November 2, 2022 — UN Watch estimates that if its draft resolution is introduced to expel the Islamic Republic of Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the motion would pass by an overwhelming vote of 28 to 11, with 15 abstaining or absent.
UN Watch reached these figures by analyzing how members of the UN’s Economic and Social Council, which determines the membership of UN functional commissions, voted on the last UN General Assembly resolution (A/RES/76/178) condemning the Iranian regime for its abuses of human rights.
“This is very encouraging news,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of the independent non-governmental organization UN Watch, based in Geneva. “It is reasonable to assume that those countries that were willing to publicly condemn Iran last year would be willing to support a resolution to expel Iran from a commission on women’s rights.”
“Indeed, the vote result earlier this year on expelling Russia from the Human Rights Council closely tracked how countries had voted earlier on condemning Russia in a General Assembly resolution,” said Neuer.
“It’s entirely possible that some countries that voted yes on the General Assembly resolution may prefer to abstain, because it’s unprecedented to remove a member state from the Commission on the Status of Women, but either way, the number are overwhelming.”
“For the resolution to pass, one only needs more votes in favor than those opposed, and right now it seems only about 11 countries on ECOSOC are willing to side openly with Iran.”
“Bottom line: if our resolution is introduced today, it will surely pass. We just need one member state of ECOSOC with the courage to introduce it.”
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How ECOSOC member states voted on the UNGA Resolution on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran (A/RES/76/178, December 2021)
- Yes — 28 (Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Guatemala, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Montenegro, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Portugal, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States of America)
- No — 11 (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nicaragua, Oman, Russia, Zimbabwe)
- Abstain — 13 (Belize, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tunisia, United Republic of Tanzania)
- Absent — 2 (Congo and Eswatini)
Thankfully, our campaign to expel Iran's regime has new momentum:
✅Canada's Parliament supports us:https://t.co/UMVl8FKhbX
✅Dutch Senate supports us:https://t.co/jBG4Si5BRU
✅New Zealand PM supports us:https://t.co/JV3NxtnSIC
✅US kind of supports us:https://t.co/8CvEXTRgtI— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) November 2, 2022
BREAKING: The Parliament of Canada 🇨🇦 is first in world to adopt motion calling to remove the Islamic regime of Iran from the UN Women's Rights Commission “given the brutal death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the IRGC, the subsequent crackdown in Iran on women's rights…” /1 pic.twitter.com/kxtMUgDhFu
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 31, 2022
BREAKING: New Zealand PM calls to expel Iran from UN Women's Rights Commission. “It is not sustainable for a country that continues to so brutally attack the rights of women to belong to a pre-eminent global body dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.” /1 pic.twitter.com/XQ2tNt8XOG
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 31, 2022
BREAKING: 🇳🇱 Dutch Senate adopts motion requesting its government “to call on behalf of the Netherlands for Iran's removal from the UN Commission on Women's Rights and to support any proposal made to that end.”https://t.co/L7H5TYfZok
Here's our proposal: https://t.co/4ES5abg5nZ pic.twitter.com/O3jfgobEga
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) November 1, 2022
.@StateDeptSpox responds to our draft UN resolution: “#Iran’s membership on the UN Commission on Women is contemptible—outrageous.” The US is “going to look at proposals to effect that outcome, a close look at ideas, and we’ll lend our support where it’s appropriate for us.” https://t.co/JAPe9meg9Q pic.twitter.com/O4ricM17yX
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) November 1, 2022
