Public Policy
Catholic Relief Services complements and enhances its humanitarian and development programming by addressing the systems and structures that affect those efforts, advocating for stronger and more effective policies to address the needs of the world's most vulnerable. Meeting the basic needs of survival and human dignity through sound and robustly funded foreign assistance is critical if we are to realize a world with stability, peace and prosperity. Our policy and advocacy work is evidence-based and verified by drawing from the breadth and depth of our programs in more than 100 countries around the world.
CRS examines the issues that are dramatically impacting the safety and well-being of poor and vulnerable people worldwide. Our work is based on the principles of Catholic social teaching, with primary focus on protection of the dignity of the human person. With that in mind, our advocacy engages the U.S. government to advance the following principles:
- Elevate a principled approach to foreign assistance.
- Uphold human dignity and defend humanitarian principles.
- Engage and strengthen local leadership.
- Promote the value of faith-based organizations.
- Enable effective and efficient assistance delivery.
Meet the Teams
Just Released
- Feeding the Future: Leveraging Agriculture for Better Diets and Nutrition
- Confronting Climate-Induced Displacement
- Planting the Seeds for Food Systems Change: The Importance of Smallholder Agriculture for the COP28 Conversation
- Unheard, Uncharted: A Holistic Vision for Addressing Non-Economic Loss and Damage
- COP28: The Case for a Quantum Leap in Climate Action
- Addressing Loss and Damage from Climate Change
- The Challenge of Compounding Crises: Hunger and Malnutrition in the Central Sahel
- Strengthening Resilience and Peace in Mozambique: Policy Recommendations for the GFA
- Grand Bargain 2022: Time for Action and Accountability
- Landscape Restoration, Food Security and Global Climate Change Policy – A Call to Action
Focus Issues
- Cash Transfers in Contexts of Acute Food Insecurity: A Learning Brief
- Grand Bargain 2022: Time for Action and Accountability
- Recipe for Success: Accelerating Nutrition Governance
- Policy Research | Leading the Way: How Intentional Capacity Strengthening Helped Locally-Led COVID-19 Response in Three Countries
- CRS’ Recommendations for the Grand Bargain 2.0
- Policy Research | The Missing Link: The Role of Local Institutions in Refugee Response
- Policy Principles to Support Effective and Sustainable Local Leadership in Humanitarian Response and Development Assistance
- COVID-19 and the Critical Need to Support Local Leadership in This Unique Humanitarian Crisis
- Cash Transfers in Contexts of Acute Food Insecurity: A Learning Brief
- The Challenge of Compounding Crises: Hunger and Malnutrition in the Central Sahel
- At a Crossroads: The Intersection of Climate Change and Agriculture
- Policy Brief | The Challenge of Compounding Crises on Hunger
- Global Food Security Act Reauthorization
- Research Brief | Food Security & Malnutrition in Venezuela
- COVID-19 and Food Insecurity: Hot Spots Analysis
- Until Everyone is Safe: An Analysis of COVID-19 Gaps and Opportunities for the U.S. Government
- Saving Lives Through Cash Transfer Programs
- Policy and Practice: Cost effectiveness case study of CRS programs in Niger
- El Niño and Its Human Toll
- COVID-19 and Food Insecurity: April 2021 Hot Spots Analysis
- Landscape Restoration, Food Security and Global Climate Change Policy – A Call to Action
- Feeding the Future: Leveraging Agriculture for Better Diets and Nutrition
- Two years in, where are we now with COVID-19?
- Recipe for Success: Accelerating Nutrition Governance
- CRS and COVID-19: Policy Recommendations to Save Lives and Ensure Human Dignity
- COVID-19 and the Critical Need to Support Local Leadership in This Unique Humanitarian Crisis
- Until Everyone is Safe: An Analysis of COVID-19 Gaps and Opportunities for the U.S. Government
- Strengthening Resilience and Peace in Mozambique: Policy Recommendations for the GFA
- Restoring Peace and Stability in Haiti: Policy Recommendations for the GFA
- Protecting Peace in Coastal West Africa: Policy Recommendations for the GFA
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Social Cohesion Dynamics in Conflict-Affected Communities
- Peace in the Sahel: Policy Recommendations for the U.S. Government
- Policy Research | GETTING IT RIGHT: Policy Recommendations for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism
- Integrating Social Cohesion for Enhanced Outcomes
- Cash Transfers in Contexts of Acute Food Insecurity: A Learning Brief
- CRS’ Recommendations for the Grand Bargain 2.0
- Policy Principles to Support Effective and Sustainable Local Leadership in Humanitarian Response and Development Assistance
- CRS and COVID-19: Policy Recommendations to Save Lives and Ensure Human Dignity
- COVID-19 and the Critical Need to Support Local Leadership in This Unique Humanitarian Crisis
- Emergency Response & Recovery
- Policy Research | The Missing Link- The Role of Local Institutions in Refugee Response
- Policy Research | Exploring the Impact of Social Acceptance on Refugee Integration into Host Communities
- Meeting the Challenges of the World's Refugee Crisis
- Saving Lives Through Cash Transfer Programs
- Feeding the Future: Leveraging Agriculture for Better Diets and Nutrition
- Confronting Climate-Induced Displacement
- Unheard, Uncharted: A Holistic Vision for Addressing Non-Economic Loss and Damage
- COP28: The Case for a Quantum Leap in Climate Action
- Addressing Loss and Damage from Climate Change
- Loss and Damage in Madagascar: Paddling Against a Stream
- Addressing Loss and Damage from Climate Change
- Climate Change Capacity Statement
- Protecting Our Common Home: Framework and Recommendations for USAID’s Climate Strategy
Focus Countries / Regions
Learn more with CRS Research & Publications, CRS Media Center, and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
