Saudi Arabia was elected to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Organisers said women were involved in the launch event, but that they were obliged to sit in a separate room. At a well-attended United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) side event entitled "Saudi Arabia - Time for Accountability", panelists including two UN Special Rapporteurs called for the immediate release of human rights defenders, including lawyers, journalists, and women's rights activists, who have been arbitrarily detained or disappeared in a lengthy crackdown on dissent that peaked . But Human Rights Watch said Saudi women were forbidden from obtaining a passport, marrying or accessing higher education without the approval of a male guardian usually a husband, father, brother, or son. It is the only country in the world where women are prohibited from driving and are unable to obtain a driving licence. There were five vacancies for Asia for the period 2018-2022 and only five candidates: Iraq, Japan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and Turkmenistan. However, in the vast majority of cases, elections are uncontested there are only as many candidates as there are vacancies in each regional group. In diametrical opposition to these fine founding aspirations, the UN has appointed Saudi Arabia's envoy to the United Nations Human Rights Council to head (or should that be "behead") an influential human rights panel. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. This has proved an effective way for states to signal their disapproval of a candidates record. Rothna Begum,. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}, Saudi women conduct silent walking protest over right to drive, Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number, Please enter a name between 1 and 40 characters, You must be over 18 years old to register. Ranking Saudi Arabia among the 10-worst-countries for women, the Toronto Star wrote, "In oil-rich Saudi Arabia, women are treated as lifelong dependents, under the guardianship of a male relative. "Its absurd.". Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country on the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia.It has a land area of about 2,150,000 km 2 (830,000 sq mi), making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Arab world, and the largest in Western Asia.It is bordered by the Red Sea to the west; Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait to the north; the Persian Gulf, Qatar . United Nations elects Saudi Arabia to women's rights body, {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. UN Watch, a pro-Israeli organisation that is critical of the United Nations, raised the alarm about Saudi Arabia's election to the women's rights council. Vision 2030 is a set of economic reform plans introduced . Saudi Arabia now heads the UN "Human Rights Council" and is a member of the UN "Women's Rights Commission" that monitors women's rights. Each email has a link to unsubscribe. It meets for two weeks every year to discuss progress on the Beijing Platform for Action the internationally agreed blueprint for improving gender equality and the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. Denmark delivered a cross-regional joint statement at the UN Human Rights Council 45th regular session calling on Saudi Arabia to establish the truth about the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Istanbul Consulate last October and ensure the perpetrators are held to account.This demand came a week after a Saudi court has overturned five death sentences over dissident journalist Jamal . Now their applications will be fast-tracked. In Saudi Arabia, a state policy of gender segregation between unrelated men and women is rigorously enforced. As of August 2020, they continue to await trial in a Saudi prison. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/saudi-arabia-un-womens-council-gender-equality-concerns/8469258, Get breaking news alerts directly to your phone with our app, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, Medibank hack is a 'dog act' but that doesn't mean a ransom should not be paid, cybersecurity expert tells Q+A, Fifth COVID vaccine dose not currently being recommended for most, health department says, Investigators find faulty system, poor pilot monitoring behind deadly plane crash, Family's tribute to crash pilot who died living life to the fullest, Chris Dawson looks at floor while daughter delivers emotional speech in court, Imperious England through to T20 World Cup final with demolition of India, 'Not a priority issue for me': Former department secretary tells commission Robodebt was not his problem, Sophie alleges she was molested as a child. This is especially pertinent in the area of womens rights, which has seen fierce backlash in recent years. States should take a clear stand against human rights violations in Saudi Arabia by joining a UN Human Rights Council statement addressing the government's crackdown on peaceful activists, including a group of detained women human rights defenders known to have been tortured and sexually . Russia and Cuba were. In March Saudi Arabia launched its first ever girls' council meeting with publicity photos showing 13 men on stage and no women. