Dear Colleague, Hundreds of organizations and thousands of people worldwide have initiated a campaign to change the status of the Roman Catholic church at the United Nations. We believe that the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic church, should participate in the UN in the same way as the world's other religions do, that is, as a non-governmental organization.
Religous freedom is endangered.
Every other religion with representation at the UN, like the World Council of Churches, is rightly restricted to an affiliation based on that of other non-governmental organizations. In a time when religious fundamentalism threatens pluralism, tolerance, and women's human rights, the UN must maintain a clear separation between religious beliefs and international public policy. Successfully challenging the holy see's status will ensure that only countries decide policy. Each year 600,000 women die needlessly during pregnancy and childbirth The UN increasingly makes the decisions that will prevent these deaths. The Holy See, as a recognized country in the UN, has a powerful voice in these decisions.