The Church in Nigeria employs the Justice, Development Peace/Caritas Committees as an organ to implement her programs for integral human development. Since the signs of the time referred to above (cp. 4) are increasingly alarming an “aggiornamento” of the JDP/Caritas concept, addressing urgent issues like: local tensions, relations between different local ethnic and religious groups, local and traditional authorities, transparent implementation of national and states policies with respect for Good
Governance, etc. is barely needed. The demands for development are very extensive, thus the scope of the activities of JDP/Caritas covers a wide spectrum which includes the following aims:
[1] Promote the quality of life for all people
[2] Promote human rights (e.g. U.N. Charter on Human Rights)
[3] Enhance peace building and conflict resolution processes
[4] Form and animate groups to participate in their own development
[5] Make a preferential option for the poor and marginalized and to act as the voice of the voiceless
[6] Identify unjust structures and to take corrective action for the integral development and social welfare of people
[7] Promote the Catholic Social Teaching
[8] Intervene in emergencies to help victims of natural disasters, violent conflicts, and other situations, which deserve immediate response
[9] Research, document and publish information on social issues
[10] Cooperate with International Agencies, Government and NGO's for integral development
[11] Build channels of dialogue at local, national and international level Special Target Groups

According to the option of the church for the underprivileged and marginalized, special focus is laid on:
* THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
* THE STRUCTURALLY DEPRIVED
* THE INJUSTLY PUNISHED
* THOSE UNDER THREAT AND VIOLENCE

Strategies of JDP/Caritas
By the work of Justice, Development and Peace/Caritas Committees it is intended
[1] TO PROMOTE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL PEOPLE THROUGH:
a) Empowerment of people through development programs in areas of basic needs like Agriculture, Water, Health and Shelter
b) Income generating activities
c) Monitoring the use of natural of resources for the benefit of the nation
d) Protection and preservation of the natural environment and the cosystem

[2] TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH:
a) Civic Education towards human rights and political participation
b) Legal Aid Programs and Rehabilitation of Prisoners
c) Police Cells and Stations Monitoring
d) Endorsement of the rights of refugees, migrant workers, displaced persons and other politically marginalized groups
e) Dialogue and cooperation with other religions
f) Promotion of Women and Child's Rights

[3] TO ENHANCE PEACE BUILDING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESSES THROUGH:
a) Regular Dialogue with Stakeholders and within Communities
b) Training of identified leaders in Peace Building and Conflict Resolution
c) Peace Education in Schools, Universities and other training institutions
d) Monitoring of Crisis areas
e) promotion of non violence

[4] TO FORM AND ANIMATE GROUPS TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR OWN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH:
a) Encouragement of active JDPC Committees in all catholic parishes
b) Leadership training
c) Youth programs and workshops
d) Vocational training and promotion of self-employment
e) Seminars, workshops and group trainings

[5] TO MAKE PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR AND MARGINALIZED AND TO ACT AS THE VOICE OF THE VOICELESS THROUGH:
a) Advocacy and lobbying at all levels (from the Bishops conference to the parish council)
b) Empowerment and Rehabilitation programmes for target groups

[6] TO IDENTIFY UNJUST STRUCTURES AND TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR THE INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL WELFARE OF PEOPLE THROUGH:
a) Needs assessment and fact finding
b) Organisation and empowerment of communities and their leaders
c) Campaigns for political participation
d) Election observation
e) The use of lobby as one of the appropriate means of work

[7] TO PROMOTE THE CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING (CST) THROUGH
a) Creating and Forming of JDP/Caritas' at all levels backed by active grass root groups
b) Seminars, workshops and discussions about the principles of the CST at various levels, for laity as well as for clergy
c) Disseminating the CST by publications in popular language

[8] TO INTERVENE IN EMERGENCIES, TO HELP VICTIMS OF NATURAL DESASTER, VIOLENT CONFLICTS AND OTHER SITUATIONS WHICH DESERVE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE THROUGH:
a) Integration of Caritas in the JDPC structure
b) Building of Emergency response units and an Early Warning System all over the country
c) Regular Training for Emergency response units
d) Generating of resources for preventive measures and Relief Aid, locally and internationally

[9] TO RESEARCH, DOCUMENT AND PUBLISH INFORMATION ON SOCIAL ISSUES THROUGH:
a) Development of profound structures for systematic data gathering and collation and dissemination
b) Promotion of Transparency and Communication between JDP/Caritas' at all levels
c) Collaboration with Social Communication Departments of the Catholic Church as well as with Universities and other Research Centres
d) Cooperation with Media and NGO's
e) Setting up of libraries and resource centres with topics around the CST

[10]TO COOPERATE WITH NGO'S, GOVERNMENT AND INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH:
a) Cooperating with other Churches, Mosques and African Traditional Religions in Development Projects
b) Promoting or using Nigerian networks and coalitions in accordance with the organisational structure of JDP/Caritas and its policy framework
c) Establishment of International and National, Regional and Local Partnerships in accordance with the National JDP/Caritas Policy
d) Participation in relevant events inside and outside the country in accordance with the subsidiary structure of JDP/Caritas

[11] TO BUILD CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE AT LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL THROUGH:
a) Use of modern communication means, like E-mail, E-Discussion Groups, E-Learning
b) Design and Actualisation of WebPages
c) Structured dissemination of relevant information and data like Annual Reports, Training Modules, Conference Reports
d) Regular Meetings, Working Groups and Training for JDP/Caritas-staff and JDP/Caritas-members at all levels
e) Participation of JDP/Caritas delegates in relevant international events for the benefit of the Nigerian JDP/Caritas work