Caritas Sverige | |
 | |
| Established | 23 February 1946 [1] |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Purpose | development aid, social services |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 59°19′30″N18°04′28″E / 59.3250°N 18.07444°E |
Region served | Sweden |
| Affiliations | Caritas Europa, Caritas Internationalis |
| Website | www |
Caritas Sweden (Swedish : Caritas Sverige) is a Catholic aid organisation from Sweden. It is part of the European network of Caritas organisations Caritas Europa, as well of the global confederation Caritas Internationalis.
After World War II, Caritas Sweden was founded in 1946 by Bishop Johannes Erik Müller . Sweden had been spared from destruction and many refugees arrived in the country. Caritas sent aid abroad, mainly to Germany, but also to France, Hungary, Poland and Austria. In 1946 alone, Caritas Sweden sent 350,000 kilos of goods to Germany. [2] Many refugees also arrived in Sweden. In 1950, Caritas Sweden opened a counselling office in Stockholm for the many refugees who sought help from the Catholic Church. At the same time, its international aid efforts were directed to Eastern Europe, where Stalin's hardening religious policy created great difficulties for the Catholics behind the Iron Curtain. [1]
In 1987, Caritas Sweden was established under its current modern form and became a full member of the global Caritas confederation, Caritas Internationalis, as well as part of its regional cooperation organization Caritas Europa. [3]
It developed into an aid organisation that supported countries in the global South through various development projects. The objective of the organisation was to contribute to a more just world where poor and marginalised people are empowered. Caritas Sweden established a cooperation with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Swedish Mission Council (Svenska missionsrådet), quickly growing as a development actor. Over time, the international aid work became more specialised, focussing on HIV/AIDS, human rights, and democracy issues, with a particular emphasis on the situation of women. By the early 2000s, Caritas Sweden was supporting partners with projects in more than 50 countries [3] and with a budget of around 100 million SEK per year. This rapid growth brought challenges, and the staff were unable to fulfil the tasks assigned to them. [4]
In 2005, Caritas Sweden initiated an investigation to examine its projects in the Middle East from 2002 to 2004 due to indications that not everything was in order. The investigation revealed serious shortcomings in the management of procedures and rules for contracts, as well as inadequate follow-up and reporting of the projects. This was reported to the Caritas Board in January 2006. SIDA decided to carry out in-depth investigations, which showed similar results. Consequently, SIDA demanded the repayment of a large sum of funds [5] and froze any new applications. As a result, the leadership of the Catholic diocese decided shut down Caritas Sweden as an association, including all overseas development activities. [6] [7] [8] All activities were taken over by the Roman Catholic Church in autumn 2007. [4]
Before this controversy, Caritas Sweden had expanded its work within Sweden, providing counselling and support for refugees and asylum seekers, and engaging in advocacy work both nationally and within the EU on refugee issues and human trafficking. The mission was to raise awareness of aid and development issues and to promote development through aid. Caritas Sweden was tasked with coordinating social pastoral work in the Catholic diocese. An important part of this was the creation of a volunteer programme in the Catholic parishes. Local Caritas groups visited the elderly and sick, organised soup kitchens for the homeless, and arranged activities for the lonely.
In 2013, Caritas Sweden formally became a body of the Diocese of Stockholm, which covers all of Sweden. At the express wish of the bishop, Cardinal Anders Arborelius, great importance was placed on supporting and encouraging the Catholic parishes to build up their own charitable work at the local level. [1] This entails strengthening capacities in the parishes and coordinating the support they give to those in need. Caritas Sweden also runs a meeting place in Stockholm (Mötesplats Caritas), where refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable people can benefit from Swedish lessons, legal counselling on migration, and human support. [9]
In parallel, Caritas Sweden continues to engage in advocacy work to defend the human dignity and rights of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, and fights against human trafficking. From 2018 to 2020, Caritas Sweden was a partner in the DG DEVCO-funded project Migration, Interconnectedness, Development (MIND), which aimed to raise awareness of the relationship between migration and development. [10]
Caritas Sweden also coordinates the efforts of its volunteers, who implement activities such as collecting clothes, distributing food, and running language classes. Since 2021, Caritas Sweden has maintained a network for young people, Caritas Ungdom. Today, this network is active in several places in Sweden, and its members carry out various tasks, including collecting money, clothes, and food for the needy, visiting homes for the elderly and the Swedish Migration Agency's residences, organising activities for mothers and children, and assisting with church coffee in the local parish. [11]
The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, better known by its acronym SCIAF, is the official aid and development agency of the Catholic Church in Scotland. Established in 1965, SCIAF now works in eight countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America and providing assistance to vulnerable people. SCIAF works with partner organisations and has responded to humanitarian disasters with emergency provisions and support. In Scotland, SCIAF raises awareness of the underlying causes of global poverty and injustice, work that includes visiting schools.
