Vatican City, 24 March 2015 (VIS) –
Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Holy See Permanent Observer at the United
Nations in New York, spoke on 13 March at the 59th Session of the
Commission on the Status of Women, which analysed the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action, with a view also to advancing
women’s empowerment and equality in a post-2015 development agenda.
“There has been considerable progress
for the cause of women in many countries, especially in the areas of
education, political representation, and economic participation”,
said the nuncio. “In spite of the admirable efforts and significant
advances, however, still too many women continue to face
discrimination and many forms of violence just for being women”.
“The goal of eradicating poverty, in
particular extreme poverty, is at the heart of the Holy See’s
concerns. The Catholic Church has nearly unparalleled experience of
the needs of the poor through its bimillennial experience and through
hundreds of thousands of programs and institutions serving poor women
and men the world over”, he continued. “The promotion of
inclusive and equitable economies has a profound impact in advancing
the status of women. Indeed, women are experiencing unique economic
distress linked to unfair employment policies, unequal pay for equal
work, the denial of access to credit and property, and victimisation
in situations of conflicts and migration. 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
courageously at the forefront in the fight to eradicate extreme
poverty. From this perspective, the fight for the advancement of
women must also mean assuring them equal access to resources, capital
and technology”.
The archbishop underlined that “studies
have demonstrated that fragile family structures and the decline of
marriage among the poor are very closely linked to poverty among
women. Single mothers are left alone to raise children. Many mothers
in situations of distress fail to send their children to school, thus
entangling them in the vicious circle of poverty and marginalisation.
… Numerous reports by the Secretary-General have highlighted the
centrality of the family for poverty eradication and sustainable
development”.
The Holy See takes note of the report
by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the
problems and attacks girls continue to suffer in accessing education.
“My delegation is convinced that the fight for equal access to
education for girls, especially quality education, is an
indispensable component in the fight for the advancement of women …
and reiterates Pope Francis' readiness of to work with all those who
are seeking each day to build a world that concretely treats women as
equals, in the diversity of gifts and strengths, toward the greater
common good of all”.
No comments:
Post a Comment