Holy See Calls Attention to Needs of Rural Women at the UN

(March 08, 2012) Women around the world, particularly rural women who face serious challenges from poverty and hunger, deserve recognition for their contributions and should be allowed to influence decisions that affect the lives of families, a Vatican official told the United Nations. Improving the lives of women will assist families, the communities in which they live and society as a whole, said Dianne Willman, attaché at the Holy See's permanent observer mission to the United Nations. Willman's comments came as she addressed the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women on Tuesday on behalf of Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, the Vatican's U.N. nuncio. Poverty and hunger are largely caused by unfair social and political systems that perpetuate inequality and deprive women of legal rights and a voice in decisions that affect them, Willman said. She also cited unhygienic situations, poor nutrition, lack of access to water and inaccessible health care as social conditions that must be overcome for millions of women. "Education and training, the provision of resources, service delivery, access to financial systems and communication technology are just some areas which demand ongoing attention as they lead to realization of the right to development," she added, citing the Declaration on the Right to Development. Willman suggested that the cooperation and involvement of men is necessary to overcome prejudice and implement policies that allow for a society that "respects fully the inherent dignity of the human person." The Vatican official also welcomed the hearing as an opportunity for experiences to be shared and best practices to be developed. The Commission on the Status of Women is one of nine commissions under the U.N. Economic and Social Council.