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In October, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints took part in civil society conferences during the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. These events focused on issues affecting women and girls, such as poverty, education, health, violence against women, and rights for widows.
Ana Bonny-Hernandez played a key role in organizing the “Civil Society Forum for the Beijing +30” consultation. This forum convenes every five years to assess national progress toward the goals set by the World Conference of Women held in Beijing in 1995. It also aims to identify ongoing challenges and develop strategies to address them.
“Working hand in hand with the women of the committee is a wonderful opportunity for us to radiate the Savior’s love and be a positive influence in the world,” said Bonny-Hernandez.
The NGO CSW Geneva invited 12 civil society working groups to draft statements supporting women and girls in areas like health, economy, education, and violence against women. Bonny-Hernandez led the group focusing on poverty. Their final statement included: “Governments and civil society organizations can unite to eradicate the roots of injustice and establish true equality, offering equitable rights and opportunities for women and girls.”
Karen Bybee is serving a government relations mission for the Church at the United Nations in Geneva. She led a workshop titled “Faith and Feminism.”
“It was wonderful to see the perspectives of the participants and discover that, in spite of some differences, we shared many of the same concerns in advancing support and opportunities for women and girls,” Bybee said.
Bonny-Hernandez also participated in a panel promoting widows' rights at another conference organized by Widows’ Rights International. She discussed The Church's vision on caring for widows and orphans, emphasizing how religious organizations can support these individuals.
Around 35 Church members from Geneva Stake and across Europe Central Area contributed to this forum by conducting research, drafting statements for member states, delivering oral presentations, producing videos, and organizing workshops.
Participants praised the involvement of Latter-day Saint members. Bonny-Hernandez noted that their service “demonstrated Christlike love in response to President Russell M. Nelson’s call to help gather Israel and prepare for the Savior’s Second Coming.”
