Media release: AHA Foundation, Concerned Women for America, and Independent Women’s Forum together urge the U.S. government to amend planned changes to asylum rules that would end gender-based asylum. Read the full article.
Do you want to understand what socialism is and how it impacts society? Or, how to respond to socialist promises like – Free Stuff! – healthcare and college? This lessons by Concerned Women for America’s Vice President of International Affairs Dr. Shea Garrison will help you understand why this seemingly benign philosophy has been disastrous wherever it has been implemented. This is part 1 in a series presented by the CWA Academy for Conservative Principles.
Click here for a digital copy of the booklet referenced in the lesson.
CWA’s Vice President of International Affairs, Dr. Shea Garrison, wrote the following op-ed published on CNS News.
“In his Senate confirmation hearing last week, Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence, Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), remarked that the Chinese authoritarian regime is working diligently “to supplant us as the world’s superpower.”
The fact that Communist China strategically orchestrates its goal of world domination by infiltrating, influencing, and funding organizations and leaders in the U.S. and around the world, should be taken very seriously by U.S. national intelligence.
Although the extent of the World Health Organization’s collaboration with China is still to be determined, investigation is warranted into WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ strong ties to the Chinese Communist Party — ties which may be critically relevant to the early spread of coronavirus and which are still potentially dangerous.
During Tedros’ campaign for WHO director general, the Ethiopian Registrar made a series of allegations in an article called “Why TPLF is Desperately Fighting for Dr. Tedros to be the Next DG of the WHO.” The TPLF, or Tigray People’s Liberation Front, is an historically Marxist-Leninist revolutionary party which ruled under cover of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front during Tedros’ time as minister of foreign affairs. Tedros is one of the nine executive members or “politburo” of the TPLF.
CWA’s Vice President for International Affairs, Dr. Shea Garrison, teamed up with Emilie Kao, director of the DeVos Center for Religion & Civil Society at The Heritage Foundation on an opinion piece published in The Washington Times.
“Billions of people around the world exercised their religious freedom during Holy Week, but a new United Nations report threatens to undermine both this freedom and women’s rights.
The report of Ahmed Shaheed, the U.N. expert responsible for protecting religious freedom, advances a “progressive” agenda of abortion and new “rights” based on membership in sexual identity groups. It seems the U.N. is willing to trample the rights of the vulnerable and undermine the credibility of universal human rights to promote the values of a small number of wealthy countries — a travesty the Trump administration should oppose.
The report to the infamous U.N. Human Rights Council undermines the empowerment of women and girls by lumping their concerns together with novel claims based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It includes a controversial interpretation of “gender equality” that promotes acceptance of transgender ideology and the concept of multiple, fluid, “gender identities.””
CWA’S International team made up of CWA’s VP of International Affairs, Dr. Shea Garrison and Legislative Strategist Ashley Traficant teamed up on an Opinion Piece published this week in The Daily Caller.
“The White House recently received a classified report from U.S. intelligence confirming what many already suspected — China’s public reporting of COVID-19 cases and fatalities is “intentionally incomplete” and “fake.” Furthermore, with currently over 1.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, if the Chinese government had acted 3-weeks earlier, the number of early cases world-wide could have been reduced by 95%.
While the world pays the price, staying barely one step ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese government focuses on a propaganda war to skirt culpability and shift blame to the U.S. for the virus’ origin.
But China’s game of manipulation and attempts to undermine the U.S. at the highest levels of government and civil society is nothing new. With over 350,000 cases today in the U.S., COVID-19 is evidence that U.S. leaders and citizens should always be watchful, holding the Chinese government firmly accountable.”
Read Dr. Shea Garrison and Ashley Traficant’s Entire Piece Here:
CWA’s Vice President for International Affairs, Dr. Shea Garrison, has just collaborated with Susan B. Anthony List’s research arm, Charlotte Lozier Institute, to develop an On Point policy paper to combat international abortion advocates. Dr. Garrison wrote this policy paper to educate Capitol Hill members on how to keep life protections in foreign policy, giving them the talking points to protect the Trump administration’s pro-life stance around the world.
