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Women at the Heart of Justice recognizes women as essential changemakers and puts them in the centre of the quest for justice, equality, and sustainability.

Around the world today, women remain disproportionately excluded from education, land rights, economic opportunities, and decision-making spaces. Many face gender-based violence, legal discrimination, environmental displacement, and deeply entrenched social norms that deny them autonomy and safety. This campaign highlights the realities facing many women around the world and raises the voices of those not only affected by injustice but who are addressing it head-on.

At Canadian Jesuits International, we put justice, human dignity and equity at the centre of our work. We believe that the struggle for justice must begin by listening to those on the margins—where we so often find women leading with courage and resilience. From refugee camps to tea plantations, from Indigenous territories to rural farms, women are defending life, dignity, and our common home. Their experiences reveal the harsh realities of poverty, exclusion, and gender-based violence—but also immense strength, vision, and leadership. Our Jesuit partners accompany women in their struggle, strengthening their participation and supporting their efforts to forge paths of justice, peace, and sustainability for their communities and for future generations.

In India, women tea workers are organizing for their rights and economic independence through collective action and legal empowerment with the support of the Human Life and Resource Development Centre (HLDRC). Across Latin America, Indigenous women are defending their lands, cultures, and spiritual traditions in the face of ecological and political threats with help from the Indigenous Solidarity and Apostolate Network of the Conference of Jesuit Provincials in Latin America and the Caribbean (RSAI). In Zambia, rural women farmers are advancing sustainable agriculture and community leadership through the Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre (KATC). In the Middle East and North Africa, displaced young women and girls are rebuilding their lives through education from Jesuit Refugee Service Middle East and North Africa (JRS MENA). These programs demonstrate the power of women’s leadership in advancing justice, equity, and sustainability—as they transform not only their own lives, but entire communities.

Their actions are rooted in care, dignity, and an unwavering commitment to building a just world.

Brex Arevalo is an environmental professional who works with marginalized communities and civil society on issues such as pollution, climate change, air quality and sustainable finance. After years of working with the Ecojesuit global ecology network, where he was guided by Ignatian values, Brex now works with urban poor communties in Manila whose homes and dignity are threatened by a destructive waste burning facility. He also lobbies governments, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to secure financing for a safe and just transition in the Global South. Previously, he worked extensively with youth organizations to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He holds academic degrees in Global Studies from Sophia University in Tokyo and in Urban Planning and Public Administration from the University of the Philippines in Metro Manila.

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Stand with women in creating a just and sustainable world.

Stand in solidarity with women in the Global South who are leading the way towards justice, equity, and sustainability. From defending land and culture to advancing education and economic empowerment, women are transforming their communities—often in the face of systemic oppression and violence. Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) and its Jesuit partners are working to remove the barriers women face and to uphold their leadership in the fight for a just world.

What you can do:

1. Support the “Pass a Due Diligence Law” Campaign 

CJI is part of the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA), which is calling for a mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence law. This law would hold Canadian companies accountable for their operations abroad, many of which are linked to the displacement of Indigenous communities, environmental degradation, gender-based violence, and other human rights violations. Learn more and take action.

2. Donate to projects where women are creating a just and sustainable world:

3. Raise AwarenessUse your voice to uplift the campaign. Share stories, graphics, and key messages on social media. Tag @canadianjesuitsinternational (Instagram),  facebook.com/canadianjesuitsinternational (Facebook), @wearecji.bsky.social (Bluesky), https://ca.linkedin.com/company/canadianjesuitsinternational (LinkedIn) and help raise women’s leadership in building a just future. By raising our voices in Canada, we can ensure that women in the Global South are supported in their critical roles as changemakers. Let’s work together to create a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

Featured project:
Human Rights, Civic Participation, and Peacebuilding

India: Human Life Development and Research Centre (HLDRC)

 

HLDRC aims to empower marginalized members of the tea plantation community through rights-based advocacy, livelihood support, education, and leadership development. Photo: HLDRC

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Featured project:
Human rights, Civic Participation, and Peacebuilding

Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR)

JCTR aims to strengthen the capacity of local citizens to advocate for good governance, transparency, and servant leadership at various government levels. Photo: JCTR

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Featured project:
Human Rights, Civic Participation, and Peacebuilding

Indigenous Solidarity and Apostolate Network (RSAI)

RSAI projects help protect our common home and strengthen the leadership of Indigenous women in Latin America who are defending their ancestral territories and culture. Photo: RSAI

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Featured project:
Human Rights, Civic Participation, and Peacebuilding

Centro Montalvo

Centro Montalvo responds to the socio-economic impacts of environmental damage caused by extractive industries by focusing on local autonomy, community organizing, food security, defence of human rights and sovereignty. Photo: Centro Montalvo

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