No Joke: U.N. Elects Saudi Arabia to Women's Rights Commission, For 2018-2022 Term - UN Watch
The Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch condemned the U.N.’s election of Saudi Arabia, “the world’s most misogynistic regime,” to a 2018-2022 term on its Commission on the Status of Women, the U.N. agency “exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.”
“Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch. “It’s absurd — and morally reprehensible.”
“This is a black day for women’s rights, and for all human rights,” said Neuer.
“Saudi discrimination against women is gross and systematic in law and in practice. Every Saudi woman,” said Neuer, “must have a male guardian who makes all critical decisions on her behalf, controlling a woman’s life from her birth until death. Saudi Arabia bans women from driving cars. Why did the U.N. choose the world’s leading promoter of gender inequality to sit on its gender equality commission?”
Saudi women feel betrayed by the UN. “I wish I could find the words to express how I feel right know. I’m ‘saudi’ and this feels like betrayal,”tweeted a self-described Saudi woman pursuing a doctorate in international human rights law in Australia.”
“Today the UN sent a message that women’s rights can be sold out for petro-dollars and politics,” said Neuer, “and it let down millions of female victims worldwide who look to the world body for protection.”
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Hillel Neuer
✔@HillelNeuer
How does Saudi Arabia win seats on U.N. human rights bodies? Cash & secret deals—even with adversaries like Russia. https://www.unwatch.org/leaked-cables-saudi-arabia-russia-traded-votes-for-unhrc-seats/ …
8:10 AM - 24 Apr 2017
The fundamentalist monarchy is now one of 45 countries that, according to the U.N., will play an instrumental role in “promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.”
Saudi Arabia was elected by a secret ballot last week of the U.N.’s 54-nation Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Usually ECOSOC rubber-stamps nominations arranged behind closed doors by regional groups, however this time the U.S. forced an election, to China’s chagrin.
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Hillel Neuer
✔@HillelNeuer
Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief.https://www.unwatch.org/no-joke-u-n-elects-saudi-arabia-womens-rights-commission/ …
10:23 AM - 23 Apr 2017
No Joke: U.N. Elects Saudi Arabia to Women's Rights Commission, For 2018-2022 Term - UN Watch
The Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch condemned the U.N.’s election of Saudi Arabia, “the world’s most misogynistic regime,” to a 2018-2022 term on its Commission on the Status of Women, the...
unwatch.org
The Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch condemned the U.N.’s election of Saudi Arabia, “the world’s most misogynistic regime,” to a 2018-2022 term on its Commission on the Status of Women, the U.N. agency “exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.”
“Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch. “It’s absurd — and morally reprehensible.”
“This is a black day for women’s rights, and for all human rights,” said Neuer.
“Saudi discrimination against women is gross and systematic in law and in practice. Every Saudi woman,” said Neuer, “must have a male guardian who makes all critical decisions on her behalf, controlling a woman’s life from her birth until death. Saudi Arabia bans women from driving cars. Why did the U.N. choose the world’s leading promoter of gender inequality to sit on its gender equality commission?”
Saudi women feel betrayed by the UN. “I wish I could find the words to express how I feel right know. I’m ‘saudi’ and this feels like betrayal,”tweeted a self-described Saudi woman pursuing a doctorate in international human rights law in Australia.”
“Today the UN sent a message that women’s rights can be sold out for petro-dollars and politics,” said Neuer, “and it let down millions of female victims worldwide who look to the world body for protection.”
View image on Twitter
Follow
Hillel Neuer
✔@HillelNeuer
How does Saudi Arabia win seats on U.N. human rights bodies? Cash & secret deals—even with adversaries like Russia. https://www.unwatch.org/leaked-cables-saudi-arabia-russia-traded-votes-for-unhrc-seats/ …
8:10 AM - 24 Apr 2017
The fundamentalist monarchy is now one of 45 countries that, according to the U.N., will play an instrumental role in “promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.”
Saudi Arabia was elected by a secret ballot last week of the U.N.’s 54-nation Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Usually ECOSOC rubber-stamps nominations arranged behind closed doors by regional groups, however this time the U.S. forced an election, to China’s chagrin.
Follow
Hillel Neuer
✔@HillelNeuer
Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief.https://www.unwatch.org/no-joke-u-n-elects-saudi-arabia-womens-rights-commission/ …
10:23 AM - 23 Apr 2017
No Joke: U.N. Elects Saudi Arabia to Women's Rights Commission, For 2018-2022 Term - UN Watch
The Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch condemned the U.N.’s election of Saudi Arabia, “the world’s most misogynistic regime,” to a 2018-2022 term on its Commission on the Status of Women, the...
unwatch.org