Statement on Measures to
Eliminate International Terrorism
On October 10, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave a statement before the Sixth Committee of the Seventy-fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Agenda Item 109, dedicated to "Measures to eliminate international terrorism." The statement was delivered by Monsignor David Charters.
In his statement, Archbishop Auza condemned the use of terrorism, which threatens, he said, the dignity of the human person and the foundational pillars of the United Nations. Such acts can never be justified, he said, and the sufferings of the victims of terrorism require urgent work to find solutions to eradicate this scourge. He called on the international community to be vigilant about the impact of social media campaigns that seek to radicalize young people toward actions that can take not only their lives but those of innocent people. He emphasized the importance of holding terrorist groups accountable through pursuing those who have committed crimes against humanity. To tackle terrorism effectively, he said, the international community, and all strands of society, must work together.
His statement can be found here:
Statement on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child
On October 10, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave a statement before the Third Committee of the Seventy-fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Agenda Item 68 (a,b), dedicated to the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women. The statement was delivered by Monsignor Fredrik Hansen.
In his statement, Archbishop Auza stated that the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of The Convention on the Rights of the Child is an opportunity to reflect on the Convention's important contribution on promoting and protecting the rights and dignity of children throughout the world. The Convention recognizes the family as the natural and fundamental unit of society, he said, and children today face multiple challenges, with many of them still denied their rights due to poverty, conflict, inequality and humanitarian crises. He praised the Secretary General’s report for its focus on children without parental care. He emphasized the importance of respecting the rights of parents with regard to the education of their children and expressed concern about "comprehensive sexuality education” programs currently being promulgated, noting that sexuality education is the right, duty of responsibility of parents.
His statement can be found here:
Statement on the Advancement of Women
On October 8, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave a statement during the General Debate of the Second Committee of the Seventy-fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The statement was delivered by Monsignor Fredrik Hansen.
In his statement, Archbishop Auza said that the starting point for the work of the Committee dealing with financial and economic issues must be the human person as a whole, the person’s inherent dignity and inalienable rights, and the common good of all peoples. He cautioned against shifting the focus of the Second Committee from integral development, economic growth, macroeconomic policy, eradication of poverty, financing for development, food security and other germane topics to controversial issues regarding rights claims that have proven disruptive to the work of the Third Committee and the commissions of the Economic and Social Council. He said that the poor, hungry and homeless of the world need the Second Committee to maintain its proper focus.
His statement can be found here:
Statement at the General Debate of the Second Committee
On October 8, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave a statement during the General Debate of the Second Committee of the Seventy-fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The statement was delivered by Monsignor Fredrik Hansen.
In his statement, Archbishop Auza said that the starting point for the work of the Committee dealing with financial and economic issues must be the human person as a whole, the person’s inherent dignity and inalienable rights, and the common good of all peoples. He cautioned against shifting the focus of the Second Committee from integral development, economic growth, macroeconomic policy, eradication of poverty, financing for development, food security and other germane topics to controversial issues regarding rights claims that have proven disruptive to the work of the Third Committee and the commissions of the Economic and Social Council. He said that the poor, hungry and homeless of the world need the Second Committee to maintain its proper focus.
His statement can be found here:
Statement on Crime Prevention, Criminal Justice and Drug Control
On October 3, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave a statement before the Third Committee of the Seventy-fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Agenda Item 108 (Crime prevention and criminal justice) and item 110 (International drug control). The statement was delivered by Monsignor Fredrik Hansen.
Archbishop Auza emphasized that crime prevention and criminal justice must be based on respect for the rule of law and for universal human rights. The statement also stressed the need for greater resources to protect and assist victims of human trafficking. Finally, he affirmed that the Holy See believes that greater focus on the implementation of all commitments of international drug control is required.
His statement can be found here:
Statement on Macroeconomics
On October 10, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave a statement before the Second Committee of the Seventy-fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Agenda Item 17, dedicated to "Macroeconomic policy questions." The statement was delivered by Monsignor Fredrik Hansen.
In his statement, Archbishop Auza highlighted the importance of formulating ethical economic policies that foster the common good and the prosperity and dignity of persons. It is important, he said, that every person be enabled to live a peaceful, prosperous and stable life through sound economic policies: those that promote a trading system that enables people to come together and to trade ethically, in mutual understanding and with enhanced cooperation. Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato Sí’, cautions society not to allow politics to be dominated by the economic sphere and advocates looking at the impact of macroeconomic policies on the vulnerable and poor. Archbishop Auza called for action on financial crimes, corruption and the drug trade. He noted that while each country is responsible for its own economic development, a global partnerships would promote the common good.
His statement can be found here:
Statement on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
On October 11, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave a statement before the Third Committee of the Seventy-fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Agenda item 69 (a, b), dedicated to the "Rights of Indigenous Peoples.” The statement was delivered by Monsignor Fredrik Hansen.
In his statement, Archbishop Auza noted that several Member States have taken steps to recognize the right to autonomy or self government of indigenous peoples, which creates a mutually beneficial framework for engagement with State governments and contributes to the recognition and realization of their rights and the protection of their patrimony. He also drew attention to 2019 being the "International Year of Indigenous Languages” and said that the preservation of these languages is important not only for the indigenous peoples but also for the cultural heritage of the whole human family.
His statement can be found here:
Statement on Food Security and Agriculture
On October 11, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave a statement before the Second Committee of the Seventy-fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Agenda Item 24, dedicated to "Agriculture development, food security and nutrition." The statement was delivered by Monsignor Fredrik Hansen.
In his statement, Archbishop Auza praised the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals in lifting nearly a billion people out of poverty. Yet more than 800 million people still live in extreme poverty, he said, and the world has a moral duty to do everything possible to eliminate world hunger and poverty through agricultural development, food security and improved nutrition.
Archbishop Auza called for specific action in three areas to work towards ending poverty and hunger: improve the management of the food chain, end the violence fueled by arms and the loss of economic resources to feed people, and strengthen partnerships both internationally.
His statement can be found here: