Vatican’s UN envoy calls for greater respect for dignity of elderly

July 14, 2017

At a recent UN meeting on aging, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations called for greater respect for the elderly.

“As the world’s aged and aging population grows rapidly, both in actual numbers and as a percentage of the world’s population, attention to aging and elderly people is ever more critical,” said Archbishop Bernardito Auza. “The need to develop concrete, practical measures to ensure that the human rights of the elderly are protected and their needs answered is an urgent priority.”

The prelate lamented the “the abandonment and abuse of the elderly, the lack of financial resources allocated for their care, a lack of intergenerational solidarity, and a growing acceptance of euthanasia and other measures that target ‘consumers of services’ but no longer contribute to wealth generation.”

 

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Further information:

• Statement of H.E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, at the Eighth Session of the Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing (Holy See Mission)