US Government announces intention to remove Iran from the UN Commission for the Status of Women

Fabiana Alves Castro

Women’s Rights Researcher, 

Global Human Rights Defence.

This Wednesday, Vice-President of the United States Kamala Harris issued a statement announcing the US intention to work to remove Iran from the UN Commission for the Status of Women. (The White House, 2022)

The Commission for the Status of Women is an intergovernmental body created by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), through its Resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946. The Commission is dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, and it acts through “documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.” (UN Women, n.d.) Iran is a part of the 45 members that compose the Commission, which are elected by ECOSOC, with its term ending in 2026. (Associated Press, 2022)

In its statement, the US first reaffirms its support for the women of Iran who have been protesting for their fundamental rights and human dignity. (The White House, 2022) This pronouncement emerges from the attempts of the Government of Iran to suppress protests that rose last month in response to the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was in the custody of the morality police. (Hansler, 2022)

The US Government states that “no nation that systematically abuses the rights of women and girls should play a role in any international or United Nations body charged with protecting these very same rights”. Therefore, due to Iran’s recent actions, demonstrating the denial of women’s rights, the US believes that “Iran’s very presence discredits the integrity of its membership and the work to advance its mandate”, justifying its work to remove Iran from the Commission. (The White House, 2022)

Sources and further reading:

Askew, J. (2022, November 2). Iran protests: What caused them? Are they different this time? Will the regime fall?. Euronews. https://www.euronews.com/2022/11/02/iran-protests-what-caused-them-who-is-generation-z-will-the-unrest-lead-to-revolution 

Associated Press. (2022, November 2). US to Seek Iran's Ouster From UN's Top Women's Rights Body. U.S. News & World Report. https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-11-02/us-to-seek-irans-ouster-from-uns-top-womens-rights-body

BBC. (2022, October 26). Iran: A really simple guide to the protests. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63240911

Hansler, J. (2022, November 2). US will work to remove Iran from UN Commission on the Status of Women. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/02/politics/us-iran-un-commission-on-the-status-of-women

Middle East Monitor. (2022, November 2). US wants to oust Iran from UN women's body. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221102-us-wants-to-oust-iran-from-un-womens-body/

Nichols, M. (2022, November 2). U.S. wants to oust Iran from U.N. women's commission. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us-wants-iran-ousted-un-womens-body-2022-11-02/

The White House. (2022, November 2). Statement by Vice President Kamala Harris on Iran Protests and the UN Commission on the Status of Women. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/11/02/statement-by-vice-president-kamala-harris-on-iran-protests-and-the-un-commission-on-the-status-of-women/ 

UN Women. (n.d.). Commission on the Status of Women. https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw