CLC Blog

Since 1978, Campaign Life Coalition has been Canada’s pre-eminent pro-life voice, advocating for preborn human rights at every level of government. But did you know that the life-defending work of CLC extends far beyond our national borders?

For years we have lobbied vigorously for life and family at the United Nations, fighting against the advance of pro-abortion and pro-LGBT ideology in international law and policy. This “behind-the-scenes” battlefront is very critical, though our victories there seldom make the headlines.

In particular, we have worked hard to be a powerful presence at the annual UN Commission on the Status of Women, a global gathering place for radical feminists, LGBT activists, and leftists pushing for a universal “right to abortion”, “sexual rights”, and explicit sex education for children. We have successfully pushed back against liberal governments and far-left organizations that want to turn the world into some sort of neo-Marxist utopia.

We have joined with other international pro-life organizations, Christian ministries, and sympathetic governments, to speak up for life at Commission meetings and to co-host parallel events that deliver a pro-life, pro-family perspective. We have upheld the traditional role and value of motherhood, the rights and dignity of girls (before and after birth), and the importance of the nuclear family.

However, our work at the next Commission on the Status of Women (running March 6-17, 2023), is under threat – thanks to meddling bureaucrats!

We experienced our first problem at the Commission last year. Some changes were made in the “rules and procedures”, and we suddenly found our application to host a parallel event denied. Apparently, our event, which was to focus on the rights of vulnerable populations, did not “align” with their “values and/or mandate”. 

When our appeal fell on deaf ears, we sent a letter stating our concerns to the Canadian Ambassador to the UN (former Ontario Premier Bob Rae), and we made multiple inquiries at the Canadian Mission in New York, but we received no response.

We had also joined with over 400 non-government organizations in signing a letter directed to the United Nations, protesting what appeared to be political and religious discrimination. However, the UN Secretariat completely ignored this.

Once again, this year, when we applied to host a parallel event, we encountered the same type of problem. Except, instead of denying us our application, they are now requiring every group to sign a ridiculous attestation that says we agree with their woke values and ideology.

For example, if we want to host a parallel event, we must acknowledge that “sexism, racism, classism, heterosexism, transphobia, global North domination and other institutionalized forms of oppression exist.” How can we acknowledge that “global North domination” exists, when it’s not even clear what that means? And what do they mean by “heterosexism” and “transphobia”?

Also, we are required to “work actively not to replicate white patriarchal structures.” Again, what does that mean, exactly? And how can those of us who support traditional roles for men and women commit to fighting “patriarchal structures”, which likely refers to the traditional, biblical roles for men and women?

As well, we are told that “offensive comments related to… gender identity and expression” and “sexual orientation” will not be tolerated. Well, how can we possibly speak the truth about gender ideology and the push for LGBT indoctrination if the truth is deemed offensive to homosexual or transgender activists? This would make our work impossible! 

Campaign Life Coalition DID NOT sign the attestation and, as a result, we will no longer have the opportunity to host a parallel event at the upcoming Commission. 

Clearly, the gatekeepers for the Commission on the Status of Women want to make it as hard as possible for pro-life and pro-family advocates to join in the discussion and have a voice. They are doing their best to cancel us at this influential, global-policy-setting event. It is clear to me that we have been having too big of an impact, and now they want to scare us off so they can push their radical left-wing agenda on the world without any significant resistance.

Well, we are not prepared to give up without a fight! With your help, we are going to call out this discriminatory policy and demand that the Commission gatekeepers open their doors to pro-life and pro-family organizations like Campaign Life Coalition.

We have just launched a petition, which you are invited to sign, to bring this matter to the attention of the UN-Women Executive Board, which has the oversight for the Commission on the Status of Women event and its operations. They must not allow the voices and perspectives of conservatives, Christians, and other traditionally-minded groups and individuals to be disrespected and cancelled.

Please take a moment and sign this petition today, and share it with your friends and family. We will present it to UN-Women in the coming weeks.

Help us to keep being a voice for life and family at the United Nations! Sign our petition.