Laura Choi Attends the United Nations Commission on Status of Women
Laura Choi is a member of the Stewartsville Presbyterian Church and a Candidate Under Care of Highlands Presbytery. She will be receiving her Masters of Divinity from New Brunswick Theological Seminary on May 24, 2025.
Human rights are human rights and women’s rights are human rights.
This phrase, though not original to Hillary Clinton, has been a rallying cry for women’s rights movements around the world since 1995 when the former First Lady and Secretary of State said them at the Fourth World Conference on Women. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was established at this conference in China’s capitol city, and adopted by the UN and its member nations, including the United States. This Declaration became the blueprint for advancing gender equity and shaping public policies that affect women and girls worldwide.
In March, I had the privilege of being part of the PC(USA)’s delegation to the international UN Commission on the Status of Women, as the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration was recognized. The PC(USA) representatives went as part of the larger Ecumenical Women at the UN delegation, which includes seventeen member organizations of faith. Between the PC(USA) and Presbyterian Women, 67 Presbyterian delegates were represented at this United Nations event, among nearly 5000 attendees from around the world.
Presbyterians have had a presence at the UN since the UN’s formation in 1945, with a special consultative status since 1998 including its own office and staff at the Church Center across from the UN building. I am incredibly proud of our denomination’s voice on the global platform as we learn from and listen to our siblings around the world, advocate for the least of these within and beyond our borders, and as we live into the church’s calling as disciples of Jesus Christ as a Matthew 25 people and church.
The permanent office of Presbyterian Ministry at the UN is in Church Center, which also holds other non-governmental organizations. This is where Laura worshiped every morning with Ecumenical Women.
Nearly seventy delegates from the PC(USA) and Presbyterian Women) gathered on March 7 at the Church of the Covenant to break bread, worship, and gather together as the event kicked off. Representatives ranged in age from 17 years old to over 90 years young, with first-time delegates like myself and someone who was present at the Beijing Declaration in 1995. Official sessions lasting for two weeks began on Monday, March 10. The sessions were jam packed between official events led by government officials from member states and side events by non-governmental organizations (NGO) whose work focus on the progress of women’s rights and gender equality. Organizations like UNICEF (formerly the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) provided updates of their work with children around the world and invited officials from Sierra Leone, Germany, Canada, Nepal, and Romania to provide updates on the progress of their commitment to gender equality. In her keynote address, UNICEF’s ambassador, Millie Bobby Brown, who played Eleven on the Netflix series Stranger Things, shared the stories of struggles that girls face from underdeveloped regions and why the promotion of educational access and equity is more important than ever. On Day 2, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, held a town hall in the main General Assembly Hall with all attendees to share the work and commitment of UN toward gender equality and to hear their concerns. The room erupted when an NGO executive asked when UN will elect the first female Secretary General. The Secretary General responded with much grace and wisdom, committing to be on the side of any progress necessary for all women and girls toward gender equality.
The week provided many of us in the PC(USA) and Presbyterian Women an opportunity to meet for the first time and connect on our shared passion for inclusion and equity within our congregations, presbyteries, synods, and denomination. We were joined by the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness (OPW) and the denomination’s Stated Clerk, Rev. Jihyun Oh, who preached at Sunday’s service to begin the work of the week ahead. Along with Ecumenical Women of the UN, we opened the day worship with worship; PC(USA) and Presbyterian Women led worship on Tuesday morning. We also marched and attended a silent vigil in solidarity with the women and girls suffering violence and war in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. We were invited to meet with the Cuban delegation and ambassadors at the Permanent Mission of Cuba at the UN to learn of their work and nurture the relationships we have built. We also got to know one another in all the in-between moments and formed new friendships we otherwise would not have.
Laura Choi in the United Nations Main Assembly Hall, third from left
We have been encouraged to bring all that we have learned back to our worshiping communities and presbyteries to uplift the work for gender equality in our churches and beyond, to reinforce our belief that all people are created in and reflect God’s own image, deserving of equal rights and access. We really are a connectional church and I am deeply grateful for this incredible opportunity to connect with fellow Presbyterian siblings. To apply to be a delegate for the 70th Commission on the Status of Women in 2026 from March 9-20, watch for announcements from Presbyterian Women or Presbyterian Ministries at the UN, or follow them on social media.
Laura is available to speak at your church or meet with a church or community group. She can be reached here.
Information from Presbyterian News Source about Presbyterians at the UN
March 10: God works miracles through us
March 12: Presbyterians attend U.N. town hall on plight of women and girls
March 21: Presbyterians show solidarity with Cuba’s CSW delegation
PCUSA Policies of Note
PC(USA) Policy Compilation: Women in Society (1967-2002)
Violations Against the Image of God: Exploitation of Women (1986)
Pay Equity and Just Compensation – Policy (2008)
Hearing and Singing New Songs to God: Shunning Old Discords and Sharing New Harmonies (2008)
On Preventing the Trafficking of Women, Internationally and Nationally (2008)
Human Trafficking and Human Rights – Policy (2016)
A Resolution on Sexual Misconduct in the PC(USA) (2018)
A Resolution to Require and Expand Family Leave Policies (2018)
On Affirming and Celebrating the Full Dignity and Humanity of People of All Gender Identities (2018)
News Story on Past Actions on Reproductive Justice (2022)
A Resolution for Transwomen of Color (2022)
A Resolution on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People (MMIWG2S) (2022)
A Resolution on Preventing, Reporting, and Responding to Bullying, Harassment, and Assault(2022)
Resources for Learning about Commission on the Status of Women
17 members of Ecumenical Women
Final Version of the Final Political Declaration for CSW69
Statement submitted by Ecumenical Women
UN Resources
Learn about the United Nations
Learn about the history and work of UN Women
