Going into CSW 69 (2025), we at UFI were curious to observe the differences in attitude and impact of the Trump Administration’s US delegation upon the entire CSW process.  We are here to report there definitely was a difference! 

The most recent of many surprises from the U.S. delegation was in the final hours of CSW with the Explanation of Position (EOP) made by the United States Mission, where they noted reasons the U.S. support of the CSW 69 Political Declaration would be “impossible.”  U.S. Mission Representative Jonathan Shrier noted “lapses in using clear and accurate language that recognizes women are biologically female and men are biologically male” as a reason.

Shortly after, in the midst of loud gasps, grumbling and booing in the observer gallery, Shrier then declared, “the United States rejects and denounces the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs, and we will no longer reaffirm them as a matter of course.” (The SDGs are the goals and targets for the entire UN system, for the years  2015-2030.) Needless to say, Shrier’s statement created quite a stir among the feminist forces in the conference room gallery!  You can read the partial statement, as delivered, here.  The full statement will be posted on the U.S. UN Mission website, soon.

Alexis Tarkalson has summarized the UFI experience at CSW, its events and our Conference on the State of Women and Family (CSWF).  Read on.  You won’t want to miss details of the action-packed and productive week.

 

“Family” is the answer,

Wendy Wixom, President

United Families International

 

CSW 2025: A surprising week with the feminists

It would be no easy task to outdo the success of last year’s debut of the Conference on the State of Women and Family (CSWF). Yet, as is common amongst the pro-family community, we exceeded expectations in a big way. United Families International was honored to have been the main organizer for the entire CSWF.

Held in conjunction, but not jointly, with the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the Conference on the State of Women and Family was held over a two-day period and twelve different topics were presented in twelve different events. On average there were ninety attendees per event in a room that seated 120 with some events surpassing that number by a great deal. Overall, it was a success in the strongest sense of the word.

Quite possibly the CSWF event that stole the show was, surprisingly, the U.S. delegation. In the many years that members of United Families have attended UN commissions, not one year have we witnessed the U.S. delegation sponsoring any event where they share the harms of gender ideology. This was a big deal and it wasn’t lost on those who champion transgenderism and work to undermine the biological reality that humans are born either male or female. Yet for the pro-family forces, after so many years of “fighting for every inch,” it was especially gratifying to have the traditional world view on “gender” recognized, validated, and promoted as an official stance of the U.S. delegation.

Jonathan Shrier, the U.S. Representative for the UN Economic and Social Council, addressed the attendees of the event and said, “The United States remains committed to defending women, children, and families from ideological extremism and ensuring that the rights of women and girls are safeguarded for generations to come.” (Read the full statement here.)

The U.S. delegation sponsored event was put together by Center for Family & Human Rights (C-Fam) and The Heritage Foundation. The title of the event was, “The Gender Ideology Assault on Women and the Family.” Speakers included Maia Poet (individual who has detransitioned), Jay Richards (Senior Research Fellow for The Heritage Foundation and expert on gender issues), Stefano Gennarini (Executive Vice President and legal analyst for C-Fam), and Erin Friday (attorney and parent of a child who went through medical “transitioning”).

Here are some happenings and insights from the CSWF and the UFI team’s days at Commission on the Status of Women (CSW):

• One of the first things the students and the UFI team noticed while attending the various side and parallel events of CSW was this consistent refrain from the sponsoring NGOs: “Give us money. We’ve lost our funding and need to get more or change our way of operating.” Those who have attended CSW for years do not remember this ever being a focus. These NGOs’ intensity in pleading for funding substantiates our belief that the hundreds upon hundreds of anti-family NGOs operating within the UN system have, for many years, been receiving significant funding from U.S. taxpayers – probably through USAID.
• UFI noted two weeks ago that the negotiated outcome document for CSW 2025, a Political Declaration, was finished before the official start of CSW. The Pro-family coalition was successful in their efforts to get the references to abortion removed (sexual & reproductive health & rights – SRHR), but were not successful in getting a robust reference to “motherhood” or a strong paragraph on sovereignty (the right of a country to control their own values and laws). (The term “maternity” was included in the CSW 2025 Political Declaration, but that word is not as substantive as “motherhood.”)
• Ever wonder how all the craziness you’ve observed recently over the term “gender” entered the cultural and political mainstream? All roads lead to the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women where the term “gender” was placed into the final outcome document 219 times. Until that 1995 Beijing conference, “gender” had appeared only one time, in a relatively obscure UN document. Over the last 30 years, the word “gender” has become ensconced in virtually every UN document related to economic and social issues and has become a driver of problematic policy and law around the world.
• UN Women and their allies continued to censor opposing views, flood the information space with leftist views, dominate the CSW side and parallel events and promote controversial values. Ironically, our team saw multiple examples of the feminists at CSW, and the UN in general, touting their aim and desire for inclusivity and yet at every turn attempting to shut out differing opinions and perspectives.

The university students and UFI staff were confronted by some particularly disturbing things.

For instance, the parallel event titled, “Present – Trans and Sex Worker Rights Organizing for Beijing +30” was filled with harmful premises and accusations. Attendees were told that conservative and religious movements are threatening the very existence of trans sex workers. They were told that the U.S. must re-assume its responsibilities of providing condoms, lubricants, and abortions to other countries. They were told the U.S. has made countries dependent on them and to withdraw that aid is morally wrong and unjust. And the concluding sentiment was that the only way you can help the “trans” cause is to give them money and decriminalize prostitution.

As if those statements were not bad enough, the transgender “sex workers” then told the audience that if you are a married woman, then you are automatically a “sex worker,” too, because you trade sex for your new washing machine or new car. Accompanying all of these horrible and terrible assumptions were repeated vulgar innuendos and aggressive comments about anyone who asked a question the panelists felt was not in “good faith” with their “trans sex work” activism.

If it’s so crazy, why attend CSW?

UFI’s pilgrimage to New York City to attend CSW remains necessary. We may not agree with the ideas and ideologies shared there, but change cannot come about by shunning or ignoring the inner workings of the United Nations. Someone must be there to set the record straight on what helps individuals, families, and nations flourish – and stop the bad ideas from becoming mainstream and funded around the world.

We express gratitude for the students who joined the UFI volunteer team. This is not an easy week for anyone and we applaud them for their commitment to the family!  We look forward to next year’s Conference on the State of Women & Family (CSWF) and the chance to once again join with other courageous individuals in the task of protecting and promoting life and family.

 

___________________________________________

Alexis Tarkalson graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with her degree in Political Science and an emphasis in American Government. She loves spending time with her husband and little boy, reading, hiking mountains, and learning new hobbies. The family unit is immensely important to her, as is protecting the associated rights, which is why she volunteers her time towards United Families International.