NEW YORK CITY — The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women brings together women from throughout the world to focus on the rights and empowerment of women. But Carolina Allen of Provo said one voice wasn't being heard: the voice of mothers.
"Last year when I attended the CSW, I didn't feel like there was any representation for women like me, and yet I know so many powerful women back at home and I thought we are needed here," said Allen, a mother of five.
She founded the interfaith, international organization Big Ocean Women and returned this year with 30 women from several states to raise their voices and promote motherhood and families.
"I consider myself a maternal feminist, and that means I am expanding my sphere of influence starting from myself to my home, my community and then reaching the world," Allen said.
The group traveled to New York City last week to attend meetings at the United Nations and visit representatives from African countries to address humanitarian, education and family concerns.
The group was invited by United Families International to participate in an event near the United Nations promoting motherhood. United Families International distributed gift bags containing a brochure about familysearch.org, a pedigree chart and the “World Family Declaration”.
"We were overwhelmed with the positive response of women from all over the world that believe just like us," said Allen.
While Allen's group found support, some of the women were surprised by the number of attendees who did not view the family as the basic unit of society.
"I am surprised that they see me as evil," said Carol Rice. "There are people who are literally opposed, not just won't do things in favor of, but are literally opposed to [the family] as a structure of society."
Teresa Collett, professor of law at University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, said there are two competing views at the United Nations:
"One view believes the difference between men and women is a matter of physical equipment. That there are no inherent differences … and because of that, their understanding of equality is something that is very individualistic," she said. "Autonomy is their watch word. Choice is their ultimate goal," noting that that choice translates into remaking families into whatever form the individual wants.
Big Ocean Women, which is designed to inspire and support women in strengthening families, joined other groups lobbying for the family to be included in the UN's Post-2015 Agenda.
That agenda includes improving education, eradicating poverty and creating better health care, but currently no mention of strengthening families.
"We see a strong family above all, as a strong agent of development," said Archbishop Bernardito Auza. He is the permanent observer of the Vatican to the United Nations and says the family needs more protection.
"The family should be strengthened, consolidated, protected and defended according to our international treaties and above all according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," he said.
Big Ocean Women supported a declaration that women and men should complement each other in families, the labor market and society at large. Allen read that declaration in front of the United Nations.
Part of it states: "We, the women of the world, demand universal recognition and respect of the feminine identity, its dignity and true equality between men and women in their complementary and reciprocal roles."
Big Ocean Women's youngest member says spending a week surrounded by strong, impassioned women from all over the world has inspired her.
"I've learned so much that I want to take everything I've learned home and I want to empower young people like myself," said 18-year-old Emily Baker.
All of these women believe their work has just begun and have already started planning service projects.
"All of us have something that we want to go back now and do to change, especially to help our sisters throughout the world. We feel that connection with these women," said Jennette Jenkins of Gilbert, Arizona.
Jenkins, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serves as the Young Women president, and Ali Lund, also LDS, is in the Relief Society presidency in their Gilbert ward. They said they want to gather the women and girls in their ward together to build hygiene kits for women in African countries who don't have access to sanitary items.
"I've learned so much about women's issues all across the world," said Lund. "One of the main things I've realized is the family unit that we have with a father and a mother really can help heal the world, particularly if mothers take their responsibilities seriously."
Note: Candice Madsen is special projects producer for KSL-TV.
Candice Madsen is a senior producer of Special Projects for KSL-TV and produces the Deseret News National Edition television program Email: cmadsen@ksl.com