The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published a document in April 2024 titled Dignitas Infinita (DI), Latin for “Infinite Dignity,” to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of the founding documents of the United Nations. The Declaration deals with the theological and anthropological foundations of human dignity (1–32), and also reflects a wide range of contemporary social and moral challenges that demean human dignity, (33-62), and reaffirms the Church’s condemnation of these. Dignitas Infinita, echoing the Church’s long-standing teaching that each person is created in the image and likeness of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, clarifies the Church’s doctrinal stand on these issues, grounding its arguments in a theological framework that emphasizes the sanctity and inviolability of human life from conception to natural death.[1]
Emphasizing the fact that the dignity of every human being deserves to be respected, the introduction of Dignitas Infinita declares that “Every human person possesses an infinite dignity, inalienably grounded in his or her very being, which prevails in and beyond every circumstance, state, or situation the person may ever encounter” (1). This principle and truth “underlies the primacy of the human person and the protection of human rights” (1) and is the basis for the Church’s commitment to promoting the dignity of the human person, especially the vulnerable. Dignitas Infinita is an important restatement of the Catholic vision for the human person, and it comes at a time when there is widespread confusion about where human dignity and rights come from, and even what it means to be human.
Few months after the publication of Dignitas Infinita, Pope Francis officially declared 2025 a Year of Jubilee with a Papal Bull, titled: “Spes Non Confundit,” meaning “Hope does not Disappoint.” The theme of the Jubilee is “Pilgrims of Hope” as the Pope is calling all Catholics to renew in the hope of Christ. In choosing the motto ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ for the Jubilee, Pope Francis notes that “we must fan the flame of hope that has been given to us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision (1).According to Pope Francis, “Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring. It will be a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of COVID-19 pandemic, and the climate crisis.
The publication of Dignitas Infinita and the declaration of 2025 as the Year of Jubilee of Hope, in my view, is not a coincidence. It is a clear message, not only to Catholics, but to all about the urgency in giving a rightful place to the dignity of the human person. This message is timely when the whole world in general and Africa in particular is grappling with many unjust situations that trample on the dignity of the human person. Without claiming to be exhaustive, DI gives a list of contemporary social and moral challenges that demean human dignity, which include: extreme poverty, war, maltreatment of migrants, human trafficking, sexual abuse, violence against women, abortion, surrogacy, euthanasia and assisted suicide, marginalization of people with disabilities, gender theory, sex change, and digital violence (33-62). These are intended as a representative sample of a great many violations that could be cited. But they are all evident in the contemporary world, including in Nigeria.
Poverty in Nigeria is a significant issue, with a substantial portion of the population living below the poverty line. The World Bank estimates that 114 million Nigerians, representing 47% of the population, lived below international poverty line of US$2.15 per day in 2024. Also, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, 63% of Nigerians are considered multidimensionally poor. This includes factors beyond income, such as access to healthcare, education and sanitation. It is a reality that depicts a lack of food, clothes, education and other basic amenities. Severely poor people lack the most basic necessities of life to a degree that it can be wondered how they manage to survive. Poverty has remained a persistent problem in Nigeria. The gap between the poor and the rich widens each decade. DI makes it clear that poverty contributes greatly to denying the dignity of the human person and this is regarded as a scandal, most especially, where the dignity of the poor is denied because of lack of resources available to meet their basic needs (36).
One of the numerous causes of poverty in Nigeria is insecurity. Even though not specifically mentioned in DI, it is mentioned among “War, terrorist attacks, racial or religious persecution, and many other affronts to human dignity” (cf. 38). Insecurity is another challenge that is eating deep into the country without any solution at sight. Nigeria has recorded unprecedented security challenges which are induced by a multitude of factors ranging from social, economic, political, religious and ethnic. In recent times, the security situation in the country has ominously assumed a dangerous dimension as witnessed in the escalation in violence such as kidnappings for ransom, suicide bombings, and militancy, assassinations targeted at individuals and groups attacks on place of worship and attacks on security agencies, their facilities and personnel. All these have a significant negative impact on human dignity and rights. For many years, many Nigerians live feeling constantly afraid and insecure. Millions of Nigerians are compelled to evacuate their homes due to violence, and persecution. People who have been displaced often have unknown futures, limited access to basic necessities, and are more likely to be exploited and abused.[2] A confirmation of this is Nigeria’s low ranking in the Global Peace Index.[3]
Insecurity is a subject that is not only peculiar to Nigeria alone, but it is a significant challenge in some countries around the globe. Insecurity as a social menace has eaten deep into the fabric of the economy. Insecurity has made trade and commerce to suffer much, and this has made lives unbearable for Nigerians because their lives and properties are no longer safe; it has also affected their means of livelihood because they can no longer carry out economic activities successfully for fear of unsecured environment. Many people have migrated for fear of being killed, kidnapped or maimed. Security is one of the most important duties of government all over the world. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”[4] Unfortunately, for a long time, the government has failed to provide a secure and safe environment for lives, properties and the conduct of business and economic activities. Nigerians have lost trust in law enforcement agents to protect their lives and properties. The need for security in any given society that aspires to promote the well-being of its citizens through social, economic, and infrastructural development cannot be over emphasized. With insecurity and violence, human rights of many Nigerians are not protected. Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, clearly lists the fundamental rights of citizens, including the right to life, dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, private and family life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom from discrimination and to acquire and own property anywhere in Nigeria, and states that they are natural, rational, inviolable and unalterable, and the deprivation of which would constitute a grave affront to one’s sense of justice. In practice, this is not upheld. Looking to the future with hope should entail having enthusiasm for life. Sadly, many Nigerians have lost their lives since the insurgence of the banditry attacks. Unfortunately, many priests and consecrated persons have been victims of kidnapping and gruesome murder. Christians, especially, are vulnerable to attack. For example, the recent attack on Sunday, 13th April left hundreds of people killed with thousands displaced.
In the same vein, the rights of many young people, most especially, female children are not respected. Many are forced into marriage without their consent. This is deeply entrenched in culture and religion. It is not uncommon to find girls below the age of 12 being betrothed to marriage, especially in the northern part of the country. This greatly affects their holistic development. Child marriage negatively impact children’s education, health, as well as on their dignity and integrity. It denies them their basic human right, putting them in a disadvantaged position. DI points out that “… those who suffer sexual abuse experience real wounds in their human dignity” (43). Similarly, DI treats human trafficking as a grave violation of human dignity when it states: “…‘trade in people’ is a vile activity, a disgrace to our societies that claim to be civilized” (41).
The Church sees the promotion of human dignity and rights as a foundation of peace in any society. Hence, the introduction of Dignitas Infinita cites Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti as a contemporary guide for protecting and promoting human dignity, where he sees this as the basis of a just society. To strengthen the truth and defend human dignity is a “fundamental condition for our societies to be truly just, peaceful, healthy, and authentically human.”[5]Similarly, the Bull Spes Non Confudit, teaches that the first sign of hope should be the desire for peace in our world, which once more finds itself immersed in the tragedy of war (8). The church, as well as the whole world, is thus challenged to bring hope to humanity in distress. Hence, there is a constant call to read the signs of the times. As the Second Vatican Council observed: “In every age, the Church has the responsibility of reading the signs of the times and interpreting them in the light of the Gospel” (Gaudium et Spes, 4). We need to recognize the immense goodness present in our world, lest we be tempted to think ourselves overwhelmed by evil and violence.
The two documents, Dignitas Infinita and the Bull of indiction of the Jubilee Year of Hope, echo the Catholic vision for the dignity of the human person, irrespective of age, colour, gender, religion, status, etc. They attempt to address the contours of human dignity while also calling attention to issues that affect human persons – issues that deprive them of the right to express their dignity in the ‘coreness’ of their humanity. This is commendable; especially as our world is faced with different hermeneutic memories on what it means to be human. The Church’s commitment to the promotion of the dignity of the human person is a message to the world at large that every individual has the right to be treated fairly, with dignity, and with respect. This becomes an appeal in Pope’s Francis’ words in Laudato Si’ directed to the whole world: “I appeal to everyone throughout the world not to forget this dignity which is ours. No one has the right to take it from us.”[6]
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[1] Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, ‘Declaration Dignitas infinita on Human Dignity’ (2 April 2024) https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20240402_dignitas-infinita_ en.html
[2] F Tinuola and B Oriola, ‘Insecurity and Sexual Rights Violations of the Female Minors in Internally Displaced Camps in Nigeria,’ The Journal of Sexual Medicine [2016] (13) (2) 231–32)
[3] According to a study done by Global Peace Index, Nigeria ranks 148th out of 163 Nations in the Index. This places Nigeria above only 6 out of the 54 countries in Africa. Institute for Economics and Peace, Global Peace Index 2024, https://www.economicsandpeace.org,
[4] Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, Section 14(2) (b), https://nigeriarights.gov.ng,
[5] Francis, Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti (3 October 2020). no.8: AAS 112(2020), 971.
[6] Francis, Encyclical Letter Laudato Si (24 May 2015), no. 205: AAS 107 (2015), 928.