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Centre for Catholic Studies

A New Global Safeguarding Alliance

14 January 2021
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In 2020, through the activities of the Boundary Breaking Project examining the ecclesial-cultural implications of the sex abuse crisis in the Catholic church in England and Wales, the Centre for Catholic Studies was one of a group of eight institutions and one individual expert in the field of Safeguarding to have agreed upon the creation of a Global Safeguarding Alliance (“GSA”).

The GSA is intended to promote the common goal of Safeguarding as a voluntary association of academic, teaching, and research institutions, as well as practice-oriented professional schools and individual experts.  

The GSA aims to:

  • promote knowledge and worldwide exchange on safeguarding and the prevention of abuse of children, adolescents and other vulnerable persons
  • create a network of individual initiatives around the globe in an efficient and solution-oriented way
  • serve as visible sign of the Catholic Church's commitment to a safer Church and world. 

In order to achieve these aims the GSA will consult and seek advice from survivors. A main focus of the work of the GSA will be jointly developed global standards for academic programmes, certificates and safeguarding systems and the adaption to the local level. The GSA is open to any institutions that is open to pursuing the same main topics and goals. Current Members of the GSA are: 

  • Centre for Child Protection, Pontificia Università Gregoriana 
  • Centro de investigación y formación interdisciplinar para la protección del menor, Universidad Pontificia de México 
  • Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University 
  • Catholic Safeguarding Institute, Ateneo de Manila University Campus 
  • Centrum Ochrony Dziecka / Child Protection Centre, Kraków, Poland 
  • Safeguarding Commission of the Jesuit Conference of South-Asia – CCP Unit, De Nobili College, Pune, India 
  • Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Santiago de Chile 
  • Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University 
  • Sr Rejoice Enyonam Hoedoafia, individual expert in the field of Safeguarding (Ghana) 

 For more information, please visit the Global Safeguarding Alliance website.