“In January 2017, President Donald Trump took a bold and unprecedented executive actionto restore the Mexico City Policy and extend its reach through Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA), commonly known as the “Global Protect Life Rule.” With this action, President Trump updated and significantly expanded the scope of limitations on U.S. abortion-related funding, also significantly decreasing the amount of taxpayer dollars going to organizations who actively promote or perform abortion. U.S. foreign aid is now better funneled to alternative foreign organizations who are providing necessary healthcare in developing countries, while also respecting these countries’ cultural values and national sovereignty.”
Read the rest of the article on the Charlotte Lozier Institute site here.
“Peace to Prosperity”—Trump’s Israeli-Palestinian Peace Plan: What’s in it and how should I respond?
CWA has as its seventh core issue Support for Israel. Dr. Shea Garrison, CWA’s Vice President for International Affairs, did an analysis of President Trump’s Middle East Peace to Prosperity plan. We encourage you to read her talking points, and as you gather to pray, please consider praying over each point I-IV as the Holy Spirit leads you. Pray also that Palestinian leadership will one day come to the table in good faith with a spirit of cooperation and peace. Israel’s security and wellbeing are always at stake, and the Palestinian people deserve a commitment from their leaders to work to create peace and prosperity for all.
Concerned Women for America’s Vice President of International Affairs, Dr. Shea Garrison wrote the following opinion article published in Town Hall:
Senator Bernie Sanders’ accusation of bigotry, aimed at the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, is ironic given that AIPAC is a bi-partisan group that supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, something that Bernie says he also supports. Bernie also wants “an independent, democratic, economically viable” Palestinian state, the same objectives outlined in detail in President Donald Trump’s recent peace plan — yet Bernie has publicly rejected that, too.
Something smells about Bernie’s ongoing declaration that he is both “pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian.” He has digressed to the same modus operandi favored by the Palestinians — hurling racist accusations, refusing to engage — with the attitude that nothing is ever good enough.
When “Peace to Prosperity,” President Trump’s Middle East peace plan, was announced last month, the Palestinians escalated violent attacks, injuring and killing both Israelis and Palestinians. Refusing for months to even engage with the U.S., they rejected the plan before even seeing it. The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank called it a deceptive plan, expanding Israeli settlements and promoting apartheid (another form of bigotry). Hamas in the Gaza Strip said that armed and united Palestinian resistance against the “occupying power” is the only way to confront the “dangerous deal.”
It is important to realize that this “dangerous” deal that incites violence in the Palestinians, and outright rejection from Senator Sanders, requires Israel to make a significant transfer of land for a new Palestinian state that is comparable in size to the pre-1967 territory of the West Bank and Gaza — something that Sanders says he wants. It also provides substantial opportunity for economic growth with a massive investment of $50 billion supported by new infrastructure.
The economic part of this plan (which makes up at least two-thirds) is particularly significant, as it hopes to empower and create stability among the Palestinians, breaking their cycle of terrorism, poverty, and reliance on foreign aid. Again, these are goals that Sanders has said that a peace plan must have. Estimates for potential economic growth from the investment is to double the (currently stagnate) Palestinian GDP in ten years with the creation of over one million new jobs, cutting the poverty rate in half.
Our Vice President for International Affairs, Dr. Shea Garrison, was quoted in the National Catholic Register:
Shea Garrison, vice president of international affairs at Concerned Women for America (CWA), observed, “The idea of an ‘equal rights’ amendment sounds great for women who want equality and ‘empowerment.’ However, the ERA, as it is written, does not secure equal rights for women. Rather, it puts us at risk to lose the gains we’ve made in the past 50 years. Here’s why: It says ‘equality of rights … shall not be denied … on account of sex.’ So, it is true that restricting access to abortion could be seen as discrimination against women since abortion is only applicable to women. But it also could work the other way — a man could say any law or special policies on child care, marriage, alimony, etc., put in place to specifically protect women is discrimination against him. Private women-only spaces like sex-segregated bathrooms, locker rooms, or domestic violence shelters could also be seen as a form of sex discrimination or violation of this amendment.”
“The bottom line,” Garrison explained, “is that this is bad policy that will hurt women, not give us equal rights. Women are already equal citizens under the law of the United States, and we will continue to use established law such as Amendment 14, Title IX, or the Equal Opportunity Act of 1963, etc., to wipe out any inequalities that we still may face.”
