Justícia i Pau works actively to inform the public and raise awareness and to contribute to a climate of public opinion ever more receptive to respect for the fundamental human rights of individuals and groups, to the culture of peace, to the fight against poverty and social exclusion and in favour of the sustainable development of the world’s peoples.
We do this by giving lectures, organising conferences and seminars, publishing reports and educational materials, putting on exhibitions, and appearing in the mass media. We also apply political pressure on political parties, local, regional, national and international government bodies for the purpose of encouraging government to adopt measures that promote the cited goals.
History of the organisation
In the first years of its existence, during the dictatorship, Justice and Peace‘s priority was the promotion of human rights in this country. It led a campaign against the death penalty among others and worked particularly hard for the freeing of political prisoners. During the transition years, it worked for recognition of the right to conscientious objection and since then it has supported conscientious objection.
In 1976, Joan Gomis took over the directorship of the Justícia i Pau Peace. Later he was to become president, a position he held under his death in 2001. Gomis brought a decisive momentum to the organisation and he became widely known around Catalonia for his work for human rights, solidarity, the culture of peace and development.
In 1981, Justícia i Pau headed the first campaign related to the 0.7% commitment, supporting increases in government assistance to the neediest countries, a struggle that still goes on. It has worked against military blocs and the arms trade and led activities carried out by alliances of organisations to get the governments of the North to cancel or reduce the external debt of the poorest countries.
Justícia i Pau, under Joan Gomis’ leadership, played a decisive role in promoting various group initiatives: Federació Catalana d'ONG pel Desenvolupament, Fons Català de Cooperació al Desenvolupament, Federació Catalana d'ONG pels Drets Humans, Federació Catalana d'ONG per la Pau, Parlament de la Fraternitat y Plataforma pel Dret a un Habitatge Digne.
During the 1990’s, among its other activities, the organisation supported a campaign for the cancellation of the external debt of the poorest countries, undertook various actions in support of disarmament and against the arms trade, worked for the right to decent housing, and took a leading role in defending the human rights of prison inmates.
In recent years, it has carried out social awareness campaigns related to immigration and its causes, the injustices of the ongoing process of globalisation, the International Criminal Court and the difficult situation in Catalonia’s prisons, etc.
Recognition
Among the prizes Justícia i Pau ha obtingut has received are:
