Catholic Orgs and Allies challenge the Holy See at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63)
Contact: Cathy Renna, cathy@targetcue.com, 917-757-6123 for more information or to RSVP for either event
Advocates and Experts Call for Removal of the Holy See from the Commission on the Status of Women
On March 14th 2019, during the 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the United Nations’ intergovernmental official commission that focuses on the human rights of and empowerment of women, there will be two events sponsored by the International Fellowship for Reconciliation and others entitled “Catholics for Human Rights: Challenging the Holy See at the United Nations.” The events will highlight the history and current role of the Holy See at the UN.
Theologians, lawyers and advocates will examine the effect that the Holy See has on rights-related policy, interrogating the present practices and failures of the HS to adequately address human rights of women and of young people, especially in light of current global abuse scandals situation, presenting a case for the removal of the Holy See from the CSW.
Each year, the session brings together those representing UN Member States and civil society non-governmental organizations to further the advancement of gender equality and gender justice, working towards common goals for the betterment of women’s lives around the world and the fulfillment of the UN sustainable development goals. The second panel will be held at The Community Church of New York and will turn a critical eye towards the Catholic Church in an effort to illuminate abuses and consider practices and policies that work towards harm reduction and healing. Speakers will demand that the Holy See step down from the CSW.
In addition to a report and written complaint that will be made available to attendees, they will publicly discuss the central role the Holy See has played in obstructing progress by the CSW in many areas of human rights, including in sexual and reproductive rights, and how the Holy See as a religious body exceeds their powers at the CSW and at the UN. In part, this is manifested by notcomplying with treaties related to the treatment of women and children, as well as condemning and denying rights of those the committee is dedicated to protecting, from women and children to LGBTQ people.
Said Sheila Peiffer, President of the Board of the Women’s Ordination Conference:
“On March 14, a coalition of Catholics for Human Rights and their allies will be calling for the Holy See to be removed from participation in the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations. The Holy See is not a member state but uses their Permanent Observer status to wield undue influence in many spheres. Many times they take part in UN activities and mechanisms like a state, while other times they want to exert moral authority as a religious denomination. Unfortunately, their interference in governmental matters often dilutes their authority in places where they could be a force for good. As the world watches the Catholic Church itself grapple with a systemic child abuse scandal, it is more than ironic that the Holy See has a place in the Commission on the Status of Women, established to protect and enhance the life of children and women. The most fundamental principle of Catholic Social Teaching is the absolute dignity of the human person, which in turn, means respecting each person’s conscience.
The Holy See at the CSW has consistently violated this principle of respecting women’s and LGBTQ peoples’ rights to conscientious decisions about their own bodies and lives. The Holy See’s fixation on the word “gender” has stymied many important agreements and aid packages. Their homophobic attitude toward LGBTQ people and lack of support for women’s mental and physical health foments violence and obstructs progress towards attaining the Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at the UN’s Fourth World Conference on Women as well as UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Holy See does not merit inclusion in the Commission on the Status of Women.”
MORE INFORMATION:
Catholics for Human Rights: Challenging the Holy See at the United Nations
Location: Church Center for the United Nations, 777 UN Plaza, Second Floor Time: 10:30 AM to Noon. Speakers: Mary Hunt, Virginia Saldanha, Mary Anne Case, Amanda Ussak, Kate McElwee.
Survivor Voices for Justice: Holding the Holy See Accountable at the United Nations
Location: The Community Church of New York, 40 East 35th StTime: 2pm-5pm. Moderators: Kate McElwee and Amanda Ussak. Speakers: Barbara Dorris, Carla Rivera, and Pam Spees.