Poverty and Inequity
Caritas highlights the issues of poverty and inequity in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world. We are guided by Catholic social teaching principles, especially human dignity and preferential option for the poor and vulnerable.
Internationally our work reflects the teaching of the Church through the Gospels and Catholic social teaching such as encyclicals like Laudato Si’.
World Day of the Poor
Pope Francis initiated World Day of the Poor in 2017 to put a spotlight on the plight of those in poverty around the world.
Each year, Caritas provides resources to parishes to assist with observing World Day of the Poor.
Find these resources, as well as more information about the day, on this page.
“The poor become a film clip that can affect us for a moment, yet when we encounter them in flesh and blood on our streets, we are annoyed and look the other way. Haste, by now the daily companion of our lives, prevents us from stopping to help care for others.” Pope Francis, 2023.
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking
Slavery and the exploitation of people for profit are elements of our economic systems that have existed for centuries and continue to thrive today.
Currently, there are an estimated 50 million people enslaved across the world.
We are a part of the Modern Slavery and Labour Exploitation Advisory Group - a group established in 2019 to foster cross-sector collaboration to address the root causes of exclusion and exploitation effectively. We continue to support the campaign for legislative action in Aotearoa New Zealand to overcome these practices.
We are also proud to be part of the Walking Together Aotearoa New Zealand Ecumenical Group, which seeks to raise awareness about the prevalence of and solutions to trafficking throughout the faith communities in Oceania.