In his address during the interactive dialogue entitled “On Childhood With Dignity”, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, cited Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical “Rerum Novarum” in reaffirming every child’s right to grow through education and opportunities “to thrive and contribute meaningfully to society.”
By Edoardo Giribaldi
“For, just as very rough weather destroys the buds of spring, so does too early an experience of life’s hard toil blight the young promise of a child’s faculties, and render any true education impossible.”
With this quote from “Rerum Novarum” – the encyclical on Capital and Labor of 15 May 1891 – that inspired the new Pope’s choice of name, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia renewed the Holy See’s commitment to combating child labor.
The occasion was his speech on 13 May in New York during the informal interactive dialogue entitled “On Childhood With Dignity: Eliminating Child Labor in All Its Forms, Including Forced Recruitment and Use of Children in Armed Conflict.” Highlighting that “one in ten of the world’s children still trapped in exploitative situations, there is an urgent need to discuss this issue.”
Call for unconditional release of child victims
Every child, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations reiterated, is “a unique gift of God to the human family” and must “grow up in an environment that respects the dignity, protects the fundamental rights, and promotes the integral development of the child.” He said the persistence of child labor is a grave violation of this principle and a call to the shared moral and legal responsibility of the international community “to protect these most vulnerable members of our human family.”
Of particular concern, he noted, is the ongoing recruitment and exploitation of children in armed conflicts, which Archbishop Caccia described as “a grave violation of their inherent human dignity” and “a direct affront to their fundamental rights.” Other forms of abuse, including forced marriage and sexual exploitation, further compound the problem, he added.
In response, the Holy See has called for “the immediate and unconditional release of all children” forced into such situations, and “to treat them first and foremost as victims in need of compassion, care, and hope.” Archbishop Caccia pointed out that children with disabilities are especially vulnerable and require “inclusive and comprehensive protective measures.”
Growing and contributing to society
The Holy See’s commitment to promoting and safeguarding children’s dignity aligns with broader international efforts. These efforts, Archbishop Caccia concluded, must be strengthened to create conditions for the “integral development” of every child: “sustained access to healthcare, quality education and opportunities that enable each child to thrive and contribute meaningfully to society.”
