World Congress of Families

[[File:World Congress of Families.jpg|thumb|right|165px|World Congress of Families logo]]
{{Christianity}}
The '''World Congress of Families''' (WCF) is an international group of Christian organizations opposed to [[LGBT rights]], founded in 1997 and based in Rockford, [[Illinois]].<ref name=guardian2015>[https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/nov/19/world-congress-of-families-anti-lgbtq-sentiment Pernicious work of World Congress of Families fuels anti-LGBTQ sentiment], The Guardian, Nov 19, 2015</ref> It is active internationally, and it is particularly active in Eastern [[Europe]]. The [[Southern Poverty Law Center]] has designated it a "hate group", while pro-LGBT group [[Human Rights Campaign]] called it "one of the most influential American organizations involved in the export of hate".<ref name=splc>[https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/world-congress-families World Congress of Families], SPLC, accessed Oct 11, 2022</ref><ref name=hrc>[https://www.hrc.org/resources/exposed-the-world-congress-of-families Exposed: The World Congress of Families], Human Rights Campaign, June 2015</ref>

It campaigns for a [[Kinder, Küche, Kirche|very narrow, traditionalist view of the family]], with a [[cis]] male leader, a cis female wife who stays at home, and biological children. It has supported anti-LGBT and traditional-style "pro-family" legislation in several countries from [[Russia]] to west [[Africa]].<ref name=splc/><ref name=rightwingwatch/><ref name=cnn2021/> It has also promoted [[pseudoscientific]] ideas about the dangers of homosexuality, [[gender]], and reproductive health. This includes lies that exaggerate the health risks of abortion.<ref name=guardianamerena/>

Its main focus is international congresses held annually in different cities, and smaller regional gatherings.<ref name=splc/>

==History==
It was founded in 1997 as a project of the International Organization for the Family (formerly the Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society). Its foundation was the result of a meeting in [[Russia]] between American academic Allan Carlson and Russians Anatoly Antonov and Viktor Medkov. All three were concerned about alleged demographic decline in Russia and among white Americans, with fewer children being born, and blamed things like LGBT rights and [[feminism]] for this decline.<ref name=splc/> Hence it links to [[The Great Replacement]] and similar [[white nationalist]] ideas.

Allan Carlson had been active since the 1970s around the Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society and Rockford College Institute. The Rockford College Institute was started in 1976 by John Howard who was concerned about [[social decline]] since the liberation movements of the 1960s, often taking a [[racist]] direction as well as opposing the [[freedom]] of women and LGBT people. Howard and Carlson founded the Howard Center in 1997, which in turn begat the World Congress of Families.<ref name=splc/>

Although its founders had white nationalist and racist connections, the WCF was intended to be more inclusive, open to [[Jews]] and [[Muslims]], and people from around the world.<ref name=splc/>

Its first congress was held in Prague in 1997, with 700 attendees. It condemned [[homosexual marriage]] and [[civil unions]], as well as everything else it saw as a threat to traditional marriage, including [[adultery]], [[divorce]], [[abortion]], and single-parent families.<ref name=splc/>

In 2016, Brian Brown replaced Carlson as President of the WCF.<ref name=splc/> Brown also had a leading role in the [[National Organization for Marriage]].<ref name=mj>[https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/02/world-congress-families-us-evangelical-russia-family-tree/ The World Congress of Families’ Russian Network], Mother Jones, Feb 21, 2014</ref>

==Affiliations==
Various anti-LGBTQ+ [[trolls]] have been linked to the group, including [[Scott Lively]], [[Anti-feminism|anti-feminist]] and [[Concerned Women for America]] member {{wpl|Janice Shaw Crouse||,}} {{wpl|Robert H. Knight||,}} {{wpl|Jennifer Roback Morse}} (of the Ruth Institute), and Brian Brown (of the [[National Organization for Marriage]], etc).<ref name=hrc/><ref name=guardian20140827/>

It is also keen on promoting [[Pseudoscience|false theories]] about women's health, including untrue claims that [[Evidence linking abortion to breast cancer|abortion causes breast cancer]], and attacks on the safety of the [[birth control|contraceptive pill]].<ref name=guardian20140827/>

Worryingly, it has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).<ref name=splc/> It has attempted to lobby other [[UN]] agencies and the Organization of American States.<ref name=guardian2015/>

==Actions==
Its main function is to bring people together at annual conferences and other smaller events, held around the world. It also issues declarations and petitions, and works with many [[right-wing]] organisations around the world.<ref name=splc/>

===USA===
It led a 2015 campaign against anti-[[discrimination]] ordinances in Houston, [[Texas]], which would have prevented discrimination on the basis of categories including age, race, military service, marital status, and [[sexual orientation]].<ref name=guardian2015/><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/04/houston-anti-discrimination-bathroom-ordinance Houston rejects hotly contested anti-discrimination ordinance], ''The Guardian'', Nov 4, 2015</ref> Gotta be able to discriminate against veterans!

