Ambassador Nikki Haley
US Permanent Mission to the United Nations
799 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017
Dear Ambassador Nikki Haley,
We the undersigned organizations are writing to express our deep concerns about the US Mission to the United Nations’ selection of Lisa Correnti as representative from the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam) to join its official delegation to the 61st annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
C-Fam is classified as a hate group according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups and other extremists across the country. Among its hate speech, its representatives have alleged that, “abortion lovers...are coming for our children” and that liberal academics “should all be taken out and shot.”
On the evening of Wednesday March 15th, C-Fam sent a fundraising appeal email to its members asking for support against organizations opposed to Lisa Correnti’s invitation to join the US delegation to the CSW. Specifically the appeal states, “This is a great achievement for C-Fam and for pro-lifers. It places our voice in the most powerful delegation at the UN.” The C-Fam email goes on to say, “The bad news is the radical feminists are furious and are trying to silence us…”
We are deeply offended and highly concerned about the unethical and illegal actions of C-Fam in its attempt to fundraise from Ms. Correnti’s new position, while at the same time espousing anti-women rhetoric and homophobic beliefs.
The US Mission to the United Nations plays an important and influential leadership role at the CSW, especially in addressing violence and discrimination against women and LBTI persons. You yourself have said, “When someone issues a false or defamatory report… it is appropriate that person resign.” C-Fam’s recent fundraising attempt violates federal ethics laws, and its long-standing history of touting virulently anti-women, homophobic and discriminatory statements are offensive to women’s human rights. We count on the US to uphold and promote these rights including those of equality and non-discrimination.
We urge you to take swift and decisive action and remove Lisa Correnti of C-Fam from the official US delegation to the CSW.
Sincerely,
MADRE
Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID)
Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL)
OutRight Action International
International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL)
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
Global Justice Center
Women Thrive
MenEngage North America Network (NAMEN)
Alliance for Global Justice
National Lawyers Guild
Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)
Central Arizona National Lawyers Guild
Four Freedoms Forum
Zamberletti & Associates LLC
Human Rights and Gender Justice (HRGJ) Clinic, CUNY Law
Medical Students for Choice
To sign your organization's name to this open letter, email intadvocacy@madre.org.
