A woman holds a poster of Iranian Mahsa Amini during a rally in support of the demonstrations in Iran. AFP
United Nation’s landmark decision to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women was welcomed worldwide.
Following a campaign led by the United States, 29 members of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) voted to expel the Islamic republic from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) for the remainder of its 2022-2026 term.
“Iranian women and activists called on us to do this – and today, we got it done,” US Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.
In her address, Greenfield said, “Iran’s membership at this moment is an ugly stain on the Commission’s credibility.”
The US-led resolution was, however, rejected by countries like China and Russia who were among eight other nations to vote against it. Meanwhile, India abstained from voting.
The text of the resolution says the Iranian leadership “continuously undermine and increasingly suppress the human rights of women and girls, including the right to freedom of expression and opinion, often with the use of excessive force.”
Vice President Kamala Harris hailed the decision. She wrote on her Twitter, “Today’s vote to remove Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women is a victory for those protesting in Iran and all of those who stand with them. The unmistakable message is this: the world is listening and taking action. The women and girls of Iran will be heard.”
Mahsa Amini’s hometown celebrates
Soon after the resolution was passed by the UN, people in the hometown of Mahsa Amini started celebrating by bursting firecrackers.
Journalist Masih Alinejad shared footage of the celebrations in Saqez on Twitter saying, “Immediately after the Islamist regime was removed from the UN’s commission on the status of women, people of the Kurdish town #Saqez, hometown of #MahsaAmini have started celebrating.”
“Soon, we’ll also celebrate the overthrow of this regime,” she added.
Human rights activist Nazanin Boniadi acknowledged the resolution to remove Iran from the women’s body of UN.
“UNPRECEDENTED! ECOSOC resolution to remove Iran from the CSW has been adopted with 29 votes in favour, 8 against & 16 abstentions. Thanks to the tireless efforts of all in closed-door & public advocacy and to Vice President for heeding the calls of women’s rights defenders in Iran.”
Mahsa Amini died on 16 September after Iran’s morality police arrested her for allegedly not wearing the hijab properly.
Iran rejects UN’s resolution
Before voting began, Amir Saeid Jalil Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to UN said that Iran “categorically rejected and strongly condemned” the draft resolution.
“It is not at all unexpected that the United States is taking such unlawful action against Iran, given its long-standing hostility towards the Iranian people, but if carried out, it would be exceedingly dangerous to the UN system integrity,” he further said.
What is the CSW?
Established in 1946, the UN Commission on the Status of Women has been instrumental in promoting women’s rights worldwide, documenting the reality of women’s lives and shaping standards on gender equality and ensuring the empowerment of women globally.
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