A UN group in Geneva has been asked to urgently request of the Vatican that it put in place procedures, enforceable under Canon Law, which will require immediate reporting to civil authorities of all suspicions or allegations of child abuse or exploitation perpetrated in institutions, organisations, or bodies under its control.
Speaking for the One in Four organisation, Mr Colm O'Gorman made the request yesterday when he presented a second report to the UN working group on contemporary forms of slavery. It dealt with the sexual exploitation of Irish children.
On Wednesday he presented a report to the group on the economic exploitation of children in religious-run institutions in Ireland. Yesterday he pointed out that the Holy See provides education and training to 41 million pupils and oversees 21, 757 health institutions.
Recognising "the unique position of the Vatican State internationally and the extraordinary role it plays in the provision of health and education services to children", he recommended the group "urgently request that the Holy See put in place procedures that are enforceable and applied under its own Canon Law which require the immediate reporting of all suspicions or allegations of child abuse or exploitation perpetrated in institutions, organisations or bodies under its direct governance."
