Standing Steady, Reaching Global: NFBPWC and the United Nations

United Nations Committee – July 2025
Submitted by Barbara Bozeman

As we reflect on July’s theme —BPW: Past, Present, and Future—we are reminded that our organization’s deep-rooted relationship with the United Nations has always been one of our greatest strengths. From the early days of post-war diplomacy to today’s interconnected world, NFBPWC and BPW International have stood for peace, equality, and opportunity for women—everywhere.

In the past, we laid the groundwork. BPW leaders contributed to the founding principles of the UN, championed the establishment of the Commission on the Status of Women, and were among the first civil society voices advocating for gender-inclusive development. We believed then—as we do now—that a better world depends on the full participation of women in every sector and at every level.

In the present, that global connection matters more than ever.
We find ourselves in a moment of heightened tension at home.  Public discourse is polarized, trust in institutions is strained, and the very rights and resources that women have long worked to secure are once again under review. Yet in this environment, NFBPWC’s role remains clear: to be a steady, respectful, and principled force for progress.
What sets us apart is that we are not isolated. As part of BPW International, we are part of a powerful, global network spanning over 100 countries and holding consultative status with the United Nations.

That global positioning gives us a platform—and a responsibility. While politics may shift and opinions may differ, the shared values of dignity, equality, education, and opportunity unite us beyond borders and beyond partisanship.

In the future, we will continue to use that platform to educate, advocate, and connect. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer us a roadmap—and we know that local actions can lead to global impact. In every corner of our organization, members are already doing the work: mentoring girls, supporting women entrepreneurs, protecting the environment, advancing human rights.

Despite the noise of today’s political climate, we encourage every member to stay engaged. Learn more about how international frameworks like the SDGs connect to the issues you care about. Use your voice to respectfully engage with elected officials. Collaborate with others across party lines. And remember: our strength lies not just in our positions, but in our persistence.

BPW has never been about standing still. It’s about moving forward together—with vision, courage, and civility.

Let us honor the legacy of those who came before us, meet the moment we are in, and step boldly into the future we are building—locally and globally.

To learn more or to get involved with our United Nations efforts, email un@nfbpwc.org.

UN80 Reforms: A Turning Point for Gender Equality and Migration Policy

By Eva Richter, NFBPWCNY
The United Nations is turning 80 this year and is facing very hard times. Many nations, the US and China prominent among them, have not paid their dues and seem to show no sign of doing so; the US has defunded and dismantled 90% of US AID, which heretofore has funded humanitarian projects worldwide, many of them under UN jurisdiction. The institution has become increasingly bureaucratic, with agencies and programs overlapping in both mandates and jurisdictions. Migration and refugee flows have increased amid rising restrictions, barriers and punitive policies against the free movement of peoples, flying in the face of UN compacts, previously agreed to by Member States, that guarantee safe, orderly, and well-managed migration.

Several years in the making but given urgency by the current crisis, the UN80 Initiative is eyeing cost- cutting and consolidation. Secretary-General António Guterres has outlined a three-pronged strategy: streamlining operations, reassessing mandates, and realigning programs to enhance efficiency and impact. In addition, he is proposing relocating various offices and agencies to regional hubs. Leases on some office buildings in New York have been allowed to lapse.

The initiative has raised concerns—particularly regarding its implications for gender equality and immigration policy. For members of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs (NFBPWC), this moment offers both a challenge and an opportunity to advocate for inclusive, rights-based reforms that align with our mission and the UN’s global commitments. We must turn our efforts to what we can accomplish locally on the civil and legislative fronts, making our voices heard, partnering with like-minded organizations to amplify our voices, appealing to local and national governing bodies to implement strategies and programs to support our goals.

Gender Equality and UNIFEM: At a Crossroads
Insiders warn that the UN80 reforms may consolidate or downsize key human rights offices, including those focused on gender-based violence and women’s rights such as UNIFEM and UN Women. One proposal is to collapse several protection mandates that operate as solo offices — such as Children and Armed Conflict, Sexual Violence in Conflict and Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse — into one, according to the suggestions in a leaked confidential document. The single body would be called the Office for the Protection  of  Vulnerable  Populations. Such restructuring could dilute the visibility and effectiveness of gender-focused programming and deliver a blow to the cause of gender equality.

This is particularly troubling given the UN’s own acknowledgment that gender equality is central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 5. The risk is not just symbolic; it could mean fewer resources for programs that protect women in conflict zones, support female entrepreneurs, and promote women’s leadership in climate action.

Migration Reform: UNHCR, IOM, and OSHA in the Spotlight. The UN80 Initiative also intersects with global migration governance. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are key players in implementing the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) plays a complementary role in ensuring labor protections for migrant workers—especially women, who are often vulnerable to exploitation in informal sectors. A plan is being floated to consolidate these three entities, establishing the resultant migration office in Geneva, which is already the center of most UN discussion on migration.

Aligning with the UN 2030 Agenda and Climate Agreements
The UN80 reforms arrive at a critical juncture for the 2030 Agenda, which all UN nations have committed to supporting, though President Trump has recently repudiated these. Any reform that sidelines gender or migration undermines the UN’s ability to deliver also on its climate and development promises that disproportionately affect women and girls.

What Can NFBPWC Members Do? As advocates for working women and gender equity, NFBPWC members are uniquely positioned to influence this global conversation. Here are two concrete actions we can take, together with their suggested implementations:

1.   Advocate for Gender-Responsive Budgeting in UN Reforms
Write to U.S. representatives and UN mission delegates urging them to support gender-responsive budgeting in the UN80 framework.
Uphold the central importance of the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which is nowhere mentioned in the discussion of reform. Use NFBPWC’s platform to mobilize members with sample letters and talking points tailored to this issue.
Partner with like-minded organizations to amplify our voice through joint statements and social media campaigns.

2.   Promote Migrant Women’s Rights in GCM and GCR Implementation
Host webinars and panel discussions featuring experts from UNHCR, IOM, and OSHA, NGOs, academia and individual migrants and their stories, to educate members on the intersection of gender and migration. Partner with like-minded organizations such as the Women in Migration Network (WIMN) to amplify our voice through joint statements and social media campaigns.

Encourage local chapters to support community- based organizations that assist migrant women with legal aid, job training, health services and housing.

A Call to Action
The UN80 Initiative is not just a bureaucratic reshuffle—it’s a litmus test for the UN’s commitment to its founding principles. As NFBPWC members, we must ensure that gender equality and migrant rights are not sidelined in the name of efficiency. Our advocacy, grounded in over a century of championing women’s rights, can help shape a more inclusive and resilient United Nations.

The proposed restructuring includes plans to relocate agencies to less expensive regions and cities, including Nairobi (UNIFEM, UN Women, UN Population Fund); Valencia, Spain (UNICEF). Other regional locations are also in contest. FAO has long been established in Rome.

Our organization operates in over 100 countries, and therefore we are uniquely placed to exercise our UN mandate in many of the regions and countries that will now assume greater UN prominence. We can rise to this moment with the same imagination and commitment our organization has always displayed, advocating for human and civil rights, agency and dignity for all women and girls everywhere. Together, we can ensure that, despite budget cuts, consolidations and dislocations, the next 80 years of the United Nations are more equitable, inclusive, and just than the last.