World news!!!!!

Plus de 215 millions d’enfants astreints au travail dans le monde

 Le BIT souhaite une redynamisation de la lutte contre le travail des enfants.

 ROME, Mardi 18 mai 2010 (ZENIT.org) - Les seuls postes de travail à ne pas être menacés sont ceux des enfants. Selon le dernier rapport du Bureau international du travail (BIT), la tendance à la réduction du travail infantile est en train de « se relâcher ».

Concernant le travail des enfants, « les progrès ne paraissent ni suffisamment rapides, ni suffisamment complets », déplore le directeur général du BIT, Juan Somavía.

Encore aujourd'hui, rappelle également le journal du Saint-Siège « L'Osservatore Romano », plus de 215 millions d'enfants sont astreints au travail, surtout dans l'agriculture, pour leur famille ou pour autrui, sans aucune rétribution.

Plus de la moitié de ces enfants, 115 millions, sont exposés à des travaux jugés dangereux par le BIT, même sans aller jusqu'aux vraies formes d'esclavage : de la servitude pour dettes à la prostitution, en passant par le travail dans les mines ou dans des conditions environnementales insoutenables.

Entre 2004 et 2008, le nombre d'enfants au travail est descendu de 222 à 215 millions, enregistrant une baisse d'à peine 3%, alors que la diminution était de 10% entre 2000 et 2004.

La situation change en fonction de l'âge. Chez les jeunes de 15-17 ans, on constate une augmentation de 20%, leur nombre passant de 52 à 62 millions.

Les progrès les plus substantiels concernent les enfants âgés de 5 à 14 ans, une tranche d'âge où le nombre d'enfants au travail a baissé de 10% globalement, même si les chiffres semblent se contredire selon les régions et le type de travail.

Quoiqu'il en soit, dans cette tranche d'âge, le nombre d'enfants au travail a baissé de 31% quand il s'agit de travaux dangereux.

Selon le rapport du BIT, c'est en Afrique subsaharienne que la proportion d'enfants qui travaillent, souvent dans des conditions dangereuses, est la plus forte, avec un enfant sur quatre.

Mais dans l'absolu, la plupart des enfants au travail se trouve en Asie, tandis que la réduction la plus significative a été enregistrée en Amérique.

Le BIT, qui tire la sonnette d'alarme, craint que la crise mondiale actuelle n'éloigne encore plus l'objectif d'éliminer les pires formes de travail de l'enfant d'ici à 2016.

A ce propos, Juan Somavía estime que la récession économique ne peut servir d'excuse ou justifier les retards de la communauté internationale vers cet objectif.

Le directeur général du BIT rappelle au contraire que la nécessité de lutter contre la crise offre l'occasion de mettre en œuvre des mesures politiques efficaces pour la population, pour la reprise et pour un développement durable.

Quelques jours après la sortie de ce rapport du BIT, plus de 450 délégués venus de 80 pays se sont mis d'accord sur une feuille de route qui vise à «augmenter de manière substantielle » les efforts mondiaux pour éliminer les pires formes de travail des enfants d'ici à 2016.

Approuvée au terme d'une conférence de deux jours sur le travail des enfants, que le gouvernement des Pays-Bas a organisée en coopération avec l'Organisation internationale du travail, cette feuille de route appelle les gouvernements, les partenaires sociaux et les organisations de la société civile à renforcer l'accès à l'éducation, à la protection sociale et au travail décent.

Nieves San Martín

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Religious Trends in Sub-Saharan Africa

 Past Century Sees Dramatic Changes

 By Father John Flynn, LC

ROME, MAY 2, 2010 (Zenit.org).- A recently published report by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life points to a dramatic change in the religious affiliation of the population in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa.

At the beginning of the 20th century Muslims and Christians were only small minorities, accounting for a combined total of less than 25% of the population. The great majority practiced traditional African religions.

Over the last century the tables have turned and the number of Muslims has increased more than 20-fold, to about 234 million in 2010. Christians have seen an even bigger transformation, exploding almost 70-fold from about 7 million to 470 million.

The report did point out that the preponderance of Christians in the sub-Saharan part of Africa is balanced out by the northern part of the continent, where the Islamic faith is predominant. As a result the African continent as a whole sees Christians and Muslims roughly equal, with each having from 400 to 500 million followers.

