On March 14, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave a statement during the 62nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women dedicated to the theme of “Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls.”

In his intervention, Archbishop Auza said that women, through their feminine genius, are at the forefront of the “revolution of tenderness” that Pope Francis has said the world needs. Rural women in particular nurture lives, relationships and whole rural societies, showing that we are at our best when we serve one another. The revolution of tenderness begins with ensuring the conditions necessary for women and girls to flourish and fulfill their potential in society. Economically, that involves ensuring that women have equal rights and access to land, water, seeds, legal contracts, markets, and financing. Their health and nutritional needs must be met and their irreplaceable contribution to society through motherhood must be supported and praised. They must have access to quality and equitable education and training. The international community must collaborate to help women carry out the revolution of tenderness and unleash the power of women to serve others for the common good.

The statement can be found here.