Uniya

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[edit] Uniya Jesuit Social Justice Centre

Uniya Jesuit Social Justice Centre is a small, Sydney-based centre for social justice and human rights research, advocacy, education and networking.

It was established in 1989 by Father Frank Brennan SJ AO, who was the Director of the Centre until 1993 and again from 1996 to 2000. Although it is still funded primarily by the Australian Jesuits, the staff are now all lay people, and it has been successful in attracting external grants.

According to its website "Uniya seeks to focus attention and influence Government policy and public opinion on key justice and human rights issues in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. It draws guidance from the Gospel vision and the riches of Catholic Social Teaching. Uniya seeks to stand in solidarity with those on the margins of society."

Uniya previously focused on the plight of refugees and asylum seekers. Its focus is now on Indigenous reconciliation and Australia’s role in the Pacific and South East Asia. Current projects include the establishment of an Australian human rights treaties compliance database and a survey of how Australia is perceived by non governmental organizations (NGOs) in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

[edit] Uniya mission at Daly River, NT

Uniya is named after the first Jesuit mission in Australia. The mission, also known as "Queen of the Holy Rosary" station, was established at Daly River, Northern Territory (NT) and operated from October 1886 to September 1889. It is known as "Uniya" because of its proximity to the Aboriginal site Wuniya. The name is said to be a local Aboriginal word meaning either "bend in the river" or "meeting place".

The mission was unique in its approach to Aboriginal people in the late 19th Century in that, unlike other Christian missions at the time, the Jesuits wanted to preserve the language and culture of the local people. Conversion to Christianity was only secondary to the protection of Aborigines from Western influence.

The original Uniya site is now a declared heritage place under the NT's Heritage Conservation Act 1991.