Catholic groups criticize ‘redefinition’ of human rights

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The United Nations headquarters in New York,

Wang Ying/Xinhua News Agency/AP Images

Catholic organizations in the UK parliament and the UN assembly have sounded the alarm over the “redefinition of fundamental human rights” – to include controversial policies such as access to abortion, legal surrogacy and sterilization.

In the UK, the Catholic Union, an organization representing Catholic laity and affiliated with the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, detailed its concerns in a submission to the government. The document, sent to the ongoing integrated review of security, defence, development and foreign policy, warns that the concept of human rights itself is undermined by politicized uses of the term: “ Influential activists and pressure groups have sought to argue that their political interests…should be recognized as basic human rights.

This extension of the meaning of ‘human rights’, the union added, ‘erodes trust in the system and provides fertile ground for attacks on ‘human rights’ by populist media and politicians.” . In particular, the Catholic Union, chaired by MP Sir Edward Leigh, cited recent policy debates over abortion as examples of this new trend. The group called on the UK government to adhere to a strict interpretation of ‘human rights’ as belonging to previously decided ‘fundamental rights’ essential to human existence.

At the UN, Vatican officials recently made similar protests in light of motions at the UN General Assembly that include “reproductive rights,” including access to abortion, in defenses. broader human rights.

On September 11, the United Nations General Assembly in New York passed a resolution calling on states “to take all necessary measures to ensure the right of women and girls to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, including sexual and reproductive health, and reproductive rights”. .” The condemnation was part of a broader motion on international responses to the coronavirus that the Vatican, among other groups, was actively lobbying for.

Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the current Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, said: “The Holy See considers it very regrettable that the adopted resolution includes the deeply concerning and divisive reference to sexual health and reproductive health and reproductive rights”. While Caccia stressed that the Vatican does not consider the term “reproductive health” to be inherently problematic, he rejected any definition that includes “abortion, surrogacy, or sterilization” as dimensions of this area of ​​health.

Although the Holy See does not have voting rights at the UN, it was granted “permanent observer” status in 1964, which gives the Vatican the right to speak, but not vote, at General Assembly meetings.

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