Geneva: Holy See discusses report on rights of the child at UN

Archbishop Tomasi

The Holy See is discussing a report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child at the UN in Geneva today. The agreement includes calls for signatories to take all appropriate measures to protect children from harm and to put children's interests above all else. The Holy See ratified the convention in 1990.

The Vatican is being represented at the meeting by Monsignor Charles Scicluna who previously served as Promoter of Justice at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

In an interview on Vatican Radio, Lydia O’Kane spoke to Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations.

He explained that in today's session the committee of experts of the convention of the rights of the child will presents its observations, suggestions, advice to every state that has ratified the convention and therefore has an obligation to present a report on how the convention is implemented in the territory of this state.

He said: "It’s an occasion to start a dialogue between the state involved and the experts in order to facilitate and to improve the protection of children."

Today's session will be examine the reports of Russia, Germany, the Holy See, Portugal, Congo and Yemen. Archbishop Tomasi said: "..we will very gladly take this occasion as a constructive moment, an important occasion, to reaffirm the value and the procedures of the convention and to accept any good advice that is given for that can be helpful in the protection of children."

"The Holy See is more than willing to, as it has declared already when it ratified the convention in 1990, to promote and to sustain the good principles and the good values that are contained in this convention. So, today is a normal day of work for the United Nations. The attention that is given to the Holy See is understandable but it is part of a series of other states that are being examined and we are convinced that some very good results are coming out of this dialogue with the experts."

Archbishop Tomasi acknowledged that there had been criticisms made "on the policies or the presumed policies of the Holy See, like that they covered up some crimes" but he asserted: "I would say that the policy of the Holy See is to recognize that any crime is bad and when children are involved it becomes a crime that needs to be addressed more forcefully. So the obstruction of justice, to the detriment of the legitimate jurisdiction of the individual state, should be prosecuted by those states in every case."

"The policy and good sense of the Holy See is to encourage the prosecution of any crime, including crimes, and especially crimes, against children. So my sense is that some of these accusations or criticisms derive from a lack of knowledge of the activity, the measures taken by the Holy See in the last several years and also by the local churches and by the attitude and the directives given by the Holy See that are for transparency and protection in any case of, as a priority of all the children."

Pope Francis has already announced the establishment of a commission for the protection of minors. The findings of this committee will be studied by the new commission.

To read the entire transcript or listen to the interview click here:
www.news.va/en/news/archbishop-tomasi-on-the-holy-sees-committment-to

Source: Vatican Radio