The week at the United Nations was one that I will never
forget. It was a week full of learning, growing and meeting people from across
the world. The week started with
listening to various countries give their opinion on women rights, a topic that
is very close to my heart. It was so
wonderful to hear people across the world come together to work and encourage
empowerment for women.
The
United Nations fails to realize that abortion does not empower women. It takes
away the most fundamental human right, the right to life. It was disheartening
to hear a group of people fight for equal pay, equal opportunity and education
for women and in the same speech speak of taking away the rights of the unborn.
Women are not empowered when we are taking away the rights of others, we do not
need to leave children without choices to have our own. Why are the children’s lives not being fought
for? They are being fought for, by Peter Smith and many others from all over
the world. It was so incredible to see Peter speaking to Muslim women, Catholic
Priests, Mormon leaders and many more. All of these people came here to fight
for life. It was a beautiful and unique opportunity to be so united with people
of so many backgrounds.
A
surprise that I learned was truly how political the UN is. There were so many
deals off to the side and nobody to hold these diplomats accountable. I quickly
became aware that the people of these countries had no idea what their
diplomats were speaking about and fighting for. Some at the United Nations see abortion
as a fundamental right. The powerful countries see abortion as a fundamental
right. It is the powerful countries that
are constantly bullying the poorer and smaller countries into their beliefs.
They seem completely closed to any dialogue that speaks about giving rights to
the unborn, as though it is a preposterous and obsolete thought.
Thankful
is the word that I would describe for SPUC and Peter Smith’s presence at the
United Nations. To know that life is being fought for and there are people that
are not going to give up is such a comforting thing to know. I am so thankful
to be a part of this experience, learning all that I did and meeting all the
people that I was fortunate enough to meet. I am proud to say that I was part
of the presence fighting for life, the fundamental right of all humans at the
United Nations.
Katherine Beck is a senior at the University of South
Florida in Tampa, Florida. She has been
volunteering at pregnancy centres since she was seventeen and her passion is
helping women and their unborn children. She volunteered at SPUC in London,
England and has also spent time in Washington, D.C interning for the pro-life
movement. After graduation Katherine
plans to work full time in the pro-life movement fighting for the civil rights
of the unborn as well as the rights of women.