Overall, Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for no less than 21% of the total world Christian population. Muslims in the region have a 15% world share.

The Pew Forum’s statistics on Africa’s religious growth were backed up a few days ago when the Vatican published a summary of some of the data in the new edition of the Statistical Yearbook of the Church. According to an Apr. 27 press release by the Vatican Information Service, for the period 2000-2008 the number of Catholics in the world grew from 1.045 billion in 2000 to 1.166 billion in 2008, an increase of 11.54%

Underneath the global overall figures there was an enormous geographical diversity. At the extremes there was Africa, where the numbers in Africa grew by 33%, compared to Europe where there was a nominal 1.17% rise.

Limits

Nevertheless, in the Pew Forum report they also affirmed that the rapid growth of the past century may well not continue in coming years, and instead any increase will be mostly limited to what occurs as a result of natural population growth.

This is so because already most people in the region have committed to Christianity or Islam, leaving few possibilities for conversions. Already in most countries, 90% or more describe themselves as either Christians or Muslims.

Moreover, there is little evidence showing that either Christianity or Islam is growing in sub-Saharan Africa at the expense of the other. With the exception of Uganda only a small percentage of Muslims have become Christians, and a smaller percentage of Christians have become Muslims.

In addition to the statistics on religious belief, a large part of the report by the Pew Forum consisted in the results of a public opinion survey involving more than 25,000 face-to-face interviews in more than 60 languages or dialects in 19 countries. This was done to determine how people in Sub-Saharan Africa view the role of religion in their societies.

The survey revealed how deeply religious the region is. People were asked to declare how important religion is in their lives: very important, somewhat important, not too important, not at all important.

The results for Sub-Saharan Africa revealed that in many countries, no less than 90% of people said religion is very important in their lives.

The report compared this to surveys done in other continents in recent years. Even the least religiously inclined nations in the Sub-Sahara score higher than the United States, where 57% declared that religion is very important for them.

Other Western countries have much lower percentages of people declaring that religion is very important in their lives: Poland, 33%; Germany, 25%; Italy, 24%; Britain,19%.

This contrasts with Asia and the Middle East, where, like Africa, a number of countries have scores of 90% or higher for those who declare religion to be very important. Among them are India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Kuwait.

Coexistence

In spite of the rapid growth of both Christianity and Islam, traditional African religions remain a major force. In fact, they often coexist with Islam and Christianity in a sort of religious syncretism. Regardless of the theological inconsistencies this creates, the survey noted that this mixture of faiths is a daily reality in people's lives.

Many Africans continue to believe in witchcraft, evil spirits, sacrifices to ancestors, and traditional religious healers. For example, in four countries (Tanzania, Mali, Senegal and South Africa) more than half the people surveyed believe that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. And sizable percentages of both Christians and Muslims -- a quarter or more in many countries -- say they believe in the protective power of charms or amulets.

In addition to expressing high levels of belief in the protective power of sacrificial offerings and sacred objects, upwards of one in five people in every country say they believe in the evil eye, or the ability of certain people to cast malevolent curses or spells.

According to the report there is no clear pattern among Christians or Muslims on levels of belief in African traditional religions. These traditional practices are common in predominantly Muslim countries, in countries with a more even mix of Christians and Muslims, and in predominantly Christian countries.

Tolerance

When it comes to relations between Christianity and Islam, the survey found that for many Christians and Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa there are no substantial problems and in general there is mutual tolerance. In fact, people generally held that unemployment, crime and corruption are bigger problems than religious conflict.

African Christians were more doubtful about Islam, with roughly 40% or more in a dozen nations saying they consider Muslims to be violent. Notably nearly six in 10 Nigerians and Rwandans said that religious conflict is a very big problem in their country.

Muslims tended to be more positive in their assessment of Christians and many Muslims say they are more concerned about Muslim extremism than about Christian extremism.

When it comes to marriage, however, among both Muslims and Christians many express uneasiness about interfaith marriages. Half or more Christians in eight countries and upwards of half of Muslims in 12 countries said they would not be comfortable if a child of theirs were to marry someone from the opposite faith.

In general the bulk of believers said that violence against civilians in defense of one's religion is rarely or never justified. Yet there was a substantial minority -- 20% or more -- in many countries who said that violence against civilians in defense of one's religion is sometimes or often justified.

