March 09, 2022

Rep. Lee Leads Pro-Choice and Democratic Women’s Caucus Members in Urging U.S. Participation at CSW

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Barbara Lee and 16 additional members of the leadership of the Pro-Choice Caucus and the Democratic Women’s Caucus in a letter to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, expressing strong support for meaningful U.S. participation at the upcoming Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

 “We urge the U.S. to work with other Member States toward actionable policies that address the full spectrum of all women’s and girls’ human rights, especially in the context of this year’s CSW theme and the crucial intersections between gender equality and climate action,” the lawmakers wrote. “This includes ensuring robust climate financing is directed towards women’s organizations and climate adaptation initiatives, a commitment to advancing a just and equitable energy transition, and upholding a strong human rights based framework in ensuring sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), including abortion, for all,” they continued.

 The CSW is the primary global forum to establish international norms, advance policies, and assess progress or challenges to achieving the full rights of women and girls. The CSW takes place annually in New York, and this year’s theme focuses on “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes.”

 “As a co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, Chair of the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations subcommittee, and having served five times as Congressional Representative of the United States to the UN General Assembly, I have a deep appreciation for the work of the United Nations, the power of global diplomacy and consensus, and the critical role of the Commission on the Status of Women,” said Congresswoman Lee. “I commend the Biden Administration for prioritizing U.S. leadership in multilateral spaces, and urge continued commitment to gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and climate justice.”

 Click here to read the letter as delivered.

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 Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the House Democratic Leadership, she is the highest-ranking Black woman in the U.S. Congress.