At the heart of Pope Francis’s pontificate has been an invitation to radically rethink the global financial order, to envision “a different kind of economy: one that brings life not death, one that is inclusive and not exclusive, humane and not dehumanizing, one that cares for the environment and does not despoil it.” On May 1, 2019, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, Pope Francis called for a conference to take place in Assisi in March 2020, “The Economy of Francesco,” which would bring together young economists, entrepreneurs, and change-makers from around the world to “enter a covenant to change today’s economy and to give a soul to the economy of tomorrow.” Although the restrictions on travel and social gatherings brought on by COVID-19 have postponed the event to November 2020, the global pandemic has highlighted the gross inequalities and injustices in the world economy and made Francis’s call ever more pressing.
Working collaboratively with communities whose voices and life-ways have been marginalised and who may experience an intersection of multiple forms of injustice, our member organisations are dedicated to fighting poverty and related injustices around Africa empowering marginalised voices, communities and groups, and facilitating policy innovation. Member organisations of the Network work together internationally to achieve a greater impact through collective efforts. In all JENA’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to unlock their potential, exercise their rights and manage their own lives.