Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic: Catholic advocates call the Holy See to account

[Editor’s Note: As an NGO in consultative status with the UN, WOC can submit written statements to ECOSOC meetings. The following statement is being submitted to the ECOSOC High-level segment on the theme “Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, that promotes the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development: Building an inclusive and effective path for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda in the context of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development.”]

As the world begins to emerge from the restrictions and struggles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial for full recovery and effective achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 that women play an equal, if not dominant, role in the rebuilding efforts.  Women have borne the brunt of the effects of this pandemic:  suffering disproportionately economically, taking on additional domestic and child care duties, providing much of the nursing and nurturing while also being subject to increased levels of domestic violence. No strategies should be conceived without full and equal participation of women at all levels of decision-making.

Ironically, this has been plainly explicated by the Vatican in its recent document, “Women in the COVID-19 Crisis:  Disproportionately Affected and Protagonists of Regeneration.”  While bluntly excluding women from any role in decision-making or equal participation in its own administration, either global or local, the Vatican can still maintain that the rest of the world needs to “pay close attention to the experience and struggles of women so they can fully participate.” This document is prescient in stating that “the leadership and contributions of women are indispensable…to regenerate a more inclusive and sustainable economy and society” – yet is blind to its own lack of input from women.  While urging others to “identify and remove structural barriers to inclusion”, the Vatican has, perhaps, the highest and sturdiest walls preventing any participation from women in meaningful leadership.  The document urges its ministers to preach sermons countering violence against women, yet models an oppressive mentality of treating men as worthy of participation where women are not. And, (double irony!) the Church will not allow women to preach about anything, even violence against women.

Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) is the largest organization that is working for full equality of women in the Roman Catholic Church.  WOC maintains that the ECOSOC goals for sustainable development will founder while the Holy See exerts influence in the Commission on the Status of Women because it models the subjugation and silencing of women.  Far from practicing what either the United Nations or its own document on COVID-19 recommends, the Holy See unequivocally and systematically excludes women from decision-making. The prestige and diplomatic and cultural influence enjoyed by the Roman Catholic Church around the world makes it a formidable justification for women’s suppression. But, in order to build back from the COVID-19 crisis effectively, women’s contributions must be not only sought but amplified; the process must be inclusive, valuing the participation of women and marginalized genders for transformative change in every sphere.

The best way to ensure achievement of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development is to hold all members of the United Nations community to the same standard of dismantling any barriers to gender equality and promoting full participation of women in order to provide an inclusive and effective path to resilient recovery.