Independent Women’s Center for American Safety and Security has released a policy focus criticizing the United Nations (UN) for failing to protect women. The report, authored by Meaghan Mobbs, director of the Center, highlights several issues within the UN, including slow responses to sexual violence, exploitation by peacekeepers, leadership roles given to authoritarian regimes, and inconsistent approaches to gender-based violence.
Mobbs uses the October 7th attacks and what she describes as the abandonment of Israeli women as an example of systemic failures at the UN. She argues that political agendas and bureaucratic challenges have led to inaction.
The policy focus proposes reforms such as increasing accountability for sexual violence committed by UN personnel, reassessing leadership positions in human rights bodies so that countries with poor records on women’s rights are not given influence, and improving internal oversight and transparency across agencies.
Mobbs also calls for defunding the UN until reforms are made. She states:
“The United Nations has failed in its most basic duty to protect women. Its peacekeepers have committed abuse. Its leaders have refused to define who a woman is. It has elevated regimes that oppress women. This is not a system we should support. Until there is real accountability and reform, the UN should not receive another dollar. It is time for the United States to lead by example and begin the process of defunding the UN.”
The Center’s recent work includes reports on hypocrisy within the UN, calls for zero tolerance on female genital mutilation, appeals to address rising violence against women and girls on significant anniversaries, questions about advocacy campaigns such as #BringBackOurGirls, and commentary on conditions facing Afghan women after U.S. withdrawal.
