# CE2004078EN.01074901.xml

| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/749 |
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27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 78/749

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(2004/C 78 E/0797)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2627/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Council

(2 September 2003)

Subject:   Follow-up on the ‘Resolution on sexual violence against women, particularly Catholic nuns’ adopted by the European Parliament on 5 April 2001

Subject:

On 5 April 2001 the European Parliament adopted a ‘Resolution on sexual violence against women, particularly Catholic nuns’ (B5-0261, 0272, 0280 and 0298/2001) (1), which referred, among other things, to the following:

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| a) | the report in the US periodical the National Catholic Reporter indicating that a large number of Catholic nuns had been raped by priests in at least 23 countries; |
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a)

the report in the US periodical the National Catholic Reporter indicating that a large number of Catholic nuns had been raped by priests in at least 23 countries;

| b) | confirmation by the Holy See that it was aware of cases of rape and sexual abuse of women, including nuns, by Catholic priests, because at least five reports on this subject had been submitted to the Vatican since 1994, and according to those reports many of the nuns raped were also compelled to have abortions or resign, and in some cases became infected with HIV/AIDS. |
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b)

confirmation by the Holy See that it was aware of cases of rape and sexual abuse of women, including nuns, by Catholic priests, because at least five reports on this subject had been submitted to the Vatican since 1994, and according to those reports many of the nuns raped were also compelled to have abortions or resign, and in some cases became infected with HIV/AIDS.

In adopting the resolution, the European Parliament called:

| (a) | for those responsible for the crimes to be arrested and brought to justice; |
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(a)

for those responsible for the crimes to be arrested and brought to justice;

| (b) | on the judicial authorities of the 23 countries cited in the reports to ensure that all appropriate judicial action was taken to establish the truth about the cases of violence against women; |
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(b)

on the judicial authorities of the 23 countries cited in the reports to ensure that all appropriate judicial action was taken to establish the truth about the cases of violence against women;

| (c) | on the Holy See to take all allegations of sexual abuse within its organisations seriously, to cooperate with the judicial authorities and to remove the perpetrators from office; |
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(c)

on the Holy See to take all allegations of sexual abuse within its organisations seriously, to cooperate with the judicial authorities and to remove the perpetrators from office;

| (d) | on the Holy See to reinstate those female officials who had been removed from their posts for drawing their supervisors' attention to such abuses and to afford the victims the necessary protection from and compensation for any discrimination which might ensue; |
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(d)

on the Holy See to reinstate those female officials who had been removed from their posts for drawing their supervisors' attention to such abuses and to afford the victims the necessary protection from and compensation for any discrimination which might ensue;

| (e) | for the content of the five reports cited by the National Catholic Reporter to be published in full; and |
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(e)

for the content of the five reports cited by the National Catholic Reporter to be published in full; and

| (f) | instructed its President to forward the resolution to the Council, the Commission, the authorities of the Holy See, the Council of Europe, the United Nations Human Rights Commission and the Governments of Botswana, Burundi, Brazil, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Papua-New Guinea, the Philippines, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Tanzania, Tonga, the United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe. |
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(f)

instructed its President to forward the resolution to the Council, the Commission, the authorities of the Holy See, the Council of Europe, the United Nations Human Rights Commission and the Governments of Botswana, Burundi, Brazil, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Papua-New Guinea, the Philippines, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Tanzania, Tonga, the United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

In the light of the above, could the Council state:

| — | what initiatives were taken subsequent to the forwarding of the resolution? |
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what initiatives were taken subsequent to the forwarding of the resolution?

| — | whether contacts were established with the Holy See and the Governments of Ireland and Italy and what the outcome of these was? |
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whether contacts were established with the Holy See and the Governments of Ireland and Italy and what the outcome of these was?

| — | whether the European Parliament's demands concerning those countries with links to the European Union were formalised, and what the response was to these? |
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whether the European Parliament's demands concerning those countries with links to the European Union were formalised, and what the response was to these?

Reply

(4 March 2004)

(4 March 2004)

| 1. | During its meeting of 11/12 June 2003, the Council took note of the resolution mentioned by the Honourable Parliamentarian in his question. |
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1.

During its meeting of 11/12 June 2003, the Council took note of the resolution mentioned by the Honourable Parliamentarian in his question.

| 2. | From a general point of view the Council underlines that Women's rights and the issue of violence against women are matters of particular concern to the EU. In line with international human rights standards and based on the ethical and constitutional principles common to all EU Member States, the EU consistently calls on governments of third countries to commit themselves to the resolutions and decisions of UN fora and to apply legislation, measures and programmes aiming at the full enjoyment of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women on an equal footing with men. At the 59th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights (‘CHR’), towards the end of April this year, all EU Member States co-sponsored a resolution tabled by Canada entitled ‘Elimination of violence against women’. Moreover, the Presidency made a speech on behalf of the EU under CHR agenda item 12 in which it highlighted the need to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, and in this regard drew particular attention to the work of the UN's Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls. At the time of answering this question, another resolution on the issue of violence against women has been tabled, this time by the Netherlands in the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, which it is hoped will gain widespread support. |
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2.

From a general point of view the Council underlines that Women's rights and the issue of violence against women are matters of particular concern to the EU. In line with international human rights standards and based on the ethical and constitutional principles common to all EU Member States, the EU consistently calls on governments of third countries to commit themselves to the resolutions and decisions of UN fora and to apply legislation, measures and programmes aiming at the full enjoyment of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women on an equal footing with men. At the 59th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights (‘CHR’), towards the end of April this year, all EU Member States co-sponsored a resolution tabled by Canada entitled ‘Elimination of violence against women’. Moreover, the Presidency made a speech on behalf of the EU under CHR agenda item 12 in which it highlighted the need to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, and in this regard drew particular attention to the work of the UN's Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls. At the time of answering this question, another resolution on the issue of violence against women has been tabled, this time by the Netherlands in the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, which it is hoped will gain widespread support.

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(1)  OJ C 21 E, 24.1.2002, p. 353.

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