“We must condemn situations that violate the rights of workers.”In the October Pope Video from the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, Francis calls for the protection of workers’ rights around the world.
“We should always remember the dignity and rights of those who work, condemn situations in which that dignity and those rights are violated, and help to ensure authentic progress by man and society,” says the Holy Father.
According to the International Labor Organization, there are regions of the globe facing critical levels of unemployment. Countries with the highest rates include: In Europe — Macedonia (26.7%), Greece (23.9%), Spain (19.45%); In Africa — Gambia (29.69%), Lesotho (27.42%), Swaziland (25.98%); In America — Dominican Republic (14.36%), Jamaica (13.26%) and Haiti (13.19%).
Pope Francis invites the world during October to “pray that all workers may receive respect and protection of their rights, and that the unemployed may receive the opportunity to contribute to the common good.”
Jesuit Father Frédéric Fornos, international director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and its youth branch, the Eucharistic Youth Movement, explained: “This month, the pope decided to take up the theme of employment because we are convinced that it is one of the main challenges facing us for the coming years. It is an area in which politics and society should work together to find sustainable solutions for the longterm.”
Since its launch in January of 2016, The Pope Video has had more than 19 million views on its networks.
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