WUNRN
STATEMENT OF THE CATHOLIC
WOMEN’S FORUM ON THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN 57
Contact: - Helen Alvare, Professor of Law
George
Mason University School of Law
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The Catholic Women’s Forum (CWF) is a body of women scholars, lawyers, and other professionals devoted to the holistic advancement of women and girls by contributing research, publications, and presentations in public and international venues, particularly the United Nations.
CWF is grateful to the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women for addressing violence against women, which offends women’s most fundamental human rights. Many provisions of the CSW’s potential “agreed conclusions" address crucial topics including the scourges of domestic violence, trafficking, violence in connection with female migrants, and women and girls caught in conflict. Catholic women and men, Catholic institutions, and Catholic principles perform critical work worldwide toward the empowerment of women and building collaborative relationships between women and men grounded in equal respect.
False reports have surfaced in the past week threatening to obscure monumental contributions by Catholic individuals and agencies. These reports claim that the Holy See delegation has refused to condemn violence against women when it is masked as a religious, cultural or traditional practice, and has refused to condemn rape in the context of intimate relationships. Both statements are false. The Holy See has simply distinguished between religious, cultural and traditional practices that prevent and redress violence, and the “harmful” misuses of these to violate women. Regarding intimate partner violence, the Holy See fully recognizes what prior U.N. documents hold: it is a form of domestic violence.
The important work of the CSW is sidetracked by the constant efforts of more privileged nations to insert language about “sexual rights” into a document intended to redress violence against women. The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) acknowledges that nothing is known about any relationship between giving “sexual rights” (including contraception) to girls and reducing violence or HIV transmission among them.[1][1] The World Health Organization states that a high percentage of early sexual experiences among females are in fact forced.[2][2] The “sexual rights” agenda would then seem to endanger, not protect, the youngest women.
It is discouraging when these types of maneuvers sidetrack the work of combatting violence against women. CWF takes pride in Catholic education, healthcare, social services, and intellectual contributions to the empowerment of women across the globe. Such empowerment is one of the surest tools for preventing violence against women.
The following individuals and organizations fully support the Statement of the Catholic Women's Forum on the Commission on the Status of Women and wish to associate themselves with the views expressed therein:
European Centre for Law and
Justice- France (special Consultative Status
before the United Nations/ECOSOC)
Federation of Catholic Family
Associations in Europe– (Participatory Status at the Council of Europe)
National Association for the
Advancement of Women, Nigeria
FIHC
Unum Omnes- (Roster Status ECOSOC)
International
Solidarity and Human Rights Institute- USA
European Dignity Watch- Belgium
Profesionales
por la Ética- Spain
Foundation
for African Cultural Heritage
New Women for Europe- Belgium
New
Women For Europe- France
Asociación
Instituto Femenino de Salud Integral- Costa Rica
Life
League, Nigeria
Asociación
Nacional Pro Superación Femenina- México
ONG
de Investigación, Formación y Estudios de la Mujer, ISFEM– Chile
Centro
de Ayuda para la Mujer de Nicaragua- Nicaragua
Familia
Mexicana
Project for Human Development , Nigeria
Foundation J. Murgasa-Slovak Republic
Gente Nueva- Mexico
Asociación
Nicaragüense por la Mujer (ANIMU)- Nicaragua
Asociación de Bioética de Nicaragua- Nicaragua
Fundación
Latina de Cultura– Argentina
Centro de Bioética, Persona y Familia – Argentina
Association
for Concerned Mothers, Nigeria
Instituto
Panameño de Educación Familiar– Panamá
Asociación
Por la Vida y los Derechos Humanos- Costa Rica
ICF:
Instituto de Ciencias Familiares del Uruguay
Asociación
para el Desarrollo de la Familia- Bolivia
Asociación
de Consumidores Organizados, ACONOR – Chile
Unete A.C.- Mexico
Forum
Krestanskych Institucii- Slovak Republic
Red Familia Colombia- Colombia
Fundación
Manos Unidos- México
Fundación
Hombres y Mujeres de Futuro - Colombia
Alianza Latinoamericana para la Familia - Venezuela
Asociación Solidaridad en Marcha - Costa Rica
Fundación
Familia y Futuro- Ecuador
Fundación Vida y Familia- Bolivia
Fundación
Vida y Familia - El Salvador
Projecto
Familia- Mexico
Gente
Nueva- Mexico
Pro-Nonatos-
Mexico
Dom
Quo Vadis- Slovak Republic
Fundacion
Sida y Drogas - Valencia, Spain
Associação Provida e Profamilia- Brazil
Asociación de Abogadas por la Vida- Guatemala
Foro
Nacional de la Familia- Colombia
CENAPLANF,
Centro Nacional de Planificación Natural de la Familia – Uruguay
Fundacion
EVA- El Salvador
Fundacion
Sí a la Vida - El Salvador
Asociación
Si a la Vida- Guatemala
Fundación
Alive- Guatemala
Asociación
Asovid- Guatemala
Asociación
de Damas de la Caridad de San Vicente de Paul- Guatemala
Jovenes
Pro-Life- Guatemala
Centro
Santa María- Colombia
Más Libres- Spain
Fundación
Sara Philippi– Chile
Human
Life International
BIFAM-
Mexico
Unidos por la Vida– Colombia
Mission Hope_ Mexico
Asociación
Nicaragüense Pro-Vida (ANprovida)– Nicaragua
Derecho a Vivir- Spain
Family Life Council, Inc. – USA
Movimiento Dejenme Nacer- Bolivia
Mexico Por La Vida
Hazte Oir– Spain
Lazos
de Amor Mariano- Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Panamá
Voto Católico Colombia– Colombia
Priests for Life- USA (special Consultative Status before the United
Nations/ECOSOC)
Revista
y Periódico VIVE!- Ecuador
Familia
Unida- Colombia
Ordo
Franciscanu Saecularis- Slovak Repubic
Juventud
y Familia Misionera- Mexico
Consejo
de Laicos- Mexico
Club
Net/Club Giro- Mexico
[1][1] Advancing
Human Rights, Gender Equality, and Improved Sexual and Reproductive Health: A
Report on an International Consultation to Review Current Evidence and
Experience Bogotá, Columbia, December 2010 (UNFPA), 20-21.
[2][2] World Health Organization (see WHO Media Center: Violence Against Women, Nov.
2012, at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs239/en/.