The Sisters of Mercy have applied for Economic and Social Council status, a consultative affiliation in which the NGO gives input and has conversations with UN agencies about needed activities and areas of concern throughout the world. The Sisters of Mercy place special emphasis on the rights of women. The Platform for Action is comprised of twelve critical issues. The overwhelming majority of people who live in poverty are women, since women have fewer economic resources and often little control over their own lives. We need policies and programs to insure that women have equal access to economic resources.
Every person has a right to education.
Even when access is available to basic education, girls are often discriminated against. We need to insure literacy of women, access to vocational training and lifelong educational opportunities. We need mutual respect, consent, and shared responsibility in the areas of sexual relations, child-bearing, and family life. We need policies and programs to increase women's access to affordable health care. Women are often the victims of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.