Calling the ERA “a war on women,” Concerned Women for America adds that this misguided amendment — if it were ever to be revived and passed — would:
- Wipe out all ability to use any laws using “sex” as a defining characteristic, therefore overturning workplace and family laws that protect women.
- Overturn privacy laws that define who may use men’s and women’s bathrooms and locker rooms.
- Attack religious-freedom laws in situations where faith-based groups recognize distinctions between the sexes, such as in women-only domestic violence shelters run by faith-based organizations.
- Be used to write abortion rights into our U.S. Constitution with the rationale that restricting access to abortion is a form of gender discrimination (since it singles out women for a physical trait unique to them).
- Affect Social Security, Medicare benefits, health-insurance benefits and more.
Washington, D.C. — Today President Trump announced his comprehensive plan “Peace to Prosperity” to secure Israeli and Palestinian peace. In attendance with Prime Minister Netanyahu and General Gantz, the leader of Israel’s Blue and White Party, were ambassadors from the U.A.E, Bahrain, and Oman. Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) had this to say:
“Thank you, President Trump, for your unwavering commitment of support for our friend and ally Israel and to building sustainable peace in the Middle East.
“It is our hope that this plan is a catalyst for a real and lasting peace that improves the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians. By bringing together partners within the Gulf states, we envision that a solution may be reached that is beneficial to both parties and supported by allies on both sides of the conflict.
“President Trump has secured the commitment of both Prime Minister Netanyahu and General Gantz to use this plan as the basis for any direct negotiations with the Palestinians. Regardless of the outcome of Israel’s historic March 2020 elections, Israel and the U.S. will continue to work towards peace.
“We hope the Palestinian leadership will come to the table in good faith. The Palestinian people deserve a commitment from their leaders to negotiate a deal that creates peace and prosperity for all.
“Thank you, President Trump, for once again upholding your promise to support Israel and peace in the Middle East with the release of this comprehensive plan. CWALAC looks forward to delving further into the details of ‘Peace to Prosperity’ to see how we might best engage on the path to success.”
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You’ve heard all this talk — in the media and on college campuses — about why we need socialism in America today. Do you want to understand what socialism is and how it impacts society? Or, how to respond to socialist promises like – Free Stuff! – healthcare and college?
For answers to these and many other questions, read our Concerned Women for America’s YWA Socialism lesson written by our Vice President of International Affairs, Dr. Shea Garrison and designed by CWA’s Graphic Designer, Julia Curtis.
CWA’s Vice President for International Affairs, Dr. Shea Garrison, wrote the following Op-Ed published in the Daily Caller.
Once again, the United Nations is pushing abortion into developing countries under the guise of “accelerating” progress for women. And once again, the Trump administration is fighting back.
Backed by Western organizations and money, the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), Norway and Kenya staged a summit last week in Nairobi to reflect the narrow interests of abortion proponents. Among supporters are the abortion-promoting organizations Plan International, the Gates Foundation, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Women Deliver, the U.N. Foundation, and She Decides.
Coming on the heels of the September U.S. Joint Statement on Universal Health Coverage, the summit seems a direct contradiction against 21 U.N. member states committed to “not support … ambiguous terms and expressions, such as sexual and reproductive health and rights in U.N. documents.” In response to the summit, the U.S. issued another statement on behalf of eleven countries reaffirming a commitment to protecting life and protesting that the priorities of the event do not enjoy international consensus.
The Nairobi Summit claims to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population Development (ICPD) which negotiated reproductive health and population issues with representatives from 179 countries. But U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter wrote pro-abortion groups actually used this year’s summit as “a vehicle to try and further their agenda” saying they “are attempting to rewrite ICPD’s … language … with an alternative set of commitments that go beyond what was agreed to by member states in the original ICPD.”
Last week Concerned Women for America was on Capitol Hill advocating for the proper role of foreign policy in protecting human rights. The CWA and Heritage Foundation cosponsored panel was featured by Faith and Law and titled “Divisible, Not Incompatible: Strengthening Human Rights by Preventing Their Politicization”. CWA’s Vice President of International Affairs Dr. Shea Garrison spoke about U.S. leadership in international human rights advocacy along with Emilie Kao from Heritage Foundation, Benjamin Bull Esq. of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation and Dr. Aaron Rhodes, President of the Forum for Religious Freedom-Europe.
