UN updates

Greetings from New York!

The winter has been long and cold, albeit with a couple of fantastic weekend snowstorms to bring some excitement. January’s snowstorm saw students moving to online learning and others working from home. In February, students got a proper snow day off from their studies. For both snowstorms, Central Park was filled with families and kids sledding down hills, throwing snowballs, building snowmen, and letting their dogs frolic in the freshness.

At the UN, we have been occupied with the beginning of the busy UN commission season. The Commission on Social Development was held at the end of January. 

Although I was not there to attend it (I was in Rome at the Development Network Meeting), I helped prepare sessions for the Civil Society Forum, and our NGO’s oral statement on the importance of educating girls was read by a youth representative from Red Dot Foundation.

There has been a flurry of activity surrounding March’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). Through the NGO Working Group on Girls, I have assisted girl delegates draft written statements, and prepare for mission visits and a side event on girls’ access to justice. The months of hard work paid off in spades this week as our many activities went off without a hitch. 

I welcomed General Leadership Team members, Anna Quinterio CJ and Mary Kamotho CJ, as well as Leonida Kwamboka CJ from Kenya and Mary Campbell (Women for Women in Africa) from Australia for the first week of CSW70. Next week. Jackline Mwongela CJ from Kenya joins us for a side event on human trafficking. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with the Holy See Mission to discuss collaboration among Catholic NGOs, and I’ve taken girls to the Mission of Ireland for advocacy. Next week, with Jackline we will visit the Kenyan Mission and host a side event on the prevention of human trafficking.

I have been settling into the neighbourhood more and more and am an active member of St. Ignatius Loyola parish, the local Jesuit parish. I am a member of the Social Justice and Laudato Si ministries. I’ve participated in migrant justice initiatives including letter writing and whistle-kit making, and at the end of February, I participated in Don’t Walk By, a day-long outreach to those living on the streets. 

Life is full. I am enjoying my time in New York and at the UN, with many friends and many opportunities to enjoy the city and to offer service to those in the local community. 

Sarah Rudolph CJ

#CSW70 #UNCSW #CSW2026 #UNWomen #GlobalAdvocacy #CongregationOfJesus #CatholicNGOs #FaithInAction #CatholicSocialTeaching #WomenReligious #WomenForJustice #EmpowerGirls #WomenOfFaith #SocialJustice #HumanRights #FaithLeadership