The Mirabal sisters assassinated on 25 November 1960  in the Dominican Republic.

The time has come!

The World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations today renews and increases its commitment to eliminate discrimination and violence against women (Dakar Resolution 2018).

The time has come! Men and women: it is urgent to become agents of cultural change.

The time has come! The data provided by the United Nations remains alarming: worldwide, 1 in 3 women suffer physical or sexual violence in their lives, in most cases by their partner. Approximately 750 million children marry before the age of 18. 200 million women suffer genital mutilation. One in two is killed by their partner or a family member (only 1 in 20 men suffer from something similar). More than 70% of victims of human trafficking are women and girls, mostly sexually exploited.

The time has come! “It is an essential requirement to recognize the right of women to education and employment, and to recognize their freedom to exercise their own political rights. Moreover, efforts must be made to free women from historical and social conditioning that runs contrary to the principles of their faith and dignity. It is also necessary to protect women from sexual exploitation and from being treated as merchandise or objects of pleasure or financial gain. Accordingly, an end must be brought to all those inhuman and vulgar practices that denigrate the dignity of women. Efforts must be made to modify those laws that prevent women from fully enjoying their rights”. (Human Fraternity: for world peace and living together).

The time has come! It is time to unite our intentions and efforts by following this “magna Carta” signed by Pope Francis and the Great Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, in Abu Dhabi, in February 2019. Today, around 8 million women of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations, from all continents, shake hands with men and women, of diverse religious traditions and goodwill, that together seek a comprehensive ecological conversion and who want a new culture in which women and men live fully equal in dignity and diverse in identity, as forgers of human fraternity and common coexistence.

Message of WUCWO’s President General

María Lía Zervino, Servidora