The hour-long panel explained to Hill staff members how in international human rights advocacy, God-given, natural, or unalienable rights (like religious freedom, freedom of speech and conscience) are increasingly being conflated with manufactured “rights” that are in actuality only the social and economic goals of particular interest groups.
Today so many organizations advocate in the name of “human rights” that economic and social goals are often confused with fundamental or unalienable rights. This is a problem leading to less individual freedom, not more. Dr. Aaron Rhodes’ book, The Debasement of Human Rights: How Politics Sabotage the Ideal of Freedom, identifies and explains this dangerous trend in the international human rights movement.
Examples of advocacy for social or economic goals in the name of “human rights” include: the right to a clean environment, the right to a free university education, the right to free internet access, the right of a biological male to compete on women’s sports teams, the right to legalized abortion, and even the right not to be offended. As individuals, we all have different opinions about whether these goals are desirable or even valuable. Panel members pointed out that by primarily protecting our “natural” human rights, we also protect the freedom to pursue our different political goals and ideological preferences.
Panel members also explained that confusion about fundamental rights can be dangerous, as it offers cover to authoritarian and totalitarian governments who provide economic and social benefits to citizens as a demonstration of their support for “human rights.” But these governments, like China and Venezuela, at the same time continue to oppress fundamental unalienable rights like religious liberty, freedom of the press, or free speech. As the Declaration of Independence states, the purpose of government is to secure unalienable rights and any government that does not is illegitimate.
To help clarify the difference between God-given natural rights and economic and social goals, Secretary Pompeo recently announced the U.S. Commission on Unalienable Rights to ground U.S. foreign policy on human rights in America’s founding principles. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, as well as the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) are guides for the commission.
The panel ended with suggestions as to how the U.S. can best shape human rights policy and strategy and how natural rights are best protected when they are protected for all, not for members of particular identity groups. In addition, Dr. Garrison discussed how robust protection of natural rights, such as religious freedom, can ultimately lead to economic and social prosperity.
Read Dr. Shea Garrison’s Washington Times Article “How China is home to the worst human rights crises of our time’: It’s why the U.S. Commission on Unalienable rights is so necessary.”
CWA’s Vice President for International Affairs, Shea Garrison writes an op-ed featured in National Review examining Ivanka Trump’s initiatives to cultivate women’s full economic potential.
“A recent article in the Los Angeles Times criticizes Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump for working to empower women in the global economy. Trump, a 37-year old businesswoman and entrepreneur (with a degree from the Wharton School of Business), leads the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP), the first comprehensive “all of government” initiative to help women and girls in developing countries overcome barriers to economic participation and maximize their potential.
Filled with uninformed condescension and sexist statements, the article questions Trump’s role as an advisor and a leader of U.S. development assistance. In actuality, the biased article fails to acknowledge that Ivanka Trump is the first leader within a U.S. administration to effectively focus on what she calls the “most underutilized resource” in the developing world — the power and genius of women. For those of us who have worked in the world of women’s economic empowerment and have seen the dynamic and lasting change it can bring to families and communities, her efforts in this arena are greatly appreciated.
In light of pervasive global poverty and income inequality, Trump’s desire to cultivate women’s full economic potential hits on two excellent points: First, that sustainable development uses a holistic approach to increase the capability and participation of all people in the community — instead of just focusing on the “end goal” of economic growth; and second, that development aid has historically included what Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen called the “extensive neglect of the interests and agency of women.””
United Nations headquarters in New York City, USA
CWA’s Dr. Shea Garrison, the organization’s Vice President of International Affairs, writes a new opinion piece featured this week in The Washington Times.
“The Trump administration led the fight for human rights at the U.N. General Assembly last week, calling out China for forced internment of more than 1 million Uighurs in “training camps” to be “re-educated” and “saved” from their culture, language and faith.
According to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, China is the perpetrator of “the worst human rights crises of our time.” China denies this, touting itself a defender of human rights by providing “development, health, nutrition, and housing” — its own “approach” to human rights that has nothing to do with individual freedoms.
China’s approach is not surprising given that international human rights advocacy is so “watered down” by political agenda that it’s hard to tell the difference between protecting God-given natural rights and government entitlements.
