Stay up-to-date with Trócaire's work overseas, get news on key global social justice issues, and find out about our latest campaigns in Ireland and how you can get involved.
CIDSE is an international family of Catholic social justice organisations
Trócaire CEO Caoimhe de Barra Photo: Barry Cronin
The CIDSE Board of Directors has elected Caoimhe de Barra, Chief Executive Officer of the Irish Catholic international development agency Trócaire, as its new President.
Ms De Barra has been a member of the Board’s Executive Committee since 2020 and has worked for Trócaire in a variety of roles since 1997, including as Director of the International Division (2011-2015) and CEO (2018 – Present).
CIDSE is an international family of Catholic social justice organisations that work with global partners and allies to promote justice, harnessing the power of global solidarity to achieve transformational change for people and the planet.
“It is an honour and a privilege to have been elected by my peers to take on the role of President of CIDSE,” Ms de Barra said.
“Through collaboration with colleagues in CIDSE secretariat and its membership and partner organisations over the past 25 years, I have had the opportunity to contribute to change at a level any of us could only dream of if we worked alone,” Ms de Barra added.
“Through CIDSE, I have had the privilege of working to achieve change in policies at global level that impact on the most vulnerable people in our world, as well as having the honour to contribute to CIDSE from a leadership perspective.”
Caoimhe de Barra starts her mandate as CIDSE begins to implement its new strategic framework, which will run until 2028.
“We are living in difficult times, where the most marginalized and vulnerable people on our planet are finding their right to live in peace and dignity under constant attack. CIDSE offers thought leadership and a moral compass to leaders and citizens alike, and provides practical ways to channel the outrage that ordinary people feel about the deepening inequity in this world,” Ms de Barra said.
“CIDSE’s work to challenge systemic injustice, defend human rights and halt the destruction of the environment has never been more important. Together with our members and partners, who are present in 120 countries and territories globally, we recommit ourselves to this incredibly important work.”
Ms de Barra said it is a “real privilege” to take over the role of Presidency as the organisation implements its new strategic framework.
“As the incoming President. It is a real privilege to take over this role at a time when such a far-sighted strategy has just been signed off. I am delighted to have the opportunity to support all our colleagues in the CIDSE secretariat in Brussels as well as in our 18 member organisations to achieve the ambitions and goals of this strategy. Because I believe in the strategy so fully, I will dedicate myself to this role to the very best of my ability.”
Ms de Barra has been elected President of CIDSE for a three-year mandate; she succeeds outgoing President Ms Lieve Herijgers, Director of Broederlijk Delen, CIDSE’s Belgian Flemish member organisation.
In the addition to the election of the new CIDSE President, two new members of the Executive Committee were elected: Anja Appel (Director of KOO, Austria) and Axelle Fischer (General Secretary of Entraide et Fraternité, Belgium).
The Board also endorsed the 2023-2028 CIDSE strategic framework ‘Thriving in our common home’ which will set CIDSE’s direction for the coming years.
