News

The QLC and CLC team at the United Nations.

By DS

Dear friend and supporter of Quebec Life Coalition,

Did you ever have an experience that changed the way you view the world — an experience that created a clear before and after in your understanding of politics, human dignity, and the future of our societies?

A week ago, I had such an experience.

Before attending the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March 2026 as a French-Canadian pro-life delegate representing Quebec through Quebec Life Coalition and Campaign Life Coalition, I must admit that my engagement with global politics was marked by a certain resignation. International debates about legislation, social trends, and ideological movements often seemed distant from everyday life.

What I encountered during that intense week at the United Nations was nothing less than what I can only describe as a profound awakening — almost a cosmic awakening, an existential turning point that reshaped how I perceive the cultural and legal battles unfolding before our eyes.

Witnessing the global battle for the dignity of life

Over the course of the week, I attended numerous conferences and met official delegates and activists from Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, the United States, Canada, and beyond.

I listened carefully to presentations from both pro-life and pro-choice advocates. I participated in training sessions and was exposed to the data, strategies, and narratives surrounding issues such as abortion policy, gender-selective abortion, reproductive technologies like IVF and surrogacy, and the rapidly evolving debates on gender identity and transitioning.

What became increasingly clear is that the language used in international forums can appear technical or compassionate on the surface yet often conceals deeply consequential realities. Concepts such as “bodily autonomy,” “sexual and reproductive health and rights,” or certain approaches to family planning are presented in ways that seem benign — even attractive — yet they shape policies that directly affect whether unborn children live or die.

It was impossible not to feel the gravity of these discussions. One senses that a kind of ruthless ideological battle is underway — a battle that influences legislation, public funding priorities, educational systems, and ultimately the moral imagination of entire societies.

Today’s debates, tomorrow’s laws

Perhaps the most sobering realization of my time at the CSW is this:

The topics debated today at the United Nations often become the binding norms and laws of tomorrow.

Many of the policies now firmly entrenched in Western countries were first introduced decades ago through international dialogue and advocacy. Observing these processes firsthand gave me a renewed understanding of how cultural change is prepared long before it becomes visible in national legislation.

This is why presence matters. Formation matters. Representation matters.

If pro-life voices are absent from these global arenas, the conversation will continue — but without any witness to the fundamental and absolute right to life.

“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing and approving you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:2)

A personal turning point

Seeing the scale of international coordination around these issues had a powerful personal impact on me.

It is one thing to read about these debates; it is quite another to witness them unfolding in real time, to meet the individuals shaping them, and to understand the strategies being deployed.

I returned from New York with a deep conviction that we cannot remain passive observers. The future of families, of women, and of unborn children is being influenced in places like the CSW, often in ways that remain largely invisible to the public eye.

Why QLC’s leadership deserves recognition

This year, Quebec Life Coalition made the courageous and forward-looking decision to send two women delegates to the Commission on the Status of Women.

This initiative deserves to be applauded and continued.

By enabling women from Quebec to be present in these international discussions, QLC is:

• ensuring that the dignity of human life is defended at the global level
• forming articulate and informed advocates who can strengthen our movement at home
• building networks with allies across cultures and continents
• anticipating ideological and legislative trends before they fully reach Canada

Such participation is not merely symbolic. It is strategic, educational, and mission driven.

Looking ahead with determination

This experience has convinced me that our engagement must not be occasional or hesitant. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32).

If we truly believe that the right to life is the foundation of all other rights, then we must be willing to invest time, resources, and courage in defending it wherever the conversation is taking place — locally, nationally, and internationally.

I therefore encourage you, as a valued supporter of Quebec Life Coalition, to continue making possible this important work of representation and formation. Sending delegates year after year to forums like the UN CSW is part of building a long-term culture of life — a culture grounded in truth, compassion, and authentic human dignity.

Thank you for helping to make this mission possible.

Donate today>>

With gratitude and renewed conviction,

DS

Delegate to the UN Commission on the Status of Women
On behalf of Quebec Life Coalition