Pope Francis Calls The Same Opportunity For Women The Key To The World Better

Pope Francis. (Wikimedia Commons/Xonn)

JAKARTA - Pope Francis on Wednesday denounced violence and prejudice against women, saying providing the same income and opportunities could help create a more peaceful world, as a new survey of Catholic women showed that many felt the church discriminated against them.

In a book introduction published by the Vatican website on International Women's Day, Pope Francis stressed the differences between men and women, but calls for "equality in diversity" in "playfields open to all players."

"I like to think, if women can enjoy the equality of full chances, they can contribute substantially to the necessary changes to the world of peace, inclusion, solidarity and sustainability of the integral," Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis condemned discrimination against women in the past, but, like his predecessors, he has ruled out the imamah of women. The Catholic Church teaches that only men can become priests because Jesus chooses men as His servants.

A survey released on Wednesday by the University of Newcastle in Australia showed that nearly 80 percent of the more than 17,000 Catholic female respondents said women should be included at all levels of church leadership.

The survey, presented at the Vatican, shows that two-thirds or 68 percent of respondents strongly agree or agree that women must qualify to be declared imamat.

There is majority support for women's prestige in all 104 countries surveyed, except for Poland and South Africa.

Pope Francis has appointed more women for the managerial role since he became a Pope, saying last year that "whenever a woman is positioned (responsible) at the Vatican, things get better."

Coinciding with International Women's Day, the Vatican issued figures showing that 1,165 women now work there, about 320 more than 10 years ago when Pope Francis was elected.

Last year, she selected three women for a committee previously filled with men, to give her input in choosing a world bishop.

In 2021, she chose Italian monk Raffaella Petrini to the number two position in government, making her the highest-ranking woman in the smallest state in the world.

In a book introduction entitled: 'More Women's Leadership for A Better World', Pope Francis praised the differences between men and women.

"They are more concerned about protecting the environment, their gaze is not turning to the past but to the future," he said.

The Pope said women need to get the same remuneration as men for the same role, describing a sustainable salary gap as "serious injustice."

He condemned the "discussion" of violence against women, given the speech he gave in 2021 when he called it "open wounds caused by the culture of patriarchal oppression and fire."