The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development  was established by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, with the Apostolic Letter of August 17, 2016,  in a new Motu Proprio, Humanam Progressionem.

Since 1st of January 2017, the Dicastery has been created merging the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, and the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers.

The Dicastery includes the Commission for Charity, the Commission for Ecology and the Commission for Health Care Workers, each operating according to its norms.

A section of the Dicastery deals specifically with issues concerning migrants, refugees and victims of slave tradehuman trafficking, giving necessary attention to issues pertaining to the needs of those who are forced to abandon their countries or those who are without one. This section was placed “ad tempus” under the guidance of the Supreme Pontiff who exercises it in the ways he deems appropriate with the help of two Under-Secretaries.

Caritas Internationalis, according to its Statutes, falls within the competence of the Dicastery, and it maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, taking into account its Statutes. It also collaborates with the Secretariat of State through its participation in the Holy See's delegations at intergovernmental meetings in matters concerning its competence.

The Dicastery is also responsible to the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel and the Van Thuan Foundation. It is entrusted with the supervision of the Populorum Progressio Fund for Latin America.