58th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council: High Level Segment

Mister President,

This year, as the world grapples with the tragedy of numerous conflicts, global crises, and ongoing violations of human rights, Pope Francis has declared a Jubilee Year of ‘hope’ to be celebrated by the Catholic Church. It is the desire of the Holy See that the Human Rights Council will respond holistically and constructively to humanity’s need for tangible signs of hope in the times we live in. 

Mister President,

The right to life is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is a prerequisite for the enjoyment of all other human rights. As Pope Francis affirms, “all life must be protected, at every moment, from conception to natural death, because no child is a mistake or guilty of existing, just as no elderly or sick person may be deprived of hope and discarded.”[1] Furthermore, the Holy See reiterates its call for the universal abolition of the death penalty.

The demographic crisis calls for a renewed appreciation of the gift of life, motherhood, and of the family. The Holy See hopes that the 30^th Anniversary of the Beijing Conference will be an occasion to celebrate the many gifts that women uniquely possess and to recognise and support the vocation of motherhood.

Human rights are universal and apply to all, including the estimated 125 million people forcibly displaced. Pope Francis has stated that these people “cannot be treated like objects to be moved about; they have dignity and resources that they can offer to others […]. It is only by viewing things in this perspective that progress can be made in confronting a phenomenon that requires the contribution of all countries, not least through the creation of safe regular pathways.”[2]

It is worrying that almost half of the world’s population lives in countries that spend more on debt repayment than on health or education . Therefore I reiterate the call of Pope Francis to the international community “to work towards forgiving financial debt” as a matter of justice, not merely as a question of generosity.[3] Moreover, there is also a need to recognise and address the ‘ecological debt’ that exists between the Global North and the Global South.  

Furthermore, attempts to restrict religious freedom are an obstacle to lasting peace and integral development. Yet, across the world, around 380 million Christians continue to suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.[4] This Council can play a crucial role in combating discrimination against Christians, Jews, Muslims and members of other religions, and in ensuring religious freedom.

Mister President, 

The world is facing pressing issues which require a strong multilateralism that respects the equal sovereignty of States, uses a common language and does not seek “to manipulate multilateral documents – by changing the meaning of terms or unilaterally reinterpreting the content of human rights treaties – in order to advance divisive ideologies that trample on the values and beliefs of peoples”.[5] This is a form of ideological colonisation that fractures relations between States and compromises the integrity of multilateral institutions, while diverting precious time, energy and attention away from the issues that really matter.

In a world in need of tangible signs of hope, the ‘diplomacy of hope’, called for by Pope Francis, could help this Council play a key role in healing the wounds of humanity and in giving multilateralism the new vitality it needs to address the complexities of our times.

Thank you, Mister President.