International, Based in Utah
Location:
Category:
Anti - Liberties
Status:
Active
Background
The Worldwide Organization for Women (WOW) is a Utah-based nonprofit that was founded in 1977 as the Utah Association of Women (UAW) as a conservative response to the perceived liberal- and feminist-leaning National Women’s Conference held that year. The name of the organization was changed to give itself a more international appearance in 1996 and to afford it the opportunity to work with international organizations and conferences, including its NGO Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ESOSOC).
Although the Worldwide Organization of Women claims to have an arm focused on Africa with a “VP WOW Africa” listed as part of its leadership, the woman, Carol Ugochukwu, is frequently referred to as the “Founder and Chief Executive Officer” of WOW Africa on its social media and in new reports. WOW Africa seems to operate independently of its parent organization and has a more narrow focus on “eliminating the debilitating effects of abject poverty, obtrusive cultural restrictions, gender-based discrimination that affect the rights and lives of women and children.” The website further claims the existence of Worldwide Organization for Women focuses in both Kenya and Latin America, though no online or other presence of those organizations can be found.
The tagline for the Worldwide Organization for Women is “faith, family, sovereignty.” Its 14 “time-honored principles” are heavily focused on a fundamentalist view of the family in society and the organization is particularly opposed to LGBTQ+ rights. The group primarily operates in Utah, with the president of the organization frequently testifying during committee hearings at the Utah State Capitol, but also periodically attends international meetings focused on the family.
Ideology
The Worldwide Organization for Women primarily focuses on issues stemming from a list of 14 principles that include the following:
Fundamentalist View of the Family and Women: WOW believes that the “natural” family is the “basic unit of society,” composed of a marriage “between a man and a woman.” Mothers are expected to be “the heart of the home” and fathers are expected to be “leaders” and “providers.” It believes that gender and these traditional gender roles are “divinely appointed.” One of the key drivers of the organization’s formation was opposition to a more liberal view of women’s rights and the ratification in Utah of the Equal Rights Amendment.
Anti-LGBTQ: WOW is opposed to marriage equality for same-sex couples, believing that marriage should be “between a man and a woman.” The organization is also opposed to transgender rights, in one instance testifying in support of a Utah bill limiting restroom access for transgender individuals.
Anti-Abortion: At its formation, the organization took a stance against “abortion on demand” and continues to believe that “human life is sacred at all stages of development.”
Worldwide Organization for Women
Tactics
Primarily operating in Utah and its politics and policy debates, leaders of the Worldwide Organization for Women are in frequent attendance at committee hearings of the Utah State Legislature on controversial culture war bills and topics. As of October 2024, the group’s president, Nicholeen Peck, is running for and expected to win a seat in the Utah House of Representatives.
Although originally formed as an association of Utah women, the group did eventually expand its focus internationally and became a “worldwide” organization. As noted above, WOW Africa operates largely or completely independently of its parent organization. That being said, the leaders of WOW do at times attend international and United Nations meetings as an NGO with Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ESOSOC), though the international aims of the group seem to have been a larger focus under the previous president.
Utah Connections
Notwithstanding its “worldwide” name and “international” scope of its positions, the Worldwide Organization for Women increasingly operates within its Utah roots to influence policy in Utah. Nicholeen Peck, president of the organization since 2012, is running for a seat in the Utah State Legislature, as of September 2024, and is frequently seen testifying in committee hearings on behalf of the Worldwide Organization for Women at the Utah State Capitol.