When it comes to these issues, the vast majority of Poles have no idea about what is going on at the UN, and yet they really affect our lives. In the halls and corridors of UN buildings, laws are being shaped that concern our families, our schools, the protection of life, and many of our national laws.
Ideological battle at the UN forum
From March 9 to 19, the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was held. Representatives of national governments from around the world, scientists, delegates of international organizations, and leaders of expert communities and non-governmental organizations gathered in New York.
International law experts of the Ordo Iuris Institute (Julia Książek and Sylwia Leszczyńska) spent two weeks at the very heart of the UN, defending life, family, and liberty together with our key partners from the international coalition of defenders of values. It was they who opposed the calls to make “abortion the foundation of human rights” and to implement “gender justice” globally.
Our lawyers have already thoroughly analyzed the final outcome document of the session, which for years has been one of the most important global reference points for women’s rights policies. Although it is not formally a binding instrument of international law, its content sets the direction for legislative and policy actions at the national and international levels.
This year, the CSW session was groundbreaking. For the first time in the seventy-year history of this body, the final document was adopted by a vote rather than by acclamation. In an unprecedented gesture of protest, seven countries dared to officially withhold their support for the document. That resistance ultimately led to a number of ideological formulations that had appeared in its early versions being removed from the final document.
Grassroots work is where Ordo Iuris’ effectiveness comes from
Even before the session, Ordo Iuris experts sent an official position statement to the UN, in which we opposed in the strongest terms the imposition of gender ideology and the recognition of abortion as a “human right.”
Because Ordo Iuris has special consultative status with the UN, our opinion was included in the official documentation of the Commission’s meeting. It was the only such formal, documented submission from Poland, and across Europe only one other organization, from France, submitted a similarly in-depth position.
Characteristic of the atmosphere of those days was a confrontation with a representative from one of the Swedish universities, who assured her listeners that she was speaking “on behalf of all women in Europe.” Our representatives categorically rejected this claim, affirming that there are millions of women in Europe committed to protecting life and family, and demanding the clear identification of the scientific sources behind the many false claims made during the debate.
Julia Książek also met with the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, who thanked her very much for all the opinions from Ordo Iuris that were sent to her. Reem Alsalem—the author of an extremely important report condemning surrogacy—has also agreed to accept our invitation to the international conference on motherhood that we will be holding on June 3 in Warsaw.
The fight against religion and the pro-life movement, alongside the affirmation of prostitution. What does the left fight for?
On the sidelines of the UN session, many side events were held, during which numerous absurd claims and allegations were made.
It was argued that religion—from Christianity to other faiths—is a tool of power and control over women, and that “sexual and reproductive rights are the foundation of democracy.”
A separate debate was devoted to building cooperation between religious communities and the “gender justice” movement, during which the need to “reclaim” faith for the gender movement and to use it in efforts to change laws and the policy directions of countries was discussed.
Representatives of organizations linked to the pro-abortion and gender ideology lobbies also complained about funding problems for their activities after the U.S. government withdrew its support for them. They emphasized that the pro-life and pro-family movements are “on the offensive” today and must be stopped at all costs, because they are becoming a serious threat to “human rights.” Of course, no one explained what those “human rights” supposedly violated by us mean to them. However, we did manage to obtain a response to the request for an explanation of the absurd allegation that pro-family organizations are against “children’s rights.” In response, we heard that this accusation stems from the fact that we oppose addressing children with gender identity disorders by the names and pronouns they want to be called. One of the side events at the women’s rights conference in New York was a debate that promoted… increasing funding for groups linked to prostitution!
The UN wants to impose women’s ordination on churches!
And this is just a small part of what’s happening at the UN. Another UN committee (CEDAW) is already planning to call on countries worldwide to promote “the inclusion of women in the clergy of religious institutions and ensuring their active participation in leadership and decision-making processes.” This probably best illustrates the arrogance of those institutions that want real and ever-increasing power for themselves.
We have initiated formal steps to halt the adoption of the document. We have called on the CEDAW Committee, responsible for this scandalous recommendation, to revise the draft, and to respect the sovereignty of national governments and fundamental rights and freedoms—including freedom of speech and religion. We emphasize in our call that—in accordance with international standards for the protection of human rights—religious communities have the right to independently determine their doctrine, structure, and rules of operation, and we recall that the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women says nothing about a “right to abortion,” and that the proposed amendments constitute an attempt to reinterpret the treaty’s provisions in a manner that imposes new obligations on states without their consent as expressed in the ratification process. Publicizing the CEDAW Committee’s plans can effectively lead to the defeat of an anti-religious and pro-abortion proposal.
Let’s stop the ideologization of international law together.
During one of the side events at this year’s session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, very serious allegations were made against organizations such as Ordo Iuris, which were identified as the main cause of the “systematic degradation of LGBT people’s rights.”
It was also claimed that conservative organizations play a key role in influencing governments and shaping policy. Our opponents’ fear shows one thing: our strength and effectiveness are growing and already being recognized around the world.
Radicals are increasingly terrified and, in an act of desperation, are calling to gag all defenders of life and family. Their attacks and curses are the best proof that together we are moving in the right direction.
Atty. Jerzy Kwaśniewski – President of the Ordo Iuris Institute
Source of cover photo: Ordo Iuris
