Core Concerns (Themes)

(i)  Church-Mission Engagement

Since its foundation the core objective of SBSS is to create awareness in churches and rural community with an emphasis on favoring the marginalised. In one sense the 1978 consultation on the ‘church’s role in the social services and development’ marked the overall theological expression of the Infant Church of its aspiration to build Comprehensive Human Communities (CHC) which would become instruments for the transformation and renewal of both the church and society. This urge has been recognized by the church through three major initiatives undertaken by it to bring the conviction of CNI to renew its effort to commit itself and undertake mission and service by building CHC: Church’s Role in Social Services (CRSS in 1978) and Leadership Development Program (LDP in 1984) and Towards Holistic Understanding of Mission (THUM in 1993).

In the mission priority of CNI for the 21st century, the ministry of service has the important place by which, Synod has given the mandate to SBSS to work on its behalf to help the marginalised communities for access to service, education etc. SBSS has also undertaken the task of conscentising the church leaders and congregations to accept the social transformation and social action in place of charity and welfare as an integral part of the mission of the church.

From 2000, the SBSS has made a very clear option for their transformation approach by introducing the theme of TBCRH. This process of paradigm shift in the church mission is not very easy as the mind set of the church leaders and congregations has not changed from their traditional approach and understanding of mission. God challenges us to respond to the profound changes that are taking place in the global village in the postmodern era. We are not being called simply to do small patchwork in order to streamline our present outdated models for mission and service but in opting for creating, with all spiritual resources at our disposal to discover new paradigms relevant in this age of globalization. Church’s development concern is centered on the creative and redemptive purpose of God of all human kind where people can live in peace and righteousness with each other and with all creation.

The Church- Mission Engagement is the energizing force to integrate the mission agenda of the Church and the rights based approach to be in solidarity with poor. CME should empower its constituency to identify with the poor and respond appropriately for the sustainable change.

(ii)  Gender

The issue of gender justice gains importance when it is viewed from the perspective that women are not only victims of violence but also agents of social transformation. The programmes of DBSS have addressed the issue of economic alienation and social subduing of women through successful formation of SHGs, providing women’s educational programmes and conduction of rallies and demonstrations against exploitation. The formation of a women’s federation (around 300 SHGs) in the North East Diocese is emerging as a unifying force in tackling social injustices. Converting this federation into a women’s movement is the need of the hour. Some of these initiatives enabled them to claim and fight for their rights to create alternative livelihood means. For instance, in Thakdari cluster (Kolkata diocese), a collective struggle by the VDCs and women’s groups to bring back the land under their own possession has met with considerable success. The challenge before us at this juncture is, to sustain these struggles and transform them into movements.

Our overall women centric intervention has given considerable impact on the lives of women. But still there are a lot of things to be done to address the issue of equality and equity to empower them. Gender Justice and Gender mainstreaming in the future programmes will ensure dynamic participation of women and men in decision-making process to have access over basic amenities, control over resources and identifying the obstacles that are detrimental to the process of empowering women.

(iii)  Lobbying, Advocacy and Networking (LAN)

The essence and ideology of the vision and mission of the CNI-SBSS is to empower people by fulfilling their economic, social, political, and cultural rights. To realize this, SBSS and partners believe that it is important to integrate LAN related initiatives in our interventions. At present advocacy as a tool is confined only to community mobilization for Morchas and Dharnas. But through appropriate approaches and methodologies, the message and need for change should be communicated to individuals and other like-minded institutions. Under the umbrella of CNI itself, there are around twenty development related institutions. Coordination and networking among them is necessary to realize the vision of CNI. Our field experience shows that there are hundreds of elected women panchayat leaders in our reference areas. Their negotiating skills have improved remarkably over the years. At present, more than 1000 People’s Organizations with varying capacity are engaged in different struggles. Indexing, assessing capacities and empowering these communities and Peoples’ Organizations through LAN are very important objective of this perspective.

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Tel.: 091-11-23718168/23351727 Fax: 091-11-23712126,
E-mail: cnisbss@nda.vsnl.net.in. Website: www.cnisbss.org