An event exposing the harms of internet pornography is being hosted by The Holy See’s delegation to the United Nations on the sidelines of the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

This event, “The Scourge of Pornography in the Digital Age”, will address the social impact resulting from the widespread availability of graphic content on the internet and will take place at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

The conference will feature experts in law, psychology, and pastoral care who will analyze the social consequences of pornography, especially for women and children.

The event coincides with the 30th anniversary of the publication of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a resolution adopted by the United Nations on Sept. 15, 1995.

That document recognised the harmful effects of pornography on women and girls: fostering violence and reinforcing degrading portrayals.

However, the event organizers lamented that despite international efforts pornography is proliferating.

Pope Francis has described pornography as a “brutality” that requires urgent attention.