Sr. Sarah Rudolph is a member of the Congregation of Jesus (Loretto Sisters) in Canada. She currently serves as the Main Representative for the CJ Sisters at the United Nations in New York City. She also serves as a Consultor for the Loretto Sisters Canada regional leadership team. She holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs from Carleton University and a Master of Divinity from Regis College at the University of Toronto.
On October 1, 2025, with great excitement (and some nervousness), I began a new mission as the Main Representative for the Congregation of Jesus (CJ) at the United Nations (UN) in New York City. I lead global justice advocacy, bringing the voice of faith-based civil society to the UN. Guided by the Gospel message, Catholic Social Teaching, and core values of justice, truth, freedom, sincerity and joy, inspired by our founder, Venerable Mary Ward (1585 – 1645), the CJ have had a presence at the UN since 2003.
In my role, I advocate for the priorities of the global CJ network – our members in over 40 countries and our ministry partners. I work in collaboration with other civil society organizations, UN agencies and Member States to challenge injustices and oppressive structures by bringing the insights of the people with whom the CJ work and live, especially the most marginalized, into decision-making spaces at the UN. Our areas of focus include gender equity and the elimination of gender-based violence, the eradication of poverty, access to quality education and healthcare, the elimination of trafficking in persons, care for the environment, and financing for development.
The past few months have been a steep learning curve. The UN has a unique language and set of protocols, and I am slowly learning the diplomatic complexities that mark its operation. To date, I’ve had the pleasure of contributing to activities for the International Day of the Girl (October), the Commission for Social Development (January), and most recently, the Commission on the Status of Women (March).
The 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) was held March 9-19. As the primary global forum for dialogue and action on gender equality, this year’s session emphasized access to justice for all women and girls, reviewed achievements in women’s full and effective participation and decision making in public life, and efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls.
In the opening session, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock spoke with authority, stating “inequality is an active choice”. Globally, women have access to only 2/3 of the legal rights of men. She urged Member States to confront those that abuse power, and called for justice in principle, practice, and power. Not just on International Women’s Day but every day. Her words resonate with Mary Ward’s belief that ‘there is no such difference between men and women that women cannot do great things’. Four centuries after Mary Ward, women still await equality.
The opening session also included an unusual feature this year. The adoption of the Concluding Agreements, normally held at the closing session, were adopted during the opening session by vote rather than consensus – an unprecedented first in the history of CSW. This action drew significant criticism from a number of Member States. Ostensibly, the decision to adopt by vote at the beginning of CSW70 was made in reaction to proceedings at CSW69 when prolonged negotiations weakened language and action on gender equality. While strong language and commitments were preserved this year, the method of adoption produced discord and fragmentation.
My first engagement in CSW70 in this new role was energizing. I welcomed five delegates from the CJ network to New York to join in education and advocacy initiatives for girls’ rights, the elimination of human trafficking, and the empowerment of women.
We met with H.E. Archbishop Caccia, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN to discuss opportunities to build stronger networks among Catholic organizations at the UN. We also met with H.E. Ambassador Yabesh O. Monari, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya to the UN to present the works of CJ Sisters in Eastern Africa to eliminate human trafficking and to educate and empower vulnerable children and women in slum areas of Nairobi. The Kenyan Mission graciously participated in a side event our NGO co-hosted on good practices to end human trafficking of women and girls.
In collaboration with the NGO Working Group on Girls, I co-organized several initiatives related to girls’ rights advocacy: a day-long orientation for girl delegates attending CSW70; a visit to the Permanent Mission of Ireland, where girls took the lead on advocacy; and a side event focused on girls’ access to justice.
The two weeks of CSW70 were full of learning, relationship-building, advocacy, and witnessing to the work of Catholic Religious Sisters to support the flourishing of women and girls worldwide. I feel proud of the work my CJ Sisters, civil society colleagues, and I accomplished. Each action we take is a step towards realizing the full equality of women and girls and an act of solidarity for global justice.
Read other InsightOut posts.