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, was elected, after its group Asia-Pacific proposed four states for its four seats. According to a Saudi official, she is now in a detention center facing indefinite detention or possible forced return to the family she fled. Tawanda Mutasah Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Watchdog director likens move to 'making an arsonist the town fire chief', Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Photo:Secretary-General Antnio Guterres (left) meets with Adel Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia elected to UN women's rights commission, Up to 30% off electricals in the Very Black Friday sale, Up to 20% off and extra perks with Booking.com Genius membership, Receive $7 off orders over $50 - Aliexpress promo code, 15% off selected items using this eBay discount code, 25% off and over - Find all Marks & Spencer promo codes and live deals, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK November 2022, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this November, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. On 10 February, Ministers and womens authorities' representing Member States of the League of Arab States, participated in the Arab Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 65 th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65). Recommendations for action are then forwarded to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Commissions parent body. However, women's rights in Saudi Arabia remains a topic of concern and controversy internationally. Her head is "hacked" off and she died slowly and brutally. You can opt-out at any time by signing in to your account to manage your preferences. Organisers said women were involved in the launch event, but that they were obliged to sit in a separate room. Both men have a chaotic two years ahead, The new Omicron offshoots signal a 'turning point' in the pandemic, Queenslanders advised to wear face masks from Friday as fourth COVID-19 wave begins, Perth man who stabbed mother 24 times to spend at least 20 years behind bars, Reserve Bank rejects 'scorched earth' policy to tame inflation more quickly, Former Yale soccer coach imprisoned over US college admissions scandal, Brazilian election gets all clear from military, but report finds vulnerabilities in electronic voting, More than 800 Myanmar people have applied for protection in Australia. The Free Saudi Women Human Rights Defenders Coalition* has been advocating for the immediate and unconditional release of Saudi women's rights activists who have been detained since mid-May 2018. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. The goals to improve women's status and ensure their rights are protected are in line with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan, she added. Saudi Arabia received its spot when the Economic and Social Council voted on new members for the women's rights commission, which wants to help promote equality for females. Saudi Arabia also bans women from driving cars, " Neuer said. Share this via LinkedIn Article 55 of United Nations Charter includes: "Universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.". Share this via Printer, On April 19, United Nations member states elected Saudi Arabia to serve on the UN Commission on the Status of Women, a body dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.. Saudi Arabia has been elected to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, despite the country being ranked by human rights experts as one of the worst for gender equality. The World Economic Forums 2015 Global Gender Gap report ranked Saudi Arabia 134 out of 145 countries for gender equality. SHARE. The ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom has a state policy of gender segregation between men and women who are not related. Saudi Arabia received 47 votes, meaning a relatively high number of states seven refused to cast a ballot even though the country was going to be elected no matter the result. Globally, some progress on women's rights has been achieved. The UNs value lies in its universality. Saudi Arabia elected to UN women's council despite gender inequality in kingdom, Follow the resultsas votes inthe US midterms are counted, For the latest flood and weather warnings, search onABC Emergency. The activists are allegedly sexually abused and tortured for their activism and open criticism of Saudi Arabia. Organisers said women. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The role of the UN's Commission on the Status of Women is to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women. November 09, 2022 15:51. Women's education rights in Saudi Arabia. Deprived of the right to drive a car or mix with men publicly, they are confined to strictly . Saudi women truly have zero rights in society. It will be one of CSWs 45 member states. 