Statement on Affordable
Housing and Homelessness
On February 17, Monsignor David Charters, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave an intervention during the General Discussion of the 58th Session of the Commission for Social Development, dedicated to the theme of "Affordable Housing and Social Protection Systems for All to Address Homelessness."
In his intervention, Monsignor Charters welcomed the attention being paid to homelessness, which particularly affects the most vulnerable members of society and contributes to a host of social problems contrary to human dignity and flourishing. He stressed the need to respond to the material and spiritual needs of people and recalled the importance of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development that seeks to ground social development on human dignity and inalienable human rights.
He highlighted three types of initiatives that have often played a major role in the work of Catholic charitable organizations around the world in caring for the homeless and in addressing the problem of homelessness: ensuring the homeless have adequate “front line” assistance; studying the causes of homelessness at the national level, including unfair housing practices; seeking to address the right to adequate housing at international fora.
His statement can be found here.
Statement at the
International Seabed Authority
On February 20, Monsignor Fredrik Hansen, Head of the Delegation of the Holy See to the First Part of the Twenty-sixth Session of the Council of the International Sea Bed Authority (ISA), gave an intervention during the Council’s meeting in Kingston, Jamaica.
In his intervention, Monsignor Hansen expressed the Holy See’s appreciation for the work of the ISA and offered five points with regard to negotiations taking place on Regulations on the exploitation of mineral resources in the Area. He urged that negotiations be thorough and not truncated due to artificial deadlines, and that there be clarity and external and internal consistency in terminology used in the Regulations, special attention given to some overarching principles he listed, accountability, compliance and oversight, and the highest environmental standards.
His statement can be found here.
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