ECOSOC votes to oust Iran from Commission on status of Women; US hails it as “historic” decision

The UN Economic and Social Council have voted to immediately oust Iran from the U.N.’s premiere global body fighting for gender equality because of its systematic violation of the rights of women and girls. The United States has hailed it as a “historic” decision. The US-sponsored resolution was sparked by Iran’s ongoing brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters. The protest began in September after the death of a 22-year-old woman taken into custody by the morality police.

The vote in the 54-member UN council known as ECOSOC to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women for the remainder of its 2022-2026 term. Twenty-nine members supported the resolution and eight opposed it, and 16 abstained from voting.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called the vote historic, the first-ever ouster of a Commission member, and “the right thing to do. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the vote shows a growing consensus among the United States and its allies and partners around the world that Iran must be held accountable for atrocities.