The International Young Christian Workers in the Americas just finished their continental meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There were participants from many different countries: Peru, Paraguay, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Brazil, Haiti, and Quebec. In addition, there was a representative from the International Secretariat as well as some delegates from other organizations also invited to this continental meeting.

Three exchanges took place before the continental meeting. One exchange was held in Paraguay regarding Gender Equality and Actions of the movements, and the other two exchanges were help in Brazil, in Joao Pesoa and Sao Vicente, regarding solidarity economy.

After these exchanges, all delegates participated in the continental meeting in Rio de Janeiro in order to review the actions of the movement, develop the discussion on the continuity of the actions, and come up with a concrete action plan.

The young activists of the YCW national movements developed a very good discussion about the IYCW movement today and the transformation of young people in society through the methodology of our movement.  

The delegates made an evaluation of their plan of action and its implementation in the national movements. A very good discussion took place on the action process; the participants identified the challenges facing them as well as the causes of those challenges in order to develop a concrete plan for the coming years, keeping in mind the International Council 2012.

The leaders of the national movements really got involved in the continental meeting, showing their commitment to have a good preparation towards the International Council.

A great cultural night was organized to promote cultural exchange and the integration of delegates.

Statement of the IYCW on the International Day

for the Elimination of Violence Against Women 2011

The International Young Christian Workers’ movement (IYCW) is continuing its campaign on Gender Equality as a part of its Social Protection campaign. It is quite clear that young women who we work with at the grassroots are facing violence and discrimination in their daily lives.

There are young women in India today who spend their lives unmarried; they could not get married because of the dowry system, and they are considered a burden for their family.

There are young domestic workers in Paraguay facing violence and sexual abuses in their working places.

There are many women around the world who are “legally” raped by their husbands.

As International Young Christian Workers, we believe that this violence must stop, and we fight all types of violence and discrimination against women in society.

Let’s go on with our continuous struggle for, by and with the young workers!

For, as Cardijn said, “A young worker is worth more than all the gold in the world.”

Almost a century ago, in 1912, Joseph Cardijn was named curate of the parish of Notre-Dame at Laeken, a suburb of Brussels, Belgium. He immediately discovered the situation of young workers, particularly that of the exploited girl apprentices. What he saw led him to create the initial groups of workers of what was to become a movement, the Young Christian Workers (YCW). The YCW is still very active 99 years later, not only in Belgium but in around 40 countries across the world. Local groups developed in Belgium first, but soon the movement crossed the borders to reach other European countries, and finally other countries around the world.

On 25th August this year, the International Young Christian Workers movement (IYCW) celebrates its 54th anniversary. It commemorates the great world assembly held in Rome in 1957, which brought together 32,000 young workers from 85 countries. A Sunday mass took place on 25th August 1957 at Saint Peter’s basilica, and Pope Pius XII joined the young workers that afternoon on Saint Peter’s Square. And that was the moment and day of the birth of IYCW. The IYCW celebrates its anniversary every year on 25th August.

Next year, in 2012, the YCW will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the movement in Belgium, the 55th anniversary ofthe creation of the international movement, and it will also hold its International Council in Ghana, Africa, in the month of August.

Cardijn created the first YCW groups in 1912 because he was appalled at the terrible working and living conditions of young workers at the time. Today, 99 years later, the IYCW continues to set up local groups on all continents around the world to fight the situations of exploitation and injustice faced by young workers and promotes the campaign for Social Protection (Just Work, Gender Equality and Quality Education) for all young workers. Through its action, the movement has achieved a lot throughout its history, but a lot remains to be done in its struggle for decent working and living conditions for each and every young worker. Because, as Cardijn said, “Every young worker is worth more than all the gold in the world”.

Source: International Cardijn Foundation, IYCW – 75 Years of Action

The Indonesia YCW is reporting that workers who are members of the Workers' Solidarity Struggle Trade Union are continuing their action at a textile factory in Bandung despite intimidation and violence that caused one pregnant worker to lose her baby.

The situation faced by workers in a factory in the Bandung region in Indonesia started in 2009 when a group of workers gathered together to discuss the growing problems with their employer. The factory produces clothing articles for renowned European labels, but for its nearly one thousand employees, no decent working conditions and minimum wage are applied.

Their main difficulties at the working place include the extremely long working days, large production schemes that must be accomplished, and the lack of job contracts or social security.

Following the first meetings and with the help and advice of Indonesia YCW members, the workers decided to form a Trade Union called Workers’ Solidarity Struggle and to start organizing actions in order to improve their working conditions. These actions consisted in negotiating with the employer and the local legal authorities.

You may know the story of a king of ancient times. He wanted to know how his people would react when faced with a challenge or obstacle. Therefore, the king placed a huge rock (boulder) on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none of them did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying on the road where the huge rock had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.