BACKGROUND: The Justice, Development and Peace/Caritas Commission (JDPC/Caritas) is an institution established by the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria (CBN) under the department of Church and Society of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN). JDPC/CETJAD is one of such 50 different JDP/Caritas groups scattered all over the six geopolitical zones jof the country and is located at the South Eastern part of Nigeria under the Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province with its headquarter in Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Umuhuali, in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

OUR STATUS AND NETWORK: The JDPC, Abakaliki is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC) under the department of Church and Society of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria. It is as old as Abakaliki Diocese itself which is also a one state Diocese with a population of about 1.6 million according to the 2006 Census. It is also registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a diocese under the name ‘Centre for Transparent Justice and Development(CETJAD’, Abakaliki, hence the accronym JDPC/CETJAD.

It currently has a staff capacity of 10 qualified, reliable and dedicated staff at the Head Office, 13 Local Government Areas/Zonal Coordinators and grassroots. This corresponds to the 13 LGAs in the state, over 90 Parishes and Chaplaincies and CCD Centres.

JDPC/CETJAD is a Commission established in response to the mandate of the Church through the Second Vatican Council, to get involved in building a just and virile world. it is therefore created to respond to the social demands of the gospel as earlier designed by the Church on 6th January 1967, through Pope Paul VI, when he created the Pontifical Commission: Justus et Pax (Justice and Peace).

OUR MISSION: To promote the dignity of the human person for sustainable and holistic development and effective transformation of oppressive structures through participatory empowerment approaches.

OUR OBJECTIVES:

• To create opportunities for self-reliance and to reduce poverty.
• To promote a healthy environment for people living with HIV/Aids, and other vulnerable persons.
• To empower the youths and women.
• to promote environmental friendly practices.
• To increase citizens’ participation in governance for effective development.
• To build into the citizens the culture of peaceful management and resolution of conflicts.
• To promote equal rights amongst citizens.
• To keep functional our tentacles extended to the grassroots to enhance impact.