Rights
J&P wants to see a world where all refugees have safe access to a welcoming place. This program aims to foster local solidarity with refugees and realize a more humane policy for the reception and resettlement of refugees in the Netherlands. By forming groups for a year, refugees and local communities are empowered to cultivate stable social connections, bridge gaps, and overcome barriers. Currently, it consists of the Samen Hier (Together Here) initiative.
Shelter City
Justice & Peace believes that the most effective way to promote universal human rights globally is through supporting and protecting grassroots human rights defenders.
Shelter City is a global movement of cities, organizations and people who stand side by side with human rights defenders at risk. Together with partners in 20 Dutch and international cities, J&P offers them a safe and inspiring space to receive tailor-made support and engage with allies to reinforce their local actions for change.
In each city, partner networks conduct the implementation. Justice & Peace coordinates the international network of Shelter City and puts out a call twice a year to which human rights defenders can apply. J&P makes a selection with its Advisory Committee, realizes the practical arrangements to get them here, matches them to a city, and organizes training weeks during their stay. In The Hague, J&P implements Shelter City for regular Shelter City guests and the journalists staying through the Safe Haven project (similar to Shelter City).
Samen Hier
Justice & Peace is convinced that local residents play a key role in developing legal and safe pathways with people forced to flee. Samen Hier is a movement of residents and organizations who aim to change how refugees are resettled and welcomed in the Netherlands.
Samen Hier is the first community sponsorship model in the Netherlands, inspired by international examples (e.g., Canada, the UK, and Italy). With community sponsorship, residents work with local and national governments to provide a safe passage and resettle people who are forced to flee. They ensure the welcome of their new neighbours into a community where they can immediately rely on a social support network. With Samen Hier, J&P explores and expands the opportunities for community sponsorship and community-led welcome in the Netherlands by connecting groups of approximately five Dutch citizens to families with a refugee background that resettled to the Netherlands.
More information at https://justiceandpeace.nl/en/