692. However, work still needs to be done in Saudi Arabia to achieve gender equality. Most famously, women's rights activists Loujain Al-Hathloul, Eman al-Nafjan, Aisha al-Mana, Aziza al-Yousef and Madeha al-Ajroush were arrested in 2018. The recent election of Saudi Arabia to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)has caused a stir in sections of the media. By Sharanya Gopinathan. Ranking Saudi Arabia among the 10-worst-countries for women, the Toronto Star wrote, "In oil-rich Saudi Arabia, women are treated as lifelong dependents, under the guardianship of a male relative. Other ways to share Belgiums prime minister later said he regretted his countrys vote. For this score, we use the 72 gender-specific SDG indicators in the Women Count Data Hubs SDG Dashboard for the 193 UN Member States. The putative chairwoman of the council is Princess Abir bint Salman, who, despite her high status, was nevertheless prohibited by law from appearing physically at the launch of this council.. Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalism, By registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalists, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. The recent election of Saudi Arabia to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has caused a stir in sections of the media. The addition of the Gulf nation was first flagged by UN Watch, a nongovernmental body that monitors the. At home, Saudi Arabia has ramped up executions and intensified its onslaught against dissent. Her alleged abuser was allowed to leave Australia, Georgia is going to runoff election. 0. The first in our regular series of background briefings on the UN in the news. Saudi Arabia along with Iraq, South Korea and Turkmenistan has been elected for a four-year term, from 2018 to 2022, among the Asia-Pacific States. Photos: A woman is executed in the street. UNA-UK believes that the best way to overcome this problem is to end the fielding of clean slates. Area 1: overarching legal frameworks and public life, Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (% of total number of seats), Proportion of elected seats held by women in deliberative bodies of local government, Proportion of women in managerial positions, Proportion of women in senior and middle management positions, We now have more gender-related SDG data than ever, but is it enough?. A small CSW consisting of squeaky clean states laying down the law for the rest of the world is not likely to advance the cause of gender equality worldwide. In addition, many areas such as gender and poverty, physical and sexual harassment, womens access to assets (including land), and gender and the environment lack comparable methodologies for reguar monitoring. Join our movement today. However, work still needs to be done in Saudi Arabia to achieve gender equality. In Saudi Arabia, Below we answer a few basic questions relating to this appointment. Urge Saudi Leaderto Protect Dina Ali Lasloom Mariam chafed for years under the oppressive male guardianship system which forbids women from obtaining a passport, marrying, or traveling abroad without the approval of a male guardian, usually a husband, father, brother, or son. In addition, earlier this year, 36 countries including all 28 members of the European Union signed a statement frowning upon Saudi Arabia's human rights record, at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Saudi Arabias election to the commission, which was supported by 47 states, including at leastthree European countries, is an affront to the mission of the commission itself and a rebuke to Saudi women. HASSAN AMMARAFP/Getty Images The United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women touts itself as "the principal global intergovernmental body" that's "exclusively dedicated to the. Last year, for example, Russia did not retain its seat on the UN Human Rights Council after the Eastern European group put forward three candidates for two spots. Editor's note May 1, 2017: This story has been amended to clarify Helen Clark's response. Those over 21 will be allowed to travel independently, without permission from their so-called guardians. "As a member of the Human Rights Council Saudi Arabia is required to uphold the highest standards of human rights. This is what happened in the case of Saudi Arabia. "Electing Saudi. According to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, women in Saudi Arabia experience discrimination in relation to marriage, family, and divorce, despite recent reforms. World leaders should stop the Kingdom's cynical use of the Council to help it get away with gross and systematic violations. Deprived of the right to drive a car or mix with men publicly, they are confined to strictly . For each indicator, we calculate the 33rd and 66th percentiles of the distribution and, based on those two values, countries are classified as belonging to high performance, medium performance and low performance categories. Ms. Mathu Joyini (South Africa), Chair (African States Group) Ms. Pilar Eugenio (Argentina), Vice-Chair (Latin American and Caribbean States Group) Image courtesy Pixabay. The addition of the Gulf nation was first flagged by UN Watch, a nongovernmental body that monitors the United Nations. the united nations human rights council has denounced saudi arabia for sentencing women's rights activist salma al-shehab to 34 years in prison, stating that the kingdom has widened. As of February 2021, only 19.9% of seats in parliament were held by women. Neither will it choose the priority areas for CSW to consider; this is done by ECOSOC. According to its website, the body said it was "instrumental in promoting women's rights" and "documenting the reality of women's lives throughout the world and shaping global standards on gender equality". As such, there was no need for a vote. "Saudi Arabia also bans women from driving cars. He added: "Saudi Arabia has arguably the worst. Share this via Twitter The Bureau for the 67th session (2023) of the Commission on the Status of Women comprises the following members: H.E. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the GooglePrivacy policyandTerms of serviceapply. Following a brief detention, authorities returned her to her family and the abuse continued. Please try again. Better world. However much of the criticism relating to this appointment is misdirected. It will serve a four-year term beginning next year, according to a statement from the UN Economic and Social Council. Share this via Email An error occurred while subscribing your email address. Saudi women truly have zero rights in society. Saudi Arabia is a country that an absolutely horrific record on women's rights and continues to oppress women in many ways. Saudi Arabia has been elected to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, despite the country being ranked by human rights experts as one of the worst for gender equality. "Electing Saudi Arabia to protect womens rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief," Mr Neuer said. Incidentally, the UK and the US were also elected after the Western European and other States group fielded a clean slate. Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. The Middle Eastern kingdom was one of 12 new countries elected to the UN body in a secret ballot. The Election of this Country to the UN Women's Rights Council Has Sparked Some Major Rage. Please give now to support our work, Male Guardianship System Remains at Heart of Unequal Treatment of Women, Share this via Facebook Globally, some progress on womens rights has been achieved. Stronger UN. In Saudi Arabia, the adolescent birth rate is 8.7 per 1,000 women aged 15-19 as of 2009, up from 7.4 per 1,000 in 2007. The UK welcomed Saudi Arabia's acceptance of the UK's UPR recommendation, but expressed concern with Saudi Arabia's overall human rights record. On April 10, Dina Ali Lasloom, 24, attempted to flee to Australia from Kuwait to escape the restrictions imposed by her family, only to be returned to Saudi Arabia while in airport transit in Manila in the Philippines. Like all other members, it will have one vote when it comes to any resolutions emanating from the session. launched its first ever girls' council meeting with publicity photos showing 13 men on stage and no women. Indeed, none of the places on CSW were contested on this occasion. Things are changing, but slowly." In March Saudi Arabia launched its first ever girls' council meeting with publicity photos showing 13 men on stage and no women. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Members of CSW are elected by the 193 states that make up the UN General Assembly. Saudi Arabia, the country to which the UK exports most weapons, already sits on the UN Human Rights Council. In reality, it has led a military coalition which has carried out unlawful and deadly airstrikes on markets, hospitals and schools in Yemen. After a secret vote was held, the UN has elected Saudi Arabia to a UN women's rights commission. The Gulf state became the 45th country to sit . However much of the criticism relating to this appointment is misdirected. Education is an interesting factor when it comes to women's rights in Saudi Arabia. But the election of states with very poor records, particularly those with a history of obstructionism, carries many risks, from damaging the Organisations credibility to impeding progress on the ground. It matters precisely because it is inclusive, because it seeks to involve all states in a dialogue about human rights laws and norms, and because it aims to raise standards through engagement and support, as well as through challenge and censure. Things are changing, but slowly.. Share this via Reddit But how does this repressive government deal with Saudi women who strive to achieve the commissions own stated goals? Given Saudi Arabiaspoor record on womens rights it is right that this appointment should cause consternation. Share this via Telegram "Every Saudi woman must have a male guardian who makes all critical decisions on her behalf, controlling a womans life from her birth until death," said Hillel Neuer, director of UN Watch. The vote, which was held by secret ballot, has provoked widespread outrage, with. Several days before the vote, Mariam al-Oteibi, 29, fled abusive family members in al-Qassim Province for Riyadh, only to be captured by authorities captured and jailed for having the temerity to dream of making her own life decisions. CSW is the principal intergovernmental body dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. By clicking Create my account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to ourTerms of use,Cookie policyandPrivacy notice. But the country may be moving toward loosening some of its rules as part of its. Women and Qatars Male Guardianship Rules, Obstacles to Justice and Remedy for Sexual Assault Survivors in Mauritania, Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in 90 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice. Fleeing Woman Returned to Saudi Arabia Against Her Will, Women Should Take the Wheel in Saudi Arabia, Everything I