Statement by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations
UNGA 78 – Third Committee
Agenda item 25: Advancement of women
New York, 4 October 2023
Mr. Chair,
Seventy-five years ago, this Committee approved the draft Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirmed “the equal rights of men and women.”[1] Guaranteeing equality in dignity and rights between women and men requires, among other things, statistical analysis and follow-up, in order to measure the progress made and further promote concrete efforts. In this respect it is worth noting the significant achievements reached in various countries, especially in education and the workplace.
Mr. Chair,
The advancement of women requires furthermore to recognize women’s moral and spiritual strength, which is joined to their awareness that God entrusts the human being to mothers in a special way, and that makes their presence and contribution essential within the family, the different spheres of society and in the life of the whole nation.[2] Unfortunately, the paradox is that “today, in many countries, women are considered second-class citizens […] subjected to violence and abuse” [3] and denied opportunities to develop and use their gifts.
Currently, women and girls account for approximately 60% of detected victims of trafficking, and are more likely to experience violence at the hands of their traffickers.[4] They also make up the vast majority of victims trafficked for sexual exploitation.[5] As Pope Francis has stressed, “Exploitation and subjugation limit freedom and turn people into objects to be used and discarded.”[6] Poverty, lack of education, and family instability put women and girls at greater risk of being trafficked, and must be tackled. At the same time, we must address the causes that make trafficking so easy and profitable, and work to identify victims and prosecute traffickers and smugglers.
Mr. Chair,
A significant proportion of sex trafficking victims are forced to participate in the creation of pornography. Yet even those women whose participation in the porn industry was voluntary detail violence, coercion, and substance abuse after leaving it. This is not accidental or incidental, but intrinsic to the nature of a “business” where women who often find themselves in vulnerable situations are taken for commodities.
Nor do the harms of pornography end with production. With the widespread use of the internet, pornography is available more easily than ever, with its violent and demeaning content, often grounded in misogynistic and racist stereotypes. We must be honest: any form of pornography objectifies and belittles women, and toleration of its creation and consumption is incompatible with respect for the equal dignity of women.
Mr. Chair,
Respect for women must include cherishing their unique gifts and capacities, including motherhood. Too often, this capacity is viewed as a liability. This is evident in the narrow focus on pregnancy prevention to reduce maternal mortality without making childbirth safer, often justified in terms of utilitarist reasoning. It is also evident in the promotion of abortion, which ends the lives of unborn children, when in fact their equal right to life should be respected while ensuring greater support for their mothers. Moreover, the practice of prenatal sex selection, which has led to millions of missing girls, is an affront to the dignity of women and must be ended. Women and their children are also increasingly commodified through assisted reproductive technologies. In particular, turning the capacity for pregnancy into a commercial matter, as in egg donation or surrogacy, rather than an act of love, undermines and demeans women.
Mr. Chair,
The advancement of women can only be achieved when women are cherished and respected in their whole being, and will not be reached as long as women are treated as objects to be acquired, exploited, and cast aside at will. The Holy See remains supportive of and active in efforts and initiatives which affirm the equal dignity of each woman and girl and ensure opportunities for them to develop their gifts and reach their potential as a priority.
Thank you.
[1] Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Preamble.
[2] Cfr. Saint John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem, 15 August 1988, n. 30.
[3] Pope Francis, Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, 9 January 2023.
[4] Cfr.United Nations Office of Drugs & Crime, Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2022, p. 25 (2023).
[5] Cfr. Ibid. p. 33.
[6] Pope Francis, Message for the 9th International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, 8 February 2023.