Vatican: Women need equal access to resources, capital and technology

(Vatican Radio) The Vatican spoke about “the need to continue our collective efforts for the advancement of women” at a meeting on the Advancement of Women taking place at the United Nations General Assembly.

Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, on Monday told the body “no  woman or girl, especially those living in poverty and distress, [should be] left behind.” 

“In a world where poverty continues to have principally a female face, the promotion of inclusive and equitable economies may have a profound impact in advancing the status of  women,” the Vatican diplomat said.

“In many places women are experiencing unique economic distress linked to unfair employment policies, unequal pay for equal work, the denial of access to credit and  property, victimization in situations of conflicts and migration,” – Archbishop Auza continued – “From this perspective, the  fight for the advancement of women must also mean assuring them equal access to  resources, capital and technology. Notwithstanding the fact that women constitute the majority of the poor and are affected by  the burden of poverty in very specific ways, they are nevertheless often courageously at the  forefront in the fight to eradicate extreme poverty.”

 

The full text of his remarks are below

 

Statement by H.E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza

Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See

71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Third Committee

Agenda Item 27: Advancement of women

 

Madam Chair,

My delegation thanks the Secretary General for raising awareness, through his reports, of  the need to continue our collective efforts for the advancement of women, so that no  woman or girl, especially those living in poverty and distress, be left behind.  Progress has been made, as underlined in the Secretary General’s Report. As Pope Francis observed: “The equal dignity of men and women makes us rejoice to see old forms of  discrimination disappear, and within families there is a growing reciprocity.” Persistent challenges remain however. It is alarming that  about 35 percent of women  worldwide have experienced physical violence at some point in their lives, mostly  domestic and sexual.

Special attention must be given to this truly scandalous situation, so that effective measures  and programs can be put in place to combat and defeat this deplorable type of behavior  towards women. Condemning all forms of violence against women as unacceptable, Pope  Francis has spoken in particular of “domestic violence and various forms of enslavement” which, he strongly denounced as “craven acts of cowardice.” Pope Francis often insists that “violence within the family is a breeding-ground of  resentment and hatred in the most basic human relationships” whereas it is precisely the  family that is “the primary setting for socialization” and that is better able to “introduce[s]  fraternity into the world!” In a social context where support for family values and for the  respect and protection of each one of its members, in particular women and girls, is  lacking, violent behaviors may also breed new forms of social aggression. This extends to  the economic, political, social, and cultural spheres, where it may lead to various forms of  exclusion and exploitation, when women are deprived of economic resources and restricted  in their ability to exercise their political rights  and participation, as mentioned in the  Secretary General’s Report. Catholic social doctrine considers such multi-faceted violence  and exclusion as a major impediment to integral human development.

Madam Chair,

In a world where poverty continues to have principally a female face, the promotion of inclusive and equitable economies may have a profound impact in advancing the status of  women.  In many places women are experiencing unique economic distress linked to unfair  employment policies, unequal pay for equal work, the denial of access to credit and  property, victimization in situations of conflicts and migration. From this perspective, the  fight for the advancement of women must also mean assuring them equal access to  resources, capital and technology. Notwithstanding the fact that women constitute the majority of the poor and are affected by  the burden of poverty in very specific ways, they are nevertheless often courageously at the  forefront in the fight to eradicate extreme poverty. As Pope Francis noted: “doubly poor  are those women who endure situations of exclusion, mistreatment and violence, since they  are frequently less able to defend their rights. Even so, we constantly witness among them  impressive examples of daily heroism in defending and protecting their vulnerable  families.”

Madam Chair,

The Holy See supports the Secretary-General’s recommendations to pay special attention  to female genital mutilations. Pope Francis specifically identifies “reprehensible female  genital mutilation” as an example of “unacceptable customs [that] still need to be  eliminated.” Many Catholic institutions and organizations, in particular women  religious, are on the frontlines working to change cultural practices and empower young  women to resist such violence. Their initiatives are always accompanied by quality  education for girls. Moreover, the fight against trafficking in persons and other forms of modern-day slavery is  a top priority of the Holy See. The Santa Marta Group, Talitha Kum and the #EndSlavery  campaign are just some of the initiatives that Pope Francis has inspired. To raise greater  public awareness of these crimes, Pope Francis has designated February 8 as “International  Day of Prayer and Reflection against Human Trafficking.” It is the feast of St. Josephine  Bakhita, a saint from Sudan who was kidnapped as a child, then sold and resold into  slavery. “Today, as in the past, slavery is rooted in a notion of the human person which  allows him or her to be treated as an object.” This is against all the principles that the  United Nations stands for. We are thus summoned to fight every form of slavery that still  plagues our world.

Finally, my delegation remains very supportive of, and active in, efforts and initiatives  aimed at protecting women’s dignity and advancement, and at improving their living  conditions and participation within the family and society.  Thank you, Madam Chair.