Human person is not to be traded for any purpose, says Holy See

(Oct.13,2010) “The wellbeing of the future of the human community depends to a great extent upon the ability of the governments and civil society to truly respect women, their dignity and worth.” The remarks were made by Cathy Murphy to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, during a general discussion on “The Advancement of Women”.Murphy, who is Advisor of the Holy See’s Permanent Mission to the U.N. lauded significant strides that have been made in promoting the dignity of women, but said that much more needs to be done. She expressed hope that the newly established entity “UN Women,” will be able to provide real assistance to all States, as they work together to improve the lives of women and mothers everywhere.
Referring to the problem of human trafficking, the Holy See’s delegate underlined the need to identify factors that render women and children more vulnerable to modern slavery, poverty, un-employment and the lack of educational opportunities. She said action is needed, not only where victims originate, but also in the countries where demand for them renders human life a mere commodity. Murphy called for better laws against prostitution, child pornography and sexual exploitation, insisting that the human person is not something to be traded for any purpose.