To help rectify this, Mr. Pompeo recently announced the U.S. Commission on Unalienable Rights to ground U.S. foreign policy on human rights in America’s founding principles of individual dignity and freedom. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, as well as the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), are guides for the commission.”
Click to read the entire article here:
Click here for additional articles from Shea Garrison:
Dr. Shea Garrison, CWA’s Vice President of International Affairs, was recently invited to Hungary to present at the Budapest Demographic Summit III, September 5-6. Hosted by the Hungarian government, the conference brought together leaders from all over the world to share their ideas and experiences in strengthening families and promoting effective family policies.
Among those presenting were Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Minister of State for Family and Youth Affairs Katalin Novak, as well as other senior officials from Serbia, Australia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Brazil. Religious representatives included leaders from both Christian and Jewish congregations.
Dr. Garrison spoke about CWA’s commitment to both family and life and how research and practice demonstrate that women’s full and “meaningful” participation in other areas of society—such as within the economy and in peace and security processes—greatly contributes to stable societies, sustainable economic growth, and family development. She was quoted as saying, “We believe the best way to preserve the family is to defend the sanctity of life, particularly the life of an unborn child. In addition, we value motherhood and strong, cohesive families. Women have a unique role in building strong societies that goes beyond the care and nurturing of a family.”
Dr. Garrison discussed two U.S. strategies–the Women’s Global and Development Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP) and the U.S. Women, Peace, and Security Strategy (WPS)–as examples for how governments and civil organizations can support stronger families and communities by taking significant steps to ensure women’s full participation in all areas of society.
Other U.S. representatives included Valerie Huber, Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Global Affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Emilie Kao, Director of the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society, the Heritage Foundation.
Additional Photos of Dr. Garrison’s visit to Hungary:
CWA’s Dr. Shea Garrison, the organization’s Vice President of International Affairs, writes a new opinion piece featured this week in The Washington Times.
“There are many issues Democrats and Republicans disagree on, but elevating women in peace negotiations should certainly not be one of them.
Just a few weeks ago, the United States under the Trump administration became the first country in the world with a Women, Peace and Security (WPS) comprehensive law (2017) and strategy (2019) bringing women to the negotiating table in global peace efforts. This is something to be widely celebrated.
I have proudly worked with women across the aisle to train, support and empower women around the world — because ending poverty and violence against women, and increasing their participation and agency in all spheres of life should be a bipartisan issue everyone can get solidly behind.”
Dr. Shea Garrison, Vice President for International Affairs was featured on Truth for our Time Radio Show with Tamara Scott discussing the “Equality Act.”
“Congress should only pass laws that protect and support women and girls but this law threatens the privacy and the safety and the gains we have made. The “Equality Act” will hurt women and girls. This bill puts everything that women have worked for at risk.”
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 63) came to an end this week at the United Nations in New York City. News reports warn that the U.S. seeks to decrease the rights of women and girls by taking away an international “right” to abortion in UN resolutions. Based mainly on propaganda from far-left political interest groups, this information is inaccurate and misleading.
The U.S. has long been a leader in policies and aid supporting the expansion of women’s rights around the world. Under the Trump administration alone, major initiatives have been launched in three sectors where the advancement of female equality is sorely needed increasing economic empowerment and entrepreneurship, increasing diplomatic and security participation and decreasing the technological or “digital divide” of women and girls. Research shows that women and girls face inequalities in all of these areas and initiatives like this can elevate women by targeting the main challenges they face. In addition, these initiatives reflect the strategic objectives of gender empowerment goals.
In contrast, the promotion of a so-called “right to abortion” that dominates liberal narratives at the UN does none of these. … [Read More Online at The Hill]
This Counterpoint examines recent trends in international relations, concluding, among other things, that promoting “progressive” western social values through U.S. foreign policy erodes public goodwill toward the U.S. and endanger relations with the majority of socially conservative and religious countries of Africa, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East—and populations in Latin America and Eastern and Southern Europe. It notes the Trump administration’s directives to USUN delegates will improve U.S. public diplomacy around the world by refocusing the U.S. on real objectives of development aid and foreign relations and considering how U.S. policies fit the “values and interests of other nations.”
