DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors took part in two sessions at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative Convening in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 12 June, contributing to international discussions on safeguarding culture and presenting original research conducted in partnership with two leading organisations of women religious.

The convening, held from 10 to 12 June under the theme “Journeying Together in Solidarity and Hope: Strengthening Communities and Cultivating Shared Impact for the Common Good,” brought together more than 130 women religious from 23 countries, alongside Church leaders, development partners, and lay collaborators. The Catholic Sisters Initiative Convening is held every three years in different locations and serves as a major platform for reflection and shared learning among Catholic sisters and their partners.

Commission Secretary Mons. Luis Manuel Alí Herrera joined the panel “Beyond Compliance: Fostering a Safeguarding Culture for All,” which was moderated by Sr. Regina Ignatia Aflah, HDR. Speaking alongside Mons. Alí were Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization; Fr. Hans Zollner SJ, Director of the Institute of Anthropology, Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care at the Pontifical Gregorian University; Fr. Aitor Jiménez CMF of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; Sr. Teresia Muthoni, Director of Catholic Sisters in the Legal Profession; and Sr. Josée Ngalula, Professor at the Association des Théologiennes et Canonistes de Kinshasa. Fr. Zollner emphasised in his address that safeguarding efforts within the Church must remain firmly grounded in the Gospel.

Claudia Giampietro, Commission Regional Expert, presented Tutela Minorum’s joint research with the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) on good practices in safeguarding among women religious, published as a white paper. The session also featured findings from Dr. Elvis Fraser, Founder and Managing Director of Sankofa Consulting, and Mariam Traoré, Associate Director of Sankofa Africa.

The Commission’s participation in the convening reflects its ongoing engagement with the global community of women religious, who play a central role in the Church’s direct care for children and vulnerable persons worldwide. The Conrad Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative, whose core values include compassion, integrity, and responsible stewardship, has supported programmes reaching more than 25 million people directly or indirectly through Foundation funding.