Safe spaces

PROMOTING SAFE ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL

As a Movement founded on evangelical love, we aim to offer and ensure safe environments for all people in which to carry out their activities. We are committed to upholding the dignity of each person and to cultivating a culture of respect and esteem for others in order to prevent and avoid all forms of abuse.

In particular, all the members of the Movement are responsible for safeguarding children and adolescents by promoting their well-being. Safe practices are being adopted and risks are being assessed to minimise the possibility of harm or accidents to minors involved in our activities, whether within Focolare venues or when we meet in other settings.

The final document of the 2021 General Assembly of the Movement recognized, with profound sorrow, all the situations in which we fell short of protecting and helping those who have suffered abuse. We commit to listening, to accompanying, to seeking justice and to offering

support to victims/survivors, to ensure that every person is heard and has access to a fair and just process and support.

In this regard, President Margaret Karram said:“First and foremost we are placing the Gospel at the basis of this process of renewal. We want to put the Gospel back at the centre of all we do. Moreover, the serious challenges that the world is experiencing today call for a deepening application of the spirituality of unity so that it can be an instrument of fraternity and peace.””¹.

This timeline summarises the main milestones of the Movement’s efforts to address the scourge of abuse. We present below the documents and guidelines that collectively constitute the Movement’s “Guidelines” regarding protection against all types of abuse.

1. Press release of 19th May 2022