New York, 28 January 2025
Mr. President,
The ongoing-armed conflicts around the world continue to inflict unnecessary suffering on millions of innocent people. Therefore, the urgency of today’s dialogue cannot be overstated.
The Holy See affirms that compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is rooted in the moral obligation to guarantee respect for the human person.
The rules of IHL are not abstract propositions, but clear safeguards designed to mitigate the suffering caused by conflicts. The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols provide, inter alia, a framework to protect civilians and prisoners of war. The principles and rules of IHL are based on the recognition that every person possesses inherent and inviolable dignity that must be protected.
As Pope Francis has recently noted, “The entire international community seems to agree on the need to respect international humanitarian law, yet its failure to implement that law fully and concretely raises questions.”[1] It is evident that there is a gradual erosion of “what lies at the very foundation of our existence,”[2] such as the inherent God-given dignity of every human being. This tendency represents a grave failure of the international community that poses a significant threat not only to the victims of war, but also to the very moral foundation of global security. Any violation of IHL is ultimately a violation of the human person and an affront to the inherent dignity which we all share.
Bearing in mind that civilian casualties must never be reduced to mere “collateral damage,”[3] the direct attacks on civilians, as well as on civilian infrastructures, such as schools, hospitals and places of worship, represent particularly alarming violations of IHL. In addition, the blockade of humanitarian aid in conflict zones and the increased attacks on humanitarian personnel cannot be overlooked. Any action that denies or inhibits the provision of humanitarian aid in these areas is an affront to the human dignity of those living in such precarious conditions. It further exposes innocent civilians to the risk of untold suffering and deprives them of basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care. The Holy See therefore reiterates the importance of providing humanitarian assistance while also ensuring the protection of humanitarian personnel.
Mr. President,
Today’s dialogue is a stark reminder that upholding human dignity is not a passive ideal, but an active responsibility that requires constant attention and vigilance, not only to respond to violations but also to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Conscientious of this important duty, the international community must act now to ensure that International Humanitarian Law is respected, upheld and promoted in all circumstances. In order to be effective in safeguarding human dignity, it is necessary to recover the values on which the principles and rules of IHL are based and to “embody them in precepts of the public conscience, so that the principle of humanity will truly be the basis of our activity.”[4]
Thank you, Mr. President.
[1] Pope Francis, Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, 2025.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Cf. Pope Francis, Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, 8 January 2024.
[4] Pope Francis, Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, 9 January 2025.