BUENOS AIRES — A training session held on May 14 brought together more than 30 Church leaders and staff to strengthen safeguarding strategies within Caritas Argentina, marking a significant step in the organisation’s ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable populations. 

The session was led by Dr. Patricia Espinosa, a member of the Commission and Moderator of its Regional Group for the Americas. Among the participants were bishops, priests, and laypeople serving in Caritas diocesan offices across the country. Archbishop Gustavo Carrara of La Plata, President of Caritas Argentina, was also in attendance. 

Titled “Developing Safeguarding Strategies for the Volunteer Network of Caritas Argentina,” the training focused on the unique challenges of an organisation sustained primarily by volunteer work. Caritas maintains a vast network of nearly 500,000 volunteers across Latin America and the Caribbean, including around 30,000 in Argentina alone. 

The initiative is part of the implementation of the fifth management standard of Caritas Internationalis — safeguarding — which has been developed over the past 16 months in collaboration with various national Caritas organisations in the region and the Commission. The event was coordinated and facilitated by the Memorare Project team, based in the province of Chubut. 

Participants described the session as an important opportunity to deepen their understanding of safeguarding and reflect on essential practices such as volunteer screening, training, and supervision. They also highlighted the importance of clear policies and leadership commitment in preventing sexual abuse and other forms of violence or mistreatment. 

Through this collaborative initiative, Caritas Argentina continues to strengthen its capacity to foster safe environments. The Commission remains committed to supporting Catholic institutions around the world in building a culture of safeguarding grounded in transparency, accountability, and justice.