Vatican delegate to UN: don't judge women's advances by men's standards

October 15, 2014

In a statement to a UN session on the advancement of women, the Vatican’s representative has argued that the welfare of women “should not be measured merely by the criterion of equality with men.”

Archbishop Bernardito Auza said that “the fight in favor of advancement of women should also be a fight for better conditions for mothers.”

The Vatican envoy welcomed reports of declines in maternal and infant mortality as a sign of genuine advance in the conditions that women face. But he observed that women around the world still face many severe difficulties, including poverty and lack of access to education and health care. The archbishop expressed special concern about violence against women, particularly in the context of warfare.

 

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Further information:

• Statement of H.E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations