Vatican officials are expected to face tough questions from the UN on the sexual abuse of thousands of children by Catholic clergy.
Members of the Holy See – the city state’s diplomatic entity – will be grilled by a UN committee in Geneva.
The Vatican refused an earlier request for information, saying the cases were the responsibility of the judiciary of countries where abuse took place.
The Pope has said dealing with abuse is vital for the Church’s credibility.
The Catholic Church has faced a raft of allegations of child sex abuse by priests around the world and
criticism over inadequate responses by bishops.
Last month, Pope Francis announced that a Vatican committee would be set up to fight sexual abuse of children in the Church and offer help to victims.
He has also strengthened Vatican laws on child abuse, broadening the definition of crimes against minors to include sexual abuse of children.
Germany – A priest, named only as Andreas L, admitted in 2012 to 280 counts of sexual abuse involving three boys over a decade
United States – Revelations about abuses in the 1990s by two Boston priests, Paul Shanley and John Geoghan, caused public outrage
Belgium – The bishop of Bruges, Roger Vangheluwe, resigned in April 2010 after admitting that he had sexually abused a boy for years
Italy – The Catholic Church in Italy admitted in 2010 that about 100 cases of paedophile priests had been reported over 10 years
Ireland – A report in 2009 found that sexual and psychological abuse was “endemic” in Catholic-run industrial schools and orphanages for most of the 20th century
The Holy See is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, a legally-binding instrument which commits it to protecting and nurturing the most vulnerable in society.
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