The Bureau is involved with international organizations in advocating for the human rights of children, especially their right to education.

In order to increase its effectiveness in this area, the Congregation has authorized BIS to enter into a three-year partnership with Franciscans International (FI), an NGO of the Franciscan Family, with accreditation before the UN through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

From its offices in Geneva and New York, FI lobbies for causes at the heart of Franciscan spirituality: pursuing justice and peace, overcoming poverty, promoting human rights, and esteeming creation.

By means of this new partnership, the Marist Brothers are working side by side with FI in bringing their Marist attentiveness to bear on the educational needs of children and young people, especially the poorest and most marginalized.

With the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as the focal point for its work, BIS is now becoming an integral part of international efforts to transform our world into a safer place for children.