FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 12, 2016

On February 8, The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the UN gave an intervention during the 54th Session of the Commission for Social Development on Agenda Item 3a, dedicated to “Rethinking and strengthening social development in the contemporary world.”

In its statement, the Holy See lauded the significant progress that has been made over the last decade in significantly reducing poverty across the globe, but noted that special care must be given to address the underlying social inequalities and vulnerabilities among “those left behind by the market economy” and at greater risk due to climate change and global economic, food and energy crises that arise.

The Holy See added that such destabilizing events can be exacerbated by what Pope Francis calls the “globalization of indifference” flowing from a culture shaped by the “pursuit of profit and hedonism” that often breed injustice, division and violence. What’s needed, rather, is a “globalization of solidarity,” which the Holy See stated is what the international community manifested in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This solidarity means providing every person with the “minimal spiritual and material means needed to live in dignity and to create and support a family” and involves at least “lodging, labour and land” and spiritual freedom.

The statement can be found here.