When it comes to the interaction between religion and society the report found that in nearly all the countries surveyed, large majorities believe it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral and have good values. At least three in four people in nearly every country believe there are clear and absolute standards of right and wrong.

As well, clear majorities in almost every country also affirmed that Western music, movies and television have hurt moral standards.

On issues such as abortion, prostitution, suicide and homosexual behavior, Christians and Muslims alike express very strong opposition with nine in 10 or more in many countries calling these practices morally wrong.

Large numbers of people throughout the region express strong support for democracy. At the same time there is substantial support among Muslims and Christians for basing civil laws on the Bible or Islamic Shariah law.

According to the Pew Forum report, in virtually all the countries surveyed, a majority or a substantial minority of Christians favor making the Bible the official law of the land. Similarly large numbers of Muslims say they would like to enshrine Shariah law.

The findings of the report make it clear that Africa is going to be an interesting place to watch in coming years.

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VATICAN - Statistical Yearbook of the Church 2008: increase in Catholics, slight increase in priests, increase in permanent deacons, decline in male and female religious

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Vatican Publishing House (Libreria Editrice Vaticana) has recently released a new edition of the Statistical Yearbook of the Church, comprising information on the main aspects of Catholic Church activity in various countries for the period 2000-2008, updated as of December 31, 2008.

Over these nine years, the Catholic presence in the world has grown from 1,045 million in 2000 to 1,166 million in 2008, an increase of 11.54 percent. Considering the statistics in detail, numbers in Africa grew by 33 percent, in Europe they remained generally stable (an increase of 1.17 percent), while in Asia they increased by 15.61 percent, in Oceania by 11.39 percent and in America by 10.93 percent.

As a percentage of the total population, European Catholics represented 26.8 percent in 2000 and 24.31 percent in 2008. In America and Oceania they have remained stable, and increased slightly in Asia.

The number of bishops in the world went up from 4,541 in 2000 to 5,002 in 2008, an increase of 10.15 percent. The growth is more accentuated in Asia, Africa, and America.

The number of priests also increased slightly over this nine-year period, passing from 405,178 in 2000 to 409,166 in 2008, an overall rise of 0.98 percent. In Africa and Asia their numbers increased (respectively, by 33.1 percent and 23.8 percent), in the Americas they remained stable, while they fell by 7 percent in Europe and 4 percent in Oceania.

The number of diocesan priests increased by 3.1 percent, going from 265,781 in 2000 to 274,007 in 2008. By contrast, the number of regular priests showed a constant decline, down by 3.04 percent to 135,159 in 2008. Of the continents, only Europe showed a clear reduction in priests: in 2000 they represented 51 percent of the world total, in 2008 just 47 percent. On the other hand, Asia and Africa together represented 17.5 percent of the world total in 2000 and 21.9 percent in 2008. The Americas slightly increased its percentage to around 30 percent of the total.

Permanent deacons are the group that has seen the most increase over this time: from about 28,000 in 2000 to reach 37,000 in 2008, with a relative change of + 33.7%. Many are present in America (especially the North) with 64.6% of all deacons in the world and in Europe (33.1%). Permanent deacons are scarce in Africa and Asia, where all together they are a mere 1.5% of the global number.

Non-ordained religious numbered 55.057 in the year 2000 and 54,641 in 2008. Comparing this data by continent, Europe showed a strong decline (down by 16.57 percent), as did Oceania (22.06 percent), the Americas remained stable, while Asia and Africa grew (respectively, by 32 percent and 10.47 percent).

Female religious are almost double the number of priests, and 14 times that of non-ordained male religious, but their numbers are falling, from 800,000 in 2000 to 740,000 in 2008. As for their geographical distribution, 41 percent reside in Europe, 27.47 percent in America, 21.77 percent in Asia and 1.28 percent in Oceania. The number of female religious has increased in the most dynamic continents: Africa (up by 21 percent) and Asia (up by 16 percent). (SL) (Agenzia Fides 28/04/2010)

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MISSIONARY PRAYER INTENTION

MISSIONARY INTENTION - Holy Father's Missionary Intention for May 2010: “That ordained ministers, religious women and men, and lay people involved in apostolic work may understand how to infuse missionary enthusiasm into the communities entrusted to their care.” Commentary.

