The secretary for relations with the states of the Vatican, Mons. Paul R. Gallagher, reaffirmed before the United Nations (UN) the commitment of the Holy See with the promotion of the dignity and equality of women, but warned that these goals cannot be achieved without respecting the dignity “from those not born to the elders.”
“The equality of women cannot be achieved unless the dignity of all people is respected, especially the most fragile and vulnerable, from those not born to the elderly,” said the archbishop born in Liverpool (United Kingdom) on Tuesday.
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Mons. Gallagher dio su speech Within the framework of the thirtieth anniversary of the IV World Conference on Beijing’s wife (1995) and was disseminated by the permanent mission of the Holy See before the United Nations based in New York.
Similarly, he said that the protection of the right to life “is essential, since it supports all other fundamental rights.”
Mons. Gallagher also claimed comprehensive and quality health care for pregnant women and, after denouncing high maternal mortality rates in births, warned that it cannot be responded with “false solutions, such as abortion.”
“Although maternal mortality rates have decreased significantly since 1990, advances have stagnated in recent years. Access to prenatal care already qualified, as well as health systems and infrastructure systems, and false solutions should be rejected, such as abortion,” he said.
Do not focus on divisive issues
Therefore, he said that the Holy See expects that, “instead of focusing on divisive issues that are not necessarily beneficial for women, states fulfill their commitments to guarantee women’s equality and respect the dignity that has been granted by God.”
Mons. Gallagher recalled that Beijing’s statement – the commitment adopted by 189 countries at the IV World Conference on Women, organized by the UN in September 1995 in China – was a decisive milestone in promoting women’s rights.
However, he assured that there are issues that remain “without approaching.”
Specifically, he referred to “the highest rate of extreme poverty of women”, the “obstacles” to access a quality education or even “the exclusion of women of the same” and “their lowest salaries in the labor market.”
Mons Gallagher made it clear that these conditions “prevent full achievement of the equal dignity of women and their ability to develop their potential in all spheres of life.”
Alarming violence against girls and women
On the other hand, he focused on the continued prevalence of “violence against women and girls” that, he said, is “deeply alarming.”
“Wherever it occurs, either at home, during trafficking or in conflict and humanitarian situations, it constitutes an affront to its dignity and serious injustice,” he said.
He also observed that technology is also being used to “exacerbate certain forms of abuse and violence.”
Sex prenatal selection practices
In any case, he assured that violence is not limited to sexual exploitation and trafficking, but also includes prenatal selection practices of female sex and infanticide. ”
“These acts, condemned in Beijing’s statement and action platform, continue to cause the death of millions of missing girls every year,” he appreciated.
In this sense, he insisted that any form of violence against women and girls is “unacceptable and must be fought.”
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all the news of the Vatican for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa and Omega.