Jan 16, 2014: The Holy See, will discuss Thursday, at the United Nations Office in
Geneva, a report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The agreement includes calls for signatories to take all appropriate measures to protect
children from harm and to put children's interests above all else. The Holy See ratified
the convention in 1990.
The Vatican will be represented by Monsignor Charles
Scicluna (Pictured) who previously served as Promoter of Justice at the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith. Lydia O’Kane of the Vatican Radio spoke to Archbishop
Silvano Tomasi, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations.
See
below the transcript of Vatican Radio's interview with Archbishop Tomasi
Q.
What is happening today in Geneva regarding this subject? A. today is in session
the committee of experts of the convention of the rights of the child. It is the seat
of the Human Rights Office of the United Nations. This committee presents its observations,
suggestions, advice to every state that has ratified the convention and therefore
has an obligation to present a report on how the convention is implemented in the
territory of this state. It’s an occasion to start a dialogue between the state involved
and the experts in order to facilitate and to improve the protection of children.
Today in this current session of the committee will be examined the reports of Russia,
Germany, the Holy See, Portugal, Congo, Yemen, and we will very gladly take this occasion
as a constructive moment, an important occasion, to reaffirm the value and the procedures
of the convention and to accept any good advice that is given for that can be helpful
in the protection of children. The Holy See is more than willing to, as it has declared
already when it ratified the convention in 1990, to promote and to sustain the good
principles and the good values that are contained in this convention. So, today is
a normal day of work for the United Nations. The attention that is given to the Holy
See is understandable but it is part of a series of other states that are being examined
and we are convinced that some very good results are coming out of this dialogue with
the experts.
Q. There has however been criticism of the Holy See. What is
your response to that? A. There are several criticisms that are made on the policies
or the presumed policies of the Holy See like that they covered up some crimes but
I would say that the policy of the Holy See is to recognize that any crime is bad
and when children are involved it becomes a crime that needs to be addressed more
forcefully. So the obstruction of justice to the detriment of the legitimate jurisdiction
of the individual state should be prosecuted by those states in every case. The policy
and good sense of the Holy See is to encourage the prosecution of any crime, including
crimes, and especially crimes, against children. So my sense is that some of these
accusations or criticisms derive from a lack of knowledge of the activity, the measures
taken by the Holy See in the last several years and also by the local churches and
by the attitude and the directives given by the Holy See that are for transparency
and protection in any case of, as a priority of all the children.
Q. What are
the prospects for the future on this issue in Geneva? A. Well, limiting the prospective
on the convention on the rights of the child, I am sure the Holy See will fulfil its
international obligations and it will take into due account, the observations, the
comments and suggestions in furthering its commitments under the convention of the
rights of the child. The Holy Father has already announced the establishment of a
commission for the protection of minors, the input of the committee, the observations,
whatever advice the committee will give will be studied carefully by this new commission
and the objective is always the best interest of the children, their protection, and
prevention of any abuse or of any harm that may come to them. So the task ahead is
to strengthen the good steps and the good measures that have already been taken and
to continue to maintain as a priority the protection of children.