The situation is “particularly acute for women and girls with Down syndrome [1],” said Archbishop Auza, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations. He was speaking at an event called ‘Social Protections for Women, Girls and All Those with Down Syndrome’, held on 21 March at the United Nations in New York.
The representative of the Holy See protested against countries that, under the guise of “eliminating Down syndrome,” eliminate “those with Down syndrome“, and against “some within the UN system ” which, “despite the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” and “despite the stated commitment of the UN General Assembly” are “abetting that genocide“.
Quoting Professor Jérôme Lejeune, who discovered the cause of Down syndrome in 1958: “Medicine becomes mad science when it attacks the patient instead of fighting the disease“. Archbishop Auza also observed that there are “no social protections for people diagnosed in the womb with a third chromosome 21“. He then added that “their special needs are often largely overlooked, including by an international community that is committed to leaving no one behind”.
Yet, “99% of those with Down syndrome say they are happy with their lives, 97% like who they are,” says a 2011 study referred to by Archbishop Auza. This study also shows that “99% of their parents said they love their child with Down syndrome, and 79% said that their outlook on life is more positive because of their child. We could even say that Down children and their families are simply among the happiest groups of people alive – and the world is happier because of them,” said the Apostolic Nuncio. He therefore called for us to work “not only to build a society that includes them, but cherishes them, and benefits from their presence and many gifts“.
[1] Trisomy 21
Zenit, Hélène Ginaba (27/03/19)