The United Nations has issued its harshest condemnation to date of the Catholic Church cover-up of child sexual abuse. In a new report, the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child says the Vatican has consistently placed its reputation above the welfare of child victims. Panel chair Kirsten Sandberg said the Vatican has enabled a culture of impunity that has wronged tens of thousands of children.

Kirsten Sandberg: “With regard to child sexual abuse committed by members of the Catholic churches who operate under the authority of the Holy See, that is, clerics who have been involved in the sexual abuse of tens of thousands of children worldwide, the main finding of the committee was that the Holy See has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by and the impunity of the perpetrators. The Holy See has consistently placed the preservation of the reputation of the church and the protection of the perpetrators above children’s best interests.”

The U.N. report calls on the Vatican to hand over alleged or known abusers to law enforcement worldwide, and release its entire archive on child sex abuse cases.