Holy See calls for respect for human dignity, international law as civilian deaths soar

(OSV News) -- As civilian casualties from multiple conflicts have soared, the Holy See's diplomat to the United Nations has called for a renewed respect for human dignity and international law, along with restrictions in armaments and a commitment to end the scourge of war.

"It is fundamental that, even in the midst of conflict, the protection of the human person and its inherent God-given dignity remain at the center of all collective efforts, also in order to avoid the scourge of war," said Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Holy See's U.N. permanent observer, in a May 22 statement to the U.N. Security Council's open debate on civilian protection amid armed conflict.

The Holy See established diplomatic relations with the U.N. in 1957, representing the Vatican City state as well as the supreme authority of the Catholic Church, including the pope as bishop of Rome and the head of the college of bishops.

In his address, Archbishop Caccia stressed that during conflict, "The human person must never be treated as expendable, or reduced to mere collateral damage."

In 2024, the U.N. counted more than 36,000 civilian deaths in 14 armed conflicts, warning that the actual total is "likely far higher."

Currently, more than 120 conflicts are taking place throughout the world, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Among the most prominent are Russia's war in Ukraine; the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip; civil wars in Myanmar and Sudan; insurgencies in various African nations, as well as in Afghanistan and Pakistan; and armed gang violence that has destabilized Haiti.

Archbishop Caccia noted that the Holy See remains "deeply concerned about the increasing number and intensity of armed conflicts across the world, which continue to inflict profound and disproportionate suffering on civilian populations."

He underscored "the urgent need for compliance with international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols," referencing the international treaties that seek to limit the barbarity of war by in particular protecting noncombatants, wounded troops and prisoners of war.

The conventions and their additional protocols form the core of international law regulating armed conflicts.

The archbishop pointed to routine attacks on civilians as both "an immense human tragedy" and "a grave affront to the foundations of international security."

"Indeed, the deliberate targeting of civilians, including women, children, and humanitarian personnel; the destruction of essential infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and places of worship; and the denial of humanitarian access to those in urgent need are of great concern," he said.

Archbishop Caccia also noted "the evolving nature of contemporary warfare" and its role in eroding civilian protections.

He said the Holy See viewed it as essential to end the use of "indiscriminate weapons, landmines and cluster munitions" and halt "the deployment of explosive weapons in populated areas.

"This together with the cessation of arms production and stockpiling constitute concrete and urgent steps towards a better protection of civilians," he said, calling for the implementation of the U.N.'s declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, while commending the U.N.'s Mine Action Service.

Even with restraints on the use of conventional weapons, however, "the increasing use of new and emerging technologies for military purposes is also of deep concern," said Archbishop Caccia. "These developments raise complex legal, ethical, and humanitarian concerns, especially where the use of such technologies could harm civilians."

For that reason, he said, "The Holy See therefore strongly supports the proposal of a legally binding instrument prohibiting lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) by 2026.

"Ensuring that decisions over life and death remain under meaningful human control is not only a matter of legal accountability, but also a moral responsibility," said Archbishop Caccia.