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The word "enthusiasm" comes from the Greek ἐνθουσιασμός, and has several genres or meanings. One of these genres refers to the prophets, who were "full of God," inspired by Him when they spoke on His behalf. In a way, when we say that a person is enthusiastic, we are saying that "he is full of God," and we feel moved by a great zeal and courage in his words and his actions. This enthusiasm is like a fire that consumes all in its path with its flames.

In order for ordained ministers, religious men and women, and lay people to be able to convey enthusiasm, they must themselves be enthusiastic for their own vocation, their life, and especially enthusiastic about Christ, in love with Christ. Those who come to Jesus with faith, in quiet listening to His Word, in Eucharistic adoration, in the sacramental reception of His Body, feel the fire of His presence burning in their hearts. The disciples of Emmaus experienced that their hearts burned within them as they listened to the Lord. They recognized Him in the breaking of the bread and immediately returned to Jerusalem to tell the Eleven that they had seen the Risen Christ (cf. Lk 24, 33). Whoever meets Christ truly becomes a missionary, because he cannot contain the love that burns inside him.

Similar is the experience of St. Paul. As a persecutor, the Risen Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Since then, his life took a radical departure. From that moment, for him, his "life is Christ" (Phil 1:21), and this conviction makes him exclaim: "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel" (1 Cor 9:16). Pope Benedict XVI presents him as a model of an evangelizer full of enthusiasm: “Let us look at this great evangelizer, who with bold enthusiasm and apostolic zeal brought the Gospel to many different peoples in the world of that time. His teaching and example inspire us to go in search of the Lord Jesus. They encourage us to trust him, because that sense of emptiness, which tends to intoxicate humanity, has been overcome by the light and the hope that emanate from the resurrection” (Urbi et Orbi Message, Easter 2009).

Youth is the age of enthusiasm, but we must not think only in physical youthfulness. When we lack the enthusiasm of faith, it means that we have prematurely "aged,” that we are on our way to death. Although from a biological standpoint, the years roll by inexorably, we must live a constant spiritual rejuvenation, growing in love for Christ and enthusiasm to bring Him to everyone. St. Paul said: "Although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day" (2 Cor 4:16).

Let us contemplate the story of a young woman who is full of God: Mary. She received the announcement of the angel Gabriel and agreed with docility and obedience to what God asked. Through Her Fiat, the Word of God became flesh in Her virginal womb. The young woman, who was "enthusiastic" - literally "full of God" - "got up and went with haste to the mountain, to a city of Judah" (Luke 1:39). Goodness and love spread themselves, they contain within their very essence this need of being conveyed. Mary brings Jesus in Her womb. She cannot keep the love that has taken on flesh in Her flesh, to herself. She feels the need to bring Elizabeth the great news of Christ's presence in the world.

This May, we ask Mary to renew the enthusiasm and joy of the faith in our hearts, along with the certainty of the victory of the Risen Christ and His love for mankind. May She also bring consolation to our fellow missionaries who often suffer from loneliness and discouragement for a lack of results. Mary makes us understand that the branch cannot bear fruit unless it is attached to the vine (cf. Jn 15:4) and that we cannot convey enthusiasm if we do not live with enthusiasm. (Agenzia Fides 04/29/2010)

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ASIA/INDIA - Priest killed in India; Archbishop comments on a life offered to God and neighbor

Vasai (Agenzia Fides) - "We priests have already offered our lives on our ordination day. Our life is not ours; it is God's. Father Peter was welcomed today by the Lord and Our Lady of the Forsaken, to whom he was so devoted." This is what Fides learned in an interview with Archbishop Felix Machado of Vasai (near Mumbai), who told of an event that has shaken the entire community in the area, both Catholics and non alike: the killing of Fr. Peter Bombaci, a 74-year-old priest murdered by unknown persons last night at his home, a short distance from the Archbishop's Residence.

"I found the body of Fr. Peter laying in a pool of blood this morning," Archbishop Machado told Fides, explaining how he had been alerted by some lay people who worked with the priest. "He had a rope around his neck and scissors stuck in his throat. It was a gruesome scene. The police appeared immediately on the scene and took the body for postmortem investigations. They are investigating the matter.”

