Holy See diplomat urges concrete support for mothers

“Valuing motherhood means supporting families and particularly mothers,” Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, Switzerland, said during a June 22 meeting with the UN’s special rapporteur on violence against women and girls.

“They are entitled to special care, assistance and protection before and after childbirth, including paid leave and adequate social security.

“The Holy See has consistently raised concern about institutional and cultural tendencies that disregard the family and penalise or stigmatise motherhood as an obstacle to women’s advancement, rather than as an irreplaceable contribution to the life and future of every society,” Archbishop Balestrero added.

Lamenting discrimination that women face because of motherhood, he said the Holy See delegation agreed with the UN rapporteur’s assessment that motherhood “remains largely undervalued and mischaracterised as a private choice rather than a public good requiring recognition and support from society and institutions”.

The archbishop added that Pope Leo XIV has said, “it is deplorable that public resources are allocated to suppress life, rather than being invested to support mothers and families”.

“The primary objective must remain the protection of every unborn child and the effective and concrete support of every woman so that she is able to welcome life,” the Holy Father has explained.

Responding to a mother’s poverty by ending her child’s life is a failure of law, justice, society and, ultimately, humanity itself, the diplomat stated.

FULL STORY

Vatican diplomat calls for institutional support for motherhood (Catholic World News)

Holy See statement 62 nd Regular Session of Human Rights Council (Holy See in Geneva)