2014 UN Statements & Activities

The UN Family Rights Caucus has been active at the UN working to protect the family and family values at UN conferences and negotiations in both Geneva and New York since 2008.  This represents only some of our activities and campaigns and is not all-inclusive. 

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Protection of the Family Series  |  UN Human Rights Council

UN Human Rights Council 26th Session

• UNFRC Declaration to the 26th Session of the Human Rights Council
• UNFRC Letter to UN Permanent Missions: Family Protection Resolution
• UNFRC Oral Statement to the Human Rights Council delivered by UNFRC Spokesperson Annie Franklin.
  
  (Click here and then on speech #29 to see Amnesty International’s two-minute statement attacking the Protection of the Family resolution. Then click on speech #36 to see the two-minute statement by the UNFRC refuting many of Amnesty International’s claims.

UNFRC Spokesperson Annie Franklin

• UNFRC lobbied successfully for the removal of “various forms of the family” in the Protection of the Family resolution. (Note: Although we recognize government duties to provide support where needed to single parent, intergenerational, extended, and child-led families, we helped States to see that endorsing this undefined, vague term could increase pressures on them to recognize any kind of sexual relationship or living arrangement such as pedophilic, incestuous, polyamorous, or polyandrous arrangements that are seeking recognition as families.)

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UN Human Rights Council 25th Session

• UNFRC Chair Sharon Slater presented at a High Level Panel on “The Role of the Family as a Vehicle in the Fight Against Poverty.” Click here to see her presentation on “Fighting Poverty by Mainstreaming the Family in the Post-2015 UN Agenda.” This event was sponsored by the African and Islamic voting blocs, and the Holy See. Other panelists included the UN ambassador over the African Union, the UN ambassador over the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Archbishop Permanent Observer of the Holy See, and the president of the Human Rights Council.

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UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD)

UNFRC Spokesperson Annie Franklin, CPD UN Statement

• Oral/Written CPD Statement delivered by UNFRC Spokesperson Annie Franklin.  This speech given on the UN floor on behalf of the UN Family Rights Caucus warned delegations about UNFPA’s report, “ICPD Beyond 2014.” This radical document contains more than 500 highly controversial references including: 391 references to “sexual,” 25 references to “sexual orientation,” 6 references to prostitution, 4 references to “transgender,” 18 references to "comprehensive sexuality education,” 44 references to sexual and reproductive rights, and 173 references to “abortion.”

• UNFRC members lobbied successfully for the deletion of "sexual rights," referenced to UNFPA’s “Beyond 2014” Report, and for the inclusion of provisions reaffirming respect for parental rights, national sovereignty and religious and cultural values in the CPD outcome document.

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UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 

• UNFRC Chair Sharon Slater gave a speech at a UN Event sponsored by the governments of Belarus, Qatar, Indonesia and the Holy See. Click here to see a video of her presentation which makes a strong case for how the family is a major contributor to development and the answer to many world problems, and thus should be protected.
  

  UNFRC volunteers pass out our “Celebrate Motherhood and the Family” bags at the 2104 the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

• UNFRC Caucus members supported the creation of “CSW Voices for Motherhood and the Family” video shown at a major UN event on the family. Click here to see this three-minute clip produced by Family Watch International.