The challenge before us is to imagine and adopt creative and compassionate responses to harm. (From our brochure)
Mandate
Quakers Fostering Justice (QFJ), in keeping with Friends’ testimonies and advices concerning peace, justice and equality, holds as its long-term goal the fostering of a way of life that is both just and compassionate. This includes creatively sharing our understanding that while harm and conflict will continue to be a part of the fabric of human experience, when hurt we should not respond with punishment or prisons.
We will work towards discerning, developing and encouraging responses that are creative, healing and empowering; that is, the building of a caring community which has no need of punishment or prisons. Our concern is rooted in the Quaker tradition of answering that of God in every person; the present legal and prison systems reflect injustice, violence and blindness to that of God in each of us. We are clear that, by creatively taking responsibility for ourselves and one another, we will transform both ourselves and our communities. We recognize that this challenging way of living is one that honours our relationship to Spirit, one another, and all of Creation.
To read our complete mandate, click here.
Quakers Fostering Justice is involved in many activities; some of them were outlined at a recent conference of professionals concerned with issues of domestic violence in Fredericton, NB.
Programme Coordinator Meredith Egan working with students in a classroom at Happy Grove High School, Hector’s River, Jamaica. QFJ has been involved in mentoring Jamaican educators as they develop a peace education plan for this school.
To read about the history of our Standing Committee in an article by Marc Forget, previous Programme Coordinator of Quaker Committee on Jails and Justice (now called QFJ), click here.
Partnerships:
Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends is a founding member of the Church Council on Justice and Corrections (CCJC), an ecumenical group concerned with justice issues in Canada. QFJ is an active partner with CCJC, and much of our work is achieved in collaboration with them. You can visit their website at ccjc.ca
QFJ often works closely with the Mennonite Central Committee, Restorative Justice division. Visit their websites, http://canada.mcc.org/restorativejustice and mylemonade.org, a website about victim resilience.
QFJ works extensively to help develop materials for Restorative Justice Week in collaboration with CCJC and the Correctional Service of Canada. To access these materials, visit their website at csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rj/index-eng.shtml or through the CCJC website, above. The theme for RJ Week 2009 has been announced. It is Restorative Justice: Helping Communities Meet Human Needs.
Advocacy: QFJ, in partnership with other NGOs often develops briefs and position papers on justice-related issues. Find reference to these on our Resources Page.
QFJ has neither the expertise nor the resources to advocate on behalf of individual cases. Any request for individual advocacy will be responded to with suggestions for support from other agencies. These responses usually take 2-3 months to complete. Please visit our Resources Page for a list of relevant websites for Canadian agencies that do individual advocacy.
QFJ is a member of the following organizations:
Canadian Criminal Justice Association
