January 6, 2024
By Linda Sulzen
The family has been and continues to be under attack in the United Nation’s debates, deliberations and in language written into their documents. In July one phrase, “the family”, was debated during negotiations related to documents that would be presented at the “UN Summit on the Future” in September. Whether the family was viewed as singular or plural was explored by each side with the plural form representing “all families” as expressed by Mexico and Switzerland. The opposing side had Russia who said, “It would be better to put the word families in singular as ‘the family,” defending its role as a safe environment where people are cared for. “It is not about the different types of the family.”
In C-Fam’s September article author Stefano Gennarini, J.D. expressed that abortion activists have admitted publicly to their plot to “impose abortion and sexual rights on the world.” Pro-abortion delegates and journalists acknowledged using coded language in UN policy such as “sexual and reproductive health,” to get more funding to promote abortion. Julie Garfieldt Kofoed explained how important the ambiguous terms were to promote abortion and sexual rights as a framework to secure funding for NGO’s and agencies. Garfieldt Kofoed continued and said that…
“…the continuous inclusion of such language in diplomacy not only changes the conversation but also pressures entities to adapt their policies, reflecting a shift in global norms.”
The tactics of language have been used to persuade the Global South because abortion activists could not garner enough support in General Assemblies.
Some countries and Family Advocates have stood for family values at the UN. Kimberly Ells explained her pathway to family advocacy in the Daily Signal article, “How the United Nations Promotes an Anti-Family Agenda.” As a policy advisor for Family Watch International Ells went travelled to the United Nations to strengthen families, and there she found the United Nations agenda included the following:
- To dismantle the family
- Promote sexuality to children
- Reduce parental burdens
- To get children who are the future to focus on themselves
This past September the United Nations Pact for the Future focused not on families but on individual rights phrased as human rights and gender including…
- “Strengthening the UN’s work on human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women.
- A clear call on the need to protect human rights defenders and…
- Strong signals on the importance of engagement of other stakeholders in global governance, including local and regional governments, civil society, private sector and others.”
Taking a Stand
In June it was reported by Interim staff that to celebrate the International Day of Families 29 member states of the UN co-sponsored a side event at the United Nations Headquarters, “The Family and the Future of Humanity.” The countries that participated were mostly Muslim states, Russia and Belarus.
They were joined by non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) to include the Campaign Life Coalition, C-Fam, Family Watch International, The Heritage Foundation and United Families International. Matthew Wojciechowski, the Campaign Life Coalition vice president, “reaffirmed CLC’s commitment to uphold the family and…criticized the many “bad actors” who “continue to devalue the family by redefining marriage, motherhood, fatherhood and the basic understanding of what it means to be male and female.”
The Good News
With the news of the world reporting constantly about individualistic rights, women’s reproductive rights and other adverse human rights it could leave one thinking the reality is that there is a majority who focus on these issues and support them. Surprisingly, data collected from the European Values study and the World Values study show that most people around the world deem family to be very important no matter where they live.
Bastian Herre at Our World in Data said, “only a small percentage of people say they find family “not very important” and …despite our disagreements, we should remember how much people across countries and cultures agree on what truly matters to them.” We are more alike than we are different and we as humans want the same thing, ‘to be valued.’ Protecting the traditional family puts emphasis on family values needed to shape society.”