Caritas Europa is a European confederation of Catholic social service providers and international development and humanitarian relief organisations operating in Europe. It is one of the seven regions of Caritas Internationalis.
Development and Peace, officially the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace and also known as Caritas Canada is the official international development and humanitarian aid agency of the Catholic Church in Canada. It is a member of Caritas Internationalis, CIDSE, the Halifax Initiative and many other networks.
Contacts with the Muslim world dates back to the 7th–10th centuries, when the Vikings traded with Muslims during the Islamic Golden Age. Since the late 1960s and more recently, immigration from predominantly Muslim countries has impacted the demographics of religion in Sweden, and has been the main driver of the spread of Islam in the country.
Ngô Đình Lệ Quyên, was a South Vietnamese-born Italian lawyer who served as Commissioner of Immigration for the city of Rome.
Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 national Catholic relief, development and social service organisations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. The name Caritas Internationalis refers to both the global network of Caritas organisations and to its general secretariat based in the Vatican City in Rome, Italy.
Robert Joseph Vitillo is the Secretary General of the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC). Prior to that, Vitillo has served in various high level functions in Catholic charitable agencies, including Caritas Internationalis and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. A trained social worker, he is known for his broad expertise on human migration and refugee services, child protection, social services, human rights, HIV/AIDS and global health.
Caritas Austria is an Austrian social aid organisation of the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1903. It consists of a national office and nine regional diocesan Caritas organisations, all of which are legally independent.
The Caritas Vorarlberg, also Caritas of the Diocese of Feldkirch, is a social aid organization of the Roman Catholic Church in the Austrian federal state of Vorarlberg. It is part of Caritas Austria, but an independent institution and reports to the bishop of the Diocese of Feldkirch.
Caritas Bangladesh is a Catholic charitable organization in Bangladesh. It is a member of Caritas Internationalis and governed by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh.
Caritas Switzerland is a Swiss Catholic not-for-profit organisation. Its mission is to prevent, combat and alleviate poverty.
Caritas Ukraine is a Ukrainian Catholic not-for-profit and humanitarian relief organisation.
Caritas Denmark is a Danish nonprofit organisation. It is the official aid organisation of the Catholic Church in Denmark and implements some social services in the country, while the core of its work are humanitarian and development programmes abroad.
Caritas Slovenia is a Slovenian Catholic charity organisation. It operates nationally by providing social welfare services, and internationally by supporting the relief and development efforts of partner organisations.
Caritas Uganda is the official social development arm of the Catholic Church in Uganda. It has been operating since 1970 and is implementing social welfare and development projects all over the country, while also acting as a humanitarian relief agency when needed. Caritas Uganda is a member of Caritas Africa and of Caritas Internationalis.
Caritas Jordan is a Jordanian Catholic charitable organisation.
Caritas Syria is a Syrian Catholic charitable and humanitarian aid organisation.
Caritas Finland in English and Swedish or Suomen Caritas in Finnish is a Catholic aid organisation from Finland. It is part of the European network of Caritas organisations Caritas Europa, as well of the global Caritas Internationalis confederation.
Caritas Norway is a Catholic aid organisation from Norway. It is part of the European network of Caritas organisations Caritas Europa, as well of the global Caritas Internationalis confederation.
Armenian Caritas is a not-for-profit social welfare and humanitarian relief organisation based in Armenia. It is a service of the Armenian Catholic Church and a member of both Caritas Europa and Caritas Internationalis.
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