Caritas India is the official National Organisation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of India (CBCI) for social concern and human development. It was established by
a resolution of the CBCI during its General Body Meeting in 1960. Its first name
was “Catholic Charities India” (CCI), which began to function from October 1, 1962
with its headquarters in the CBCI Centre, New Delhi.
Right from its inception, Caritas India has been a recognized leader in responding
to the natural and human-made disasters all over the sub-continent. Through its
humanitarian response, Caritas India collaborates with the Central and State Governments,
which has been appreciated and duly acknowledged by the respective governments.
Caritas India has been abreast with the development trends and has dedicated its
resources and efforts towards poverty reduction through an empowerment process towards
nation building.
Caritas India is a network organization with 152 local counterparts who are the
Diocesan Social Service Societies (DSSS) and hundreds of NGO partners. Through a
process of active partnership Caritas India strives to reach even the remotest corners
of the country. It serves the poor and marginalized without any distinction of caste,
creed and ethnicity.
Caritas India is a member of Caritas Internationalis, whose services reach 200 countries
and territories, making it one of the largest humanitarian networks in the world
today.
The major thrust areas of Caritas India are humanitarian assistance in the context
of natural and human-made calamities:
- Relief – Rehabilitation & Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP)
- Promotion of Sustainable Community Empowerment Programmes: Animation-Development
& Support Services – ensuring the Human Rights of the marginalized communities to
facilitate the restoration of human dignity
- Gender Equality
- Natural Resources Management
- Campaign against Hunger and Disease