“Let us commit ourselves to remedying the remote causes of injustice, settling unjust and unpayable debts… ”
Pope Francis (Spes non confundit, §16)
It’s time fordebt justice
Use your voice to create real change now. Sign the global Caritas Confederation’s petition today and call on European governments and the European Union to play their part in ending unsustainable and unjust debts. Help us promote the petition by sharing it within your networks.
This is worst debt crisis in 30 years
Over 100 countries are now facing a debt crisis.
In the places where Caritas Europa member organisations and Caritas from other regions work, millions of people do not have enough food, water or adequate housing to live dignified lives. Schools do not have enough teachers; clinics do not have enough safe equipment.
More than 3.3 billion people live in countries where governments spend more on debt repayments than on essential services like health or education.
There are historical, structural reasons behind this related to international finance. Low-income countries are paying back enormous debts to some of the richest groups in the world. This money should be spent on improving people’s lives.
Instead, it is lining the pockets of bankers, hedge fund managers and greedy governments, many of them within Europe, while striping nations of the resources needed to invest in health, education, climate action and the futures of their young people, locking entire generations into cycles of poverty and inequality.
But your voice could make a difference
In this Jubilee Year of Hope, join Caritas Europa and help build a better world. This is a very special year for Catholics all around the world. It gives us an opportunity to renew our commitment to justice and redouble our efforts to the change we want to see in the world.
EU Member States that are members of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (i.e. that are aid donors) accounted for over one third of all donor-originated debt for low- and middle-income countries in 2023.
European governments such as the UK and France have lot of power to stop demanding payments from countries facing a debt crisis. The European Union has a lot of power in international negotiations on multilateral debt resolution mechanisms. At Caritas Europa, we believe they should use this power to help end the debt crisis and prevent future ones from happening, given their role in driving things that increase the debt burden, like the climate crisis, and their commitments to global solidarity.
Join us in urging European governments and the European Union to do everything they can to support Global South countries in investing in health, education and climate action; in eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, and fostering inclusive, sustainable development.
Below, you will find some resources with more information on the debt crisis and the work of some of our members on the topic. Additionally, please sign the petition on the Caritas Internationalis campaign webpage!
Learn more about the origins of the debt crisis and on how the European Union can play a role in real solutions to address it:
Read our position paper on debt justice
Learn more about Pope Francis’ calls for debt justice:
Pope’s World Day of Peace message (1 January 2025)
Pope Francis’ address to the participants in the meeting “Addressing the debt crisis in the Global South” (5 June 2024)
Spes non confundit – Bull of Indiction for the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025 (9 May 2024)
Learn more about Caritas Europa’s member organisations contribution to the Jubilee Year’s campaign on debt justice:
https://www.sciaf.org.uk/debt
https://www.sciaf.org.uk/jubilee
https://cafod.org.uk/pray/jubilee-2025
https://www.caritas.it/giubileo2025/
