ROME– According to a copy of a draft resolution seen by the independent media organization, openDemocracy, Italy has been lobbying since February for the Holy See to have a permanent role in the World Health Assembly (WHA), the governing body of the World Health Organization (WHO). Poland and Hungary co-sponsored the resolution. The new resolution backtracks on the prior lobbying but the process has exposed an initiative to formalize the Vatican’s permanent role in global healthcare decision-making.
World Health Organization flag – Image credit: United States Mission Geneva – CC BY 2.0
The WHA functions as the decision-making body of the WHO and is composed of health ministers from the 194 member states of the United Nations. The Holy See is not a member of the United Nations (UN) and has never applied for membership. It is, however, a permanent observer state and has been since 1964.
Permanent non-member observer states may attend all sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Security Council, and the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
The 1986 Rules of Procedure at the UN and at Inter-Governmental Conferences states that they “May not participate in decision-making, may not make any procedural motion or request, raise points of order appeal against a ruling of the Chairman and may not introduce proposals or amendments to any proposal.”
The General Assembly of the United Nations may alter the privileges of observers. It has done so once, granting the European Union the right to speak at debates, submit proposals and amendments, circulate documents and raise objections and points of order.
Some international intergovernmental organizations and agencies are granted non-state observer statuses such as the Organization of American States, the Commonwealth of Independent Nations, and the Caribbean Community. The only other current non-member state is the State of Palestine.
The World Health Assembly meets yearly in May. The Assembly exerts not only budgetary oversight over the WHO but also approves programming and affirms major policy questions.
Membership in the WHA has attracted controversy in the past hinting at the scope of its influence. Taiwan participated in the WHA from 2008 to 2016 under the name of “Chinese Taipei.” The People’s Republic of China objected to Taiwan’s inclusion and it was ultimately barred in 2019 under Chinese pressure.
The proposal from Italy and co-sponsors would alter the existing relationship allowing the Vatican a more active role in decision-making and a more authoritative role at the WHO.
St. Peter’s Basilica – Image credit: S. Ciotti
The Holy See’s involvement in the WHA immediately raised questions about the role of religion in global health care, specifically around issues of reproductive and sexual health.
The Vatican has opposed access to abortion, contraception, surrogacy, and in-vitro fertilization. The Vatican has consistently held a position opposing abortion noting in the Catechism that “human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.”
In 2000, the Center for Reproductive Rights released a briefing paper stating, “The Roman Catholic Church is uniquely positioned to influence international policymaking. It speaks on issues of concern for its religious followers in numerous nations around the world. At the international level, the Roman Catholic Church uses its distinctive position at the United Nations to affect a wide range of global issues, including international economic development, women’s status, population, and family planning.”
Little has changed. Jamie Manson, president of Catholics for Choice, told openDemocracy “the Vatican has tried to thwart progress on women’s and LGBT rights at the UN for decades. Church doctrine on sexual and reproductive health issues,” Manson added, “has life or death consequences, particularly in the poorest parts of the global south. It’s very serious.”
Neil Datta, secretary of the European Parliamentary Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF), told openDemocracy that “With such an institutionalised status at the WHA, as opposed to courtesy invitations, the Holy See could start acting here as it does elsewhere in the UN and that could cause trouble for sexual and reproductive rights,”
The Holy See has also been prominent in opposing the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals as well as the rights of other faiths to have equivalent moral authority on social questions and actions. The Holy See has opposed marriage and adoption for same-sex couples.
The Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office responsible for safeguarding church law, has described homosexuality as “intrinsically disordered” and a “moral evil.” Even Pope Francis has expressed that teaching gender identity is equivalent to “ideological colonization.”
Via della Conciliazione to St. Peters Basilica [S. Ciotti]
This week, Italy backpedaled on its proposal. The new proposal would only allow the Vatican to “co-sponsor draft [WHA] resolutions and decisions that make reference to the Holy See” and aligns the proposal with the Vatican’s current role in the General Assembly. The Holy See would not be allowed to vote or have decision authority.
However, it codifies the Vatican’s permanent presence on the WHA. That raises questions about the overall endgame for the proposal.
The 74th WHA assembly will occur virtually from 24 May to 1 June 2021. At the moment, the only proposal to include new associate members is for the Faroe Islands. Currently, no submitted proposal or resolution addresses the Vatican’s future role or change in observer designation.
Datta noted, “Pope Francis gives the Vatican a softer image, but its international diplomacy and the content behind it hasn’t changed.”
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