The Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues (PNCI) reports
on the most recent attempt to downgrade Holy See to NGO status at UN. As we
approach the end of programmes agreed in the mid nineties some UN organizations
and anti life and family NGO’s have been assessing the factors that have halted their
implementation of the culture of death and have identified the presence of Holy See as a major element
in their lack of success.
PNCI reports
If the latest "See Change" campaign of 'Catholics' for Choice (CFC) is successful--which it won't be-- the Holy See will lose its permanent observer status at the United Nations and be reduced to a non-government organization. This effort follows a similar one that was attempted by pro-abortion organizations following the effective pro-life actions of the Holy See at UN meetings in Cairo and Beijing that stopped abortion from being recognized as an international right.Now, as then, the effort is a testament to the influential role of the Holy See which the United Nations officially recognizes as a non-member state that has received a "standing invitation to participate as an observer in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly and to maintain a permanent observer mission".The agenda-driven tactic of the "See Change" campaign seeks to overturn the decision of the United Nations to officially affirm the permanent observer status of the Holy See in U.N. General Assembly Resolution A/58/314 Participation of the Holy See in the work of the United Nations. The resolution passed the Fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly on July 16, 2004, marking the 40th anniversary of the Holy See's presence at the United Nations.The U.N. resolution details the approved actions for the Holy See and includes:Acknowledges that the Holy See, in its capacity as an Observer State, shall be accorded the rights and privileges of participation in the sessions and work of the General Assembly and the international conferences convened under the auspices of the Assembly or other organs of the United Nations, as well as in United Nations conferences as set out in the annex to the present resolution;The current anti-Catholic campaign promotes sending letters to foreign ministers and U.N. ambassadors with the opening line: "I am writing to urge you to correct an injustice at the United Nations that privileges one religious and cultural tradition over every other and that has dire effects on the lives of women and men around the world."Holy See U.N. watchers know that the Holy See continually seeks human dignity for all, including protecting women and children from the violence of abortion, and advances life-affirming solutions to improve women's lives around the world. Its website explains:In this forum, the Holy See Mission communicates the centuries' experience of the Catholic Church to humanity, and places this experience at the disposal of the United Nations to assist it in its realization of peace, justice, human dignity and humanitarian cooperation and assistance.In its activities at the United Nations, the Holy See Mission works to advance freedom of religion and respect for the sanctity of all human life - from conception to natural death - and thus all aspects of authentic human development including, for example, marriage and family, the primary role of parents, adequate employment, solidarity with the poor and suffering, ending violence against women and children, poverty eradication, food, basic healthcare and education.PNCI recommends visiting the website of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, New York to read the latest news and official statements given by the Holy See and learn more about its work promoting authentic justice around the world.
