• Coordinating and facilitating all Jesuit involvement in social Action/field
• Gathering data and information on national / south Asian issues and policies affecting the priority groups
• Promoting analysis of central social issues affecting the masses; Furthering Human Rights perspectives
• Initiating advocacy with and on behalf of the marginalized
• Supporting action oriented researches
• Linking up JESA with Social apostolates of Jesuits in other countries and with Social Justice Secretariat, Rome
• Assisting the JCSA President on matters of social concerns and involvement of the Jesuits.

• Grassroots mobilization, Peoples' Organizations and movements
• Socio-political and cultural awareness, training and education
• Promoting ecological sensitivity
• Supporting alternative energy, health care
• Socio-economic Development and Empowerment programmes
• Promoting leadership among priority communities
• Human Resource Development - Capacity Building
• Promoting Gram Saba and Tribal Self-rule
• Advocacy and networking with national and international NGOs and civil society initiatives
• Development and NGO management training
• Human Rights training and monitoring
• Research, documentation and Publication

VISION AND MISSION OF
SOUTH ASIAN PEOPLES' INITIATIVES (SAPI)

In the context of Mumbai World Social Forum (WSF) 2004, South Asian Peoples' Initiatives (SAPI) was evolved as a non-formal forum of/for the indigenous and marginalized communities. SAPI denotes a broad based non-formal and open ended platform of the marginalized communities. Following the WSF 2004 the delegates of SAPI met in New Delhi in April 2004 and evolved the vision of SAPI.

SAPI believes in and promotes democratic, egalitarian, secular, cultural-pluralist society, through collective thinking, search and action, with and on behalf of the marginalized communities: Dalits, Adivasis/Tribals/ Indigenous Peoples, Women, Unorganized Labour, Youth, Refugees and Minorities. It invites and collaborates with individuals, NGOs and organizations at the State, National and South Asian levels.

Objectives:

• To promote secular platform where individuals, groups, NGOs and civil society organizations will find a solidarity space.
• To enhance the members with ongoing reflection and training on current National and South Asian issues of the marginalized groups
• To support the members with proper materials to create meaningful discussion at the local and grassroots level.
• To advance rights based approach in social interventions and promote campaign on socio-cultural and economic rights in collaboration with other like minded groups
• To assist the members to link themselves with other like minded groups nationally and internationally
• To facilitate networking of different interest groups like dalits, tribals, women, unorganized labour, youth, refugees, plantation workers, children, minorities etc for greater visibility and impact at the local, national and South Asian levels.

Role of the Jesuits:

SAPI is a open secular forum initiated by the Jesuits and not a Jesuit organisation. The members of SAPI have asked the Jesuits to journey with them and animate the forum for the time being. At present JESA Secretary and the Director of ISI, New Delhi would function as the Coordinators and they would work in active collaboration with Zonal coordinators of the 6 zones of SAPI. For sometime JESA Secretariat would also function as SAPI Secretariat.

Looking at the social processes the Jesuits in social action definitely sense the need to empower our partners and collaborators. SAPI gives the required space to move beyond religious and geographical limits, particularly in networking with other likeminded groups locally. The Jesuits also feel that they have moral responsibility to support such new initiatives and promote many relevant solidarity forums to enhance social transformation.

SAPI Zones:

For effective functioning South Asia is divided into six SAPI zones. Coordination Committees are formed both at the State and Zonal levels with one year action plan. The six zones are:

a. North (Bihar, Delhi, Hariyana, HP, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uthranjal, UP and Nepal)
b. Northeast, West Bengal
c. Jharkhand
d. Central (Chattisgargh, MP, Orrisa)
e. West (Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra)
f. South (AP, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka)