Iran's ouster from Women's Commission shows UN's bias

By Ashoke Raj
New Delhi [India], December 16 : The United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has removed Iran from the United Nations' leading global commission fighting for gender equality because of systematic violations of the rights of women and girls.
A vote on a US-sponsored resolution to immediately expel Iran took place on Wednesday. A vote to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women for the remainder of the 2022-2026 term in the 54-member council saw 16 abstentions, 29 in favour and 8 against.
Iran's embassy in India said it shows UN bias towards Iran. In an exclusive interaction with ANI, the Iranian ambassador in India, Dr Iraj Elahi said, "From the beginning, the US has been against the membership of Iran in the Commission, therefore, it has resorted to different measures in this direction, but due to confident votes of the ECOSOC member countries to Iran, it only tasted failure. The recent developments in Iran provided an opportunity for the US to abuse the situation in order to achieve its pending goal."
The Iranian envoy said that the decision comes as some foreign countries strive to convert peaceful protests to a violent, continuous contestation.
"The approval of the American resolution against Iran to deprive it of its membership in the 'Commission on the Status of Women' is considered a hostile and completely political action, lacking legal basis which is creating deceitful procedures. With this action, the undeniable rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iranian women's society have been violated," added the Iranian envoy.
Elahi further said that the illegal action to remove a legal member of the "Commission on the Status of Women" creates an obstacle to promoting women's real political, economic, social and educational rights.
"This biased action of the US against the Islamic Republic of Iran is a great insult to the countries that voted for Iran's membership in the "Commission on the Status of Women" last year. Since 2011, Iran has been a dynamic member of the "Commission on the Status of Women" followed by becoming a member of this organization for the third time acquiring a maximum number of votes (43 votes out of 54 members of ECOSOC) in the last year's election," he added.
Elahi underscored that Iranian women's society is an informed, dynamic and empowered society that has always strived for its continual progress, adding that, "Definitely after this situation, it will continue its path to move forward in the same positive direction."
He further slammed the US and said, "The presentation of the resolution by the United States as a country, in which the world is witnessing numerous examples of very serious and apparent human rights violations, especially like apartheid, is ridiculous and shameful. As an irony to the fact, How can a country that prevents the supply of bandages to Iran's butterfly patients claim to be a supporter of women and girls' rights in Iran?"
Moreover, the Iranian envoy recalled that UN action on Iran is a political move against the particular country by the United States.
"Depriving Iran of its membership in the"Commission on the Status of Women" indicates America's fear of the presence of independent countries with superior thinking and conceptualisation abilities in the documents of international institutions. Fear of losing itself as a so-called hegemon in the world," the Iranian envoy told ANI.
He accused the US of deceptively sympathizing with the Iranian women. He said, "The White House, the Elysee Palace and similar circles have become a place to gather misguided women who tarnish the name of Iran and its rational citizens."
He said that although the US barred Iran from being a member of the "Commission on the Status of Women" in order to prevent it from enjoying its legal rights and expressing its beneficial views regarding women, Iran as a member of the United Nations will take benefit of all the opportunities and platforms available to express its righteous and principled point of views on this important topic in different International Forums.
"It should be added that the actions undertaken will be presented to the honourable Minister. Nevertheless, the truth shall always triumph," said Elahi.
Iran has been a member of the Commission on the Status of Women since 2011 and became a member of this organization for the third time with the maximum number of votes (43 votes out of 54 members of ECOSOC) in last year's elections.
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.