It also has links to US politicians. [[Ted Cruz]]'s father Pastor Rafael Cruz spoke at its 2015 congress.<ref name=guardian2015/>

===Russia===
Brown and Russian WSF representative Alexey Komov have links to nationalist Russian businessman Konstantin Malofeev's Saint Basil the Great Charitable Foundation, which combines heartwarming [[Charity|charitable]] work with [[Anti-abortion|campaigning against abortion]].<ref name=mj/><ref>[https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-oligarch-malofeyev-banned-bulgaria-10-years-spy-scandal/30159179.html Russian Oligarch Malofeyev Banned From Bulgaria For 10 Years Over Spy Scandal], Radio Free Europe, September 11, 2019</ref>

The WCF expressed support for Putin's 2013 anti-LGBT laws.<ref name=rightwingwatch>[https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/six-us-conservative-groups-sign-statement-supporting-russian-gay-propaganda-ban/ Six US Conservative Groups Sign Statement Supporting Russian ‘Gay Propaganda’ Ban], ''Right Wing Watch'', September 3, 2013</ref><ref name=guardian2015/> Putin's 2013 law claimed to be "aimed at protecting children from information promoting the denial of traditional family values", but banned large amounts of media considered to promote homosexuality: it interfered with or closed down services for LGBT people and particularly teenagers, and prevented teachers from properly educating their pupils and supporting LGBT children.<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/12/12/no-support/russias-gay-propaganda-law-imperils-lgbt-youth No Support: Russia's "Gay Propaganda" Law Imperils LGBT Youth], Human Rights Watch, Dec 12, 2018</ref> Brian Brown in particular has aligned himself with [[Vladimir Putin]] in the latter's oppressive actions in Russia.<ref name=splc/>

===Eastern Europe===
Brown has expressed support for [[Hungarian]] [[authoritarian]] leader [[Viktor Orban]]. The 2017 conference was held in Budapest, [[Hungary]], and Orban spoke, calling for measures to improve Hungary's birth rate, as well as attacking "relativising liberal ideology" and the [[European Union]].<ref name=guardianhungary2017/>

===Africa===
It has also held regional meetings in Africa. Its 2009 conference in [[Nigeria]] is credited with influencing the country's 2012 anti-gay law.<ref name=splc/> Nigerian anti-LGBT activist Theresa Okafor has also spoken at other events.<ref name=guardianverona2019/> [[Uganda]]n politician Lucy Akello who helped pass a law imposing a maximum penalty of life imprisonment for being gay is another attendee.<ref name=guardianverona2019/>

WCF held another event in Accra, Ghana in 2019, and soon after the country announced cruel laws that would punish gay people by up to ten years' imprisonment; [[homophobia]] is also rife in Ghana with videos of gay men being assaulted often posted online and shared.<ref name=cnn2021>[https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/08/africa/ghana-lgbtq-crackdown-intl-cmd/index.html How a US group with links to the far-right may have influenced a crackdown on Ghana’s LGBTQ community], CNN, October 8, 2021</ref>

==Conferences==
[[File:Jack Hanick (2).jpg|thumb|right|165px|Jack Hanick, former [[Fox News]] producer at the 2017 congress]]
This lists some of the organization's annual congresses:
* 2014 - Melbourne, [[Australia]], where it was hosted by right-wing evangelical church Catch the Fire. Catch the Fire's head at the time was pastor Daniel Nalliah, who blamed Australian bush fires on laws legalizing abortion (not [[climate change]]).<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/30/protesters-block-entry-world-congress-families-starts-chaos Protesters block entry as World Congress of Families starts in chaos], ''The Guardian'', Aug 30, 2014</ref> Speakers blamed most of society's problems on single-parent families, while speakers included Angela Lanfranchi who has pushed false theories wrongly linking abortion to breast cancer, Theresa Martin of Australian anti-abortion group Cherish Life Queensland, and anti-gay campaigner [[Fred Nile]]. [[Liberal Party of Australia]] politician Kevin Andrews was also scheduled to speak but eventually backed out.<ref name=guardianamerena>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/01/i-went-to-the-world-congress-of-families-and-all-i-got-was-this-lousy-foetus-stress-toy I went to the World Congress of Families and all I got was this lousy foetus stress toy], Dom Amerena, ''The Guardian'', Sep 1, 2014</ref><ref name=guardian20140827>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/27/kevin-andrews-natural-family-man-of-the-year-would-be-a-funny-concept-if-it-wasnt-so-serious Kevin Andrews, natural family man of the year: a funny but deadly serious concept], The Guardian, Aug 27, 2014</ref>
* 2015 - Salt Lake City, [[Utah]], USA<ref name=guardian2015/>
* 2017 - Budapest, [[Hungary]], where Viktor Orban spoke.<ref name=guardianhungary2017>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/26/hungary-lgbt-world-congress-families-viktor-orban Hungary's prime minister welcomes US 'anti-LGBT hate group'], The Guardian, May 26, 2017</ref>
* 2019 - Verona, [[Italy]]<ref name=guardianverona2019>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/29/city-of-love-christian-right-congress-in-verona-divides-italy-league-extremism City of love? Christian right congress in Verona divides Italy], ''The Guardian'', Mar 29, 2019</ref>, where it was attended by far-right Italian politicians Matteo Salvini and [[Giorgia Meloni]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/17/giorgia-meloni-brothers-of-italy-leader-far-right-elections-alliance- God, family, fatherland - how Giorgia Meloni has taken Italy’s far right to the brink of power], The Guardian, Sep 17, 2022</ref>

==External links==
* [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cartoon/2014/aug/27/kevin-andrews-world-congress-dog First Dog on the Moon's perspective on the Australian congress]

==References==
{{Reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Anti-abortion activists]]
[[Category:Homophobia]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoting organizations]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]
[[Category:Transphobia]]

Categories: Anti-abortion activists, Homophobia, Pseudoscience promoting organizations, Right-wing activists, Transphobia