Pastoral da Criança

A ministry of the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops, the Pastoral da Criança provides integrated child development and family support services to children from conception through six years of age that prioritize community involvement and grassroots networking. By empowering trained volunteers to act as community leaders, the organization can offered targeted health information and community-based services that drastically reduce infant mortality and improve child health; it also works to improve maternal literacy and reduce domestic violence. The organization has been recognized globally for its extensive information collection system and quantitative program review. The Pastoral da Criança was led by founder Dr. Zilda Arns Neumann until her death in January 2010. While rooted in and supported by the Roman Catholic Church in Brazil, the organization assists children and families of all faiths. It has previously partnered with UNICEF.