UN / VATICAN RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

The UN’s Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has denounced the Vatican for adopting policies that allowed priests to sexually abuse thousands of children. The UN Watchdog also analysed the situation of children’s rights in Russia, Germany and other countries.  CH UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:46
• Production Date: 5 February 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS; LESBIAN; GAY; BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER; HUMAN RIGHTS; LESBIAN; GAY; BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER; HUMAN RIGHTS; LESBIAN; GAY; BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER; HUMAN RIGHTS
• Geographic Subject: HOLY SEE
• MAMS Id: U140205a

Description

STORY: UN / VATICAN RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
TRT: 2:46
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 05 FEBRUARY 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, press room, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirsten Sandberg, chairperson of the UN human rights committee on the rights of the child:
“With regard to child sexual abuse committed by members of the Catholic Churches who operate under the authority of the Holy See. That is clerics who have been involved in the sexual abuse of tens of thousands of children worldwide. The main finding of the committee was that the Holy See has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by and the impunity of the perpetrators. The Holy See has consistently placed the preservation of the reputation of the church and the protection of the perpetrators above children's best interests.”
3. Med shot, tables of journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirsten Sandberg, chairperson of the UN human rights committee on the rights of the child:
“The committee in this regards has highlighted the practices of offenders mobility, they were moved from parish to parish when things were discovered and this still places children in many countries in high risk of sexual abuse.”
5. Wide shot, Cameraman shoulder, press room
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirsten Sandberg, chairperson of the UN human rights committee on the rights of the child:
“Another matter was the code of silence that was imposed by the church on children and the fact that reporting to national law enforcement authorities has never been made compulsory.”
7. Med shot, cameraman
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirsten Sandberg, chairperson of the UN human rights committee on the rights of the child:
"Holy See past statements and declarations on homosexuality have contributed to the social stigmatization of and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered adolescents and children raised by same sex couples."
9. Wide shot, presser
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirsten Sandberg, chairperson of the UN human rights committee on the rights of the child:
“The Holy See has not taken the necessary measures to protect and ensure justice for girls who have arbitrarily placed by their families into state institutions and churches in the Magdalene Laundry's of Ireland run by four congregations of catholic sisters until 1996.”
11. Med shot, journalists
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirsten Sandberg, chairperson of the UN human rights committee on the rights of the child:
“We also like to mention the negative consequences of the Holy Sees position practices of denying adolescence access to contraceptives as well as to sexual and reproductive health and information.”
13. Med shot, camera-woman
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirsten Sandberg, chairperson of the UN human rights committee on the rights of the child:
“Their attitudes have changed over the last few years, so let us hope that this is a new beginning for a more open attitude and more cooperation in removing this condition of silence.”
15. Med shot, journalists

Storyline

The UN’s Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has denounced the Vatican for adopting policies that allowed priests to sexually abuse thousands of children and demanded that the Holy See "immediately remove" all clergy who are known or suspected child abusers.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Kirsten Sandberg, chairperson of the committee said “the main finding of the committee was that the Holy See has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by and the impunity of the perpetrators.”

She added “the Holy See has consistently placed the preservation of the reputation of the church and the protection of the perpetrators above children's best interests.”

The committee also criticized the "practice of offenders' mobility", referring to the transfer of child abusers from parish to parish within countries, and sometimes abroad.

In that sense, Sandberg said “they were moved from parish to parish when things were discovered and this still places children in many countries in high risk of sexual abuse.”

The UN watchdog also heavily criticized the Vatican's attitudes towards homosexuality, contraception and abortion.

The chairperson of the Committee said "Holy See past statements and declarations on homosexuality have contributed to the social stigmatization of and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered adolescents and children raised by same sex couples."

She also mentioned the negative consequences of the Holy Sees position practices of denying adolescence access to contraceptives as well as to sexual and reproductive health and information.

Finally, Sandberg said “their attitudes have changed over the last few years, so let us hope that this is a new beginning for a more open attitude and more cooperation in removing this condition of silence.”

The Vatican has set up a commission to fight child abuse in the Church.

At the end of its 65th session, the Committee on the Rights of the Child has also published its Concluding Observations on the reviewed Reports of Congo, Germany, Portugal, Russian Federation and Yemen.