Thus, Jesuits and partners in mission advocate at local, national, regional and international levels. How do we do it? What is our understanding of Advocacy?

It is not easy to define advocacy, but the following definition may serve as a helpful starting point. “Citizen centered advocacy is an organized political process that involves the coordinated efforts of people to change policies, practices, ideas and values that perpetuates inequality, prejudice and exclusion. It strengthens citizen´s capacity as decision makers and builds more accountable and equitable institutions of power” (Veneklasen and Miller, 2002)

A way of doing advocacy can be called “Ignatian” when the works (centres, institutions) and/or platforms share Ignatian characteristics of advocacy. Hence, any work that a) intentionally seeks God in all things; b) practices Ignatian discernment and c) engages the world through a careful analysis of the context in dialogue with experience and seeking right decision for the sake of action with openness to evaluation, can be called Ignatian.