Iran is suspended from the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women

Tags: International News

Iran has been expelled from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), in which India abstained from voting.

Important facts

• The US proposal at the UN Economic and Social Council to remove Iran from the panel received 29 votes. 

• Out of a total of 54 members, eight votes were against and 16 were absent.

• There have been widespread protests in Iran against the order forcing women to wear the hijab, with Iran voting to suspend it after vigorous lobbying by the US.

• The Economic and Social Council has expressed serious concern over the actions taken by the Government of Iran since September 2022 through the draft to remove Iran from the remaining 2022-2026 term of the 'Commission on the Status of Women'.

• The draft said that Iran continued to violate women's human rights, including freedom of expression.

• Through the resolution, it was decided to remove Iran "with immediate effect" from the remaining term of 2022-2026 of the 'Commission on the Status of Women'.

About UN Commission on the Status of Women

• It is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the main organs within the United Nations.

• It has been described as the UN organ promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women.

• Every year, representatives gather at UN Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide.

• India is a member of this commission from 2021 to 2025.