The Archbishop continued: "The community is in shock. Fr. Peter had created and operated, with the help of some lay people, a recovery home for alcoholics. He was from Vasai and came from a fishing community. That's why his name was 'Peter.' He was well liked and respected by everyone."

"We have no idea of the reasons for the assassination, perhaps a theft or maybe someone was angry with him," says the Archbishop, excluding violence by Hindu fundamentalists. “We do not believe it to be the work of Hindu extremist groups. First of all, because in this area there are none. Indeed, relations with the Hindu community in the territory are excellent. Many Hindu faithful have come today to express dismay and solidarity. Many [of them] will attend the funeral, which I will celebrate in the evening today, April 29. We expect about 10,000 people.”

The funeral Mass "will be a moment of prayer in which the mourning community will come together in tears, but also in hope. I will recall, as we are living this Year for Priests, that we priests have already offered our lives, which belong to God and that are spent in service to others. I will also try to give a message of encouragement to the people, who are really shocked and saddened. We offer our suffering, entrusting ourselves to Our Lady of the Forsaken, to whom Fr. Peter turned in prayer with great faith and devotion." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 29/04/2010)

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Caritas : La crise alimentaire au Niger doit être affrontée au plus vite

 Certaines régions risquent de devenir inaccessibles à cause de la saison des pluies

 ROME, Mardi 27 avril 2010 (ZENIT.org) - La crise alimentaire au Niger et en d'autres parties du Sahel occidental, doit être affrontée de toute urgence, avant que la saison des pluies ne rende impossible la remise des aides aux régions les plus reculées.

C'est l'avertissement lancé par Caritas qui souligne que « la situation, dans certaines zones, est déjà très grave ».

« Beaucoup de gens n'y mangent plus que des plantes sauvages », affirme Bruno Sossou, bénévole chez Caritas Niger, après avoir visité plusieurs villages éloignés. « L'aide doit arriver rapidement, prévient-il. Quand la saison des pluies commencera dans 45 jours, certaines régions éloignées seront inaccessibles ».

« Conséquence directe de cette insécurité alimentaire, souligne Caritas, on observe actuellement un exode rural massif vers les zones urbaines et les pays limitrophes. Beaucoup d'écoles ferment faute d'élèves et de plus en plus de champs ne sont plus cultivés ».

La situation est particulièrement grave au Niger mais tous les pays de l'ouest du Sahel sont affectés par cette crise. Des millions de personnes risquent de souffrir de malnutrition en raison des sécheresses de l'année dernière et des conséquences à long terme de crises passées.

Plus de 800 000 enfants de moins de cinq ans pourraient avoir besoin de traitement contre la malnutrition aiguë sévère au Burkina Faso, en Mauritanie, au Mali, au Niger au nord du Nigeria et au Tchad.

« Au Niger la crise a été sous-estimée. L'insécurité alimentaire était un sujet tabou sous le gouvernement précédent, renversé par un coup d'Etat le18 février ».

« Ce n'est que quand les médias et des associations internationales ont fait pression pour que le gouvernement mène une enquête que nous avons réalisé l'urgence de la situation », déclare Raymond Yoro, secrétaire général de Caritas Niger (CADEV Niger).

Selon l'enquête conduite par le gouvernement en décembre, près de 7,8 millions de personnes, soit près de 60 pour cent de la population, sont menacées d'insécurité alimentaire.

« Le climat politique a des conséquences directes sur notre travail », souligne Raymond Yoro, précisant que depuis le coup d'Etat, « ils sont maintenant libres » de coordonner leurs efforts avec d'autres ONG et disposent de cartes détaillées sur le problème, qui leur permettent d'agir là où les gens ont le plus besoin d'eux.

Caritas prévoit de lancer un appel d'urgence visant à fournir de la nourriture et autres secours aux couches les plus vulnérables de la population. Le projet vise à aider près de 250 000 personnes dans 327 villages.

« Dans un premier temps nous devons nous occuper des situations les plus urgentes par le biais de l'aide alimentaire, a précisé Maliki Oumarou, gestionnaire des urgences chez Caritas Niger, mais dans un deuxième temps, nous mettrons en place un programme de réhabilitation axé sur l'appui à la production, des activités génératrices de revenus en milieu rural et une amélioration durable de la sécurité alimentaire ».