Explanation of Vote on UNICEF agenda item 5(a): Country program documents
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Jonathan Shrier
Acting Representative to ECOSOC
New York, New York
February 7, 2025
AS DELIVERED
Thank you Mr. President.
In light of the Executive Board’s inability to reach consensus on an acceptable decision on the Country Program Documents, the United States had no other option but to call for a vote and vote “no” on the decision. The United States cannot agree to country program documents that contain terms and concepts that conflict with U.S. policies as set out in President Trump’s recent Executive Orders, especially when those concepts endanger the very mission of the organization. The United States also objects to any UNICEF efforts to advance such programming in countries.
U.S. federal civil-rights laws protect Americans from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) programs violate the text and spirit of our laws by replacing hard work, merit, and equality with a divisive and dangerous preferential hierarchy. As Secretary Rubio made clear, we must eliminate our focus on political and cultural causes that are divisive at home and deeply unpopular abroad.
In addition, it is U.S. policy to recognize two sexes, male and female, and not to promote gender ideology. President Trump has directed that federal funds shall not be used to promote gender ideology. It is particularly disturbing that this language is being used in UNICEF programming documents; children should be protected from this dangerous ideology and its possible results.
The United States considers the needs of children a top priority. We would have preferred to re-open the CPDs themselves to address our concerns but did not want to do so in order to not impact the ongoing UNICEF efforts on the ground.
We want to work with UNICEF and all members of the Board to comprehensively manage the CPD process in order to enable UNICEF to prepare its CPDs so they will promote equal opportunities for all. President Trump made clear that gender ideology and immoral discrimination programs under the guise of DEI undermine the success and endanger the mission of any institution that proliferates them.
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See also article in The Federalist - shared by Lou Mendez
The theater that the US delegation creates is wacky, as is the text of the final justification. Equally hysterical is that Oman had explicitly approved the Iraq CPD in its written comments, but then voted against it (as the only country aligning with the USA during the vote). I have read the Iraq CPD several times, as well of those of Paraguay and Ruanda and cannot detect any DEI propaganda. However, language such as ‘gender-transformative’ services might have attracted the attention of Elon Musk’s algorithms.
ReplyDeleteObviously nobody (including those who voted in favour of the CPDs and spoke up against the intervention by the USA) read the CPDs in detail, which are difficult to digest because of their endless prattle. Still, it would have been better if the European, South American and Asian delegations would have challenged the USA on its obviously unfounded assertions, instead of simply expressing their faith in UNICEF and defending the Board’s dysfunctional processes.
Because there is much to criticise about the CPDs. I was invited, before and after retirement, to assist country office in preparing their CPDs until I got tired of the charade. Consultations with and ownership by governments of CPDs has declined continuously over the years. and more rapidly since the UN reform. A sensible Executive Board would insist on CPDs being prepared and presented by the recipient countries, testing the governments’ seriousness of their intended reforms.
I did a word search for gender in the Iraq CPD and found it once. But found the word 'rights' 14 times - I'd say that's what sent them over the edge. Although I suspect they don't need an excuse....
DeleteWe've come full circle!!! It's all about the CRC, hehe! Proud of the Board :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I tried to find a phone number for the US Mission, to protest the new position of the US, I could not find one. There is no phone number either at the end of Shrier's statement or on the US Mission's webiste. Honestly!
ReplyDelete