The SOMI Human Rights Team, working closely with the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), focuses on defending human dignity and addressing systemic injustices. Its mission is twofold: prison ministry and support for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
In prisons, the unit advocates for inmates who have been falsely accused or denied justice due to poverty. Many cannot afford legal representation, leaving them trapped in prolonged detention. SOMI steps in to provide legal aid, securing releases and accompanying others through ongoing legal processes. This ministry restores freedom and dignity to individuals who would otherwise remain voiceless.
In IDP camps, the unit responds to the humanitarian crisis caused by insurgency and displacement. Two missionaries are assigned to provide pastoral care, sacraments, and counseling, ensuring spiritual support amidst hardship. Material aid is also provided, including food, clothing, and the construction of a water well with a manual pump to meet basic needs. The team animates displaced communities, offering both relief and solidarity, while embodying the Claretian mission of being “all things to all people.”
The challenges faced by this unit are immense — systemic injustice, poverty, and displacement — yet its interventions bring tangible hope. By combining advocacy, pastoral presence, and material support, SOMI ensures that marginalized groups are not forgotten but actively defended and cared for.
The SOMI Human Rights & Social Justice Unit thus represents the prophetic dimension of mission: speaking for the voiceless, defending dignity, and standing with those most affected by injustice and displacement.
