New York, 13 October 2026

Madam Chair,

More than seventy years ago, Pope Pius XII called for international agreements that “would indicate clearly the crimes to be proscribed, and would fix their characteristics with juridic precision.”[1] The international community is now closer than ever to answering that call. The first session of the Preparatory Committee has already been concluded, and the second session is set to convene in April 2027, while the Conference of Plenipotentiaries is expected to take place in 2028 and 2029. The Holy See welcomes this progress.

Yet the urgency has not diminished. Children, women, and members of ethnic and religious minorities, including many Christians, continue to suffer persecution, enslavement, forced displacement and death. As Pope Leo XIV affirms, “the protection of the principle of the inviolability of human dignity and the sanctity of life always counts for more than any mere national interest.”[2] This conviction should inspire the work of this Committee, because the law we are shaping exists to protect persons.

Madam Chair,

My Delegation wishes to offer four considerations.

Firstly, the future convention must be firmly built upon existing customary international law. As the prohibition of these crimes is already well established, our task is not to redefine them, but rather to provide States with effective prevention and accountability measures. Article 7 of the Rome Statute, which reflects customary international law, remains the appropriate reference point for definitions. Modifying them before State practice and opinio iuris have developed would hinder consensus and weaken the instrument. For this reason, the Holy See supports retaining the definition of gender set out in Article 7(3) of the Rome Statute, which refers to the two sexes, male and female, in the context of society, as well as the established definition of forced pregnancy. This language excludes no one from protection: every human being must be safeguarded from persecution and violence. The principle of legality demands such precision. As Pope Leo XIV observes, “in order to engage in dialogue, there needs to be agreement on the words and concepts that are used.”[3]

Secondly, the duty to prevent and punish lies primarily with the States, and national jurisdictions should remain the primary locus of investigation and prosecution. International cooperation through extradition and mutual legal assistance plays an indispensable complementary role, particularly in supporting States with limited capacity. Such cooperation must include adequate safeguards. No person should be extradited or surrendered to a jurisdiction where there are substantial grounds for believing that he or she would be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, or to the death penalty — a punishment which, in the words of Pope Leo XIV, “destroys all hope of forgiveness and renewal.”[4]

Thirdly, victims must stand at the centre of the future convention. Their suffering demands justice and ongoing protection. The instrument should recognise the right of victims to compensation and to assistance with rehabilitation and reintegration, and should encourage support from other States, international organisations and religious and charitable institutions, which often provide initial support to survivors.

Fourth, justice must respect the dignity of the accused. Due process, the presumption of innocence, the impartiality of judges, the effective rights of the defence and the reasonable duration of proceedings are not concessions to perpetrators, but conditions of the law’s legitimacy. Penalties should be proportionate and open to reconciliation because persons “can never be reduced to the crimes they have committed.”[5]

Madam Chair,

Crimes against humanity rarely occur without warning. They are facilitated by impunity, by the dehumanisation of entire groups, and by the gradual erosion of respect for the law. Pope Leo XIV cautions that when peace is sought through force, this “gravely threatens the rule of law, which is the foundation of all peaceful civil coexistence.”[6] A convention that is based on shared legal principles and broad consensus would provide a tangible response to this threat.

The Holy See looks forward to a second session of the Preparatory Committee and a Conference that are transparent and inclusive, focused on achieving an effective and universally accepted convention.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

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[1] Pope Pius XII, Address to the participants in the VI Congress on International Criminal Law, 3 October 1953.

[2] Pope Leo XIV, Address to the Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, 9 January 2026.
 [3] Pope Leo XIV, Address to the Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, 9 January 2026.

[4] Ibid.; cf. Pope Francis, Bull of Indiction Spes non confundit (9 May 2024), 10.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.