The development comes in the wake of the country’s worst killings on protests calling for justice for Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody in September.
CSW meets annually in March at the UN Headquarters in New York and is described as the largest gathering of gender equality advocates in the world.
‘Serious concern’ over Iran’s actions
The United States proposed the resolution, which received 29 votes in favor and eight against, with 16 countries abstaining.
The document expressed serious concern over the Iranian Government’s actions since September 2022 “to continue to reduce the human rights of women and girls”, and “often with the use of excessive force”.
Speaking ahead of the vote, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called CSW the first UN body for promoting gender equality and empowering women.
“It cannot do its important work if it is damaged from the inside,” he said. “Iran’s membership at this time is a continuing blemish on the Council’s credibility.”
Memory of Mahsa Amin
The ambassador praised Iranian activists, both in the room and around the world, for their courage, their vision, their sacrifices, and their leadership.
He recalled that Mahsa Amini was arrested by the “morality police” in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on 13 September, who accused her of wearing a veil inappropriately.
It is reported that the girl was beaten on the way to the prison. He fell into a coma and died three days later.
“We know she was killed for the crime of being a woman. And for a long time, for a long time, this is not such an unusual thing in Iran,” Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said.
Iran rejected the decision
Iran “absolutely rejects and condemns” the selection decision, Amir Saeid Jalil Iravani, the country’s ambassador, said, speaking before the vote.
“It is not at all unexpected that the United States is taking such illegal action against Iran, given its long-standing hatred of the Iranian people, but if it does, it will be very dangerous to the stability of the UN system,” he said.
About CSW
The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was established in 1946, and has become instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the realities of women’s lives around the world, and setting international standards on gender equality and empowerment. for women.
Its 45 members are elected by ECOSOC, based on equal territorial distribution, and serve for four years.
