UNANIMA International still in action!

The latest newsletter from UNANIMA International, a non-governmental organization (NGO) supported by religious congregations, illustrates that there’s still plenty to do, even though the summer season is well under way.

News from the UN includes the UN High-Level Political Forum, which ended its session on July 19. The NGO reports extensively on the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly – UNGA78) High-Level Week, which begins on September 5. This is a forum for world leaders to exchange views on international affairs. UNANIMA will shortly be announcing the nature of its involvement in this major event.

The week of the UNGA78 Forum will also see the holding of the Summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on September 18 and 19. This second Summit under the responsibility of the UN General Assembly aims to take stock of the achievement of the SDGs to date, and identify actions that can accelerate the transformation as we enter the target year of 2030 to achieve the 17 goals (SDGs).

The update on NGO committee actions provides an overview of the main committees, including those on migration, girls and homelessness. UNANIMA also reports on its involvement in the organization of two side events, one during the UNGA High-Level Week and the second during the SDG Summit. The NGO provides a few details on these two events, one of which will focus on homelessness, and the other on how to revisit multilateralism in order to find a people-centered response, partnerships and civil society.

Sister Anna Balchan (SMI)

Each year, UNANIMA awards the title of “Woman of Courage” of the year. This year, the NGO honors the work of Sister Anna Balchan (SMI) of the Congregation of the Religious of Mary Immaculate in Poland. In a brief summary of her career, we learn that this theologian, therapist and social activist has over 19 years’ experience working with victims of human trafficking, including the homeless, drug addicts and sex workers.

In the same breath, the organization reminds us that Maria Herrera Magdaleno, 2018 Woman of Courage, has been identified as one of the 100 most influential people in 2023 by the prestigious Time Magazine. You can read more about her journey in this article.

In the Community Testimonies section, you’ll discover some of the actions of two religious congregations deeply involved in helping refugees, women living in poverty and victims of trafficking. It’s a great opportunity to discover the various forms of action developed, taking into account the reality of each environment.

Of course, there’s plenty of other interesting information in this summer publication, available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.