This Sunday is March 8, which is not only the Third Sunday of Lent but also International Women’s Day. This observance originated from the labour movements in North America and Europe in the early 20th century. As early as 10 December 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
This means that, regardless of gender or race, everyone should enjoy equal treatment and respect. However, it is regrettable that in some countries and regions, the status of women remains low, and they are subjected to exploitation and bullying by others.
In light of this, the General Assembly decided to establish an independent UN agency dedicated to accelerating gender equality and empowering women. This new agency is the United Nations Office for the Promotion of Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women [UNOG], formed by merging four global agencies and offices: the United Nations Development Fund for Women [UNDF], the Division for the Advancement of Women’s Status, the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender and the Advancement of Women’s Status, and the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women’s Status [RIFE].
UN Women focuses on four main areas: promoting women’s leadership and political participation, enhancing women’s economic empowerment, ending violence against women, and supporting women’s full and equal participation in peace processes and security work.
In addition to establishing a specialised agency, the United Nations also actively liaises with other organisations to raise public awareness of social issues related to women, such as child marriage; the tradition of female genital mutilation that is still practised in some African countries; and ensuring that health information, such as pregnancy, is widely disseminated in society to safeguard the basic health and empowerment of women.
Indeed, the status of women is increasingly recognised. At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV also appointed Sister Simona Brambilla as a member of the Dicastery for Bishops in mid-February.
Sister Brambilla is the prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, a position she has held since January 2025. The Dicastery for Bishops has two other female members: Sister Raffaela Petrini, the secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State, and Maria Lia, the former president of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations. They are now able to participate in the selection process for diocesan pastoral ministries.
Earlier, Pope Leo XIV also appointed Sister Nina Benedikta Klapić, a Croatian, as the vice-director of the Holy See Press Office. Sister Klapić has served as a journalist and legal adviser, providing assistance to female victims of domestic violence and marginalised groups. She has worked at the Dicastery for Communication since 2023.
Let us today pay tribute to all women and affirm their contributions to the family, the Church, the nation, and society. SE
