Holy See Calls for Redirection of Resources at the Service of Human Rights and Development

(October 07, 2010) The fifteen percent increase in global military expenditures from 2007 to 2009 despite the economic crisis is all the more troubling in light of the fact that over 1.4 billion people around the world live on less than $1.25 per day, said Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, permanent Observer of the Holy See at the UNO. He was speaking during the session on the use of resources in favour of human rights and development in New York on Wednesday. He added that while the challenge is real, it is not an insurmountable obstacle if nations move resources form programs designed to destroy to those which foster life and development. At the same time, Archbishop Francis Chullikatt expressed hope that the United Nations will fulfil its responsibilities to address extreme poverty. The Permanent Observer stressed that promoting genuine human and economic development requires a commitment to fundamental and authentic human rights, chief among which is the fundamental right to life of the unborn and the rights of families to raise their children. He also stressed that an individual’s right to worship in public must be honoured, observing that concepts such as defamation of religions need to be re-examined so as to ensure that religious intolerance and violence are rightly condemned without hindering the right to genuine religious freedom. Finally, calling for universal solidarity in favour of those most in need, Archbishop Chullikatt appealed not just for increased financial resources but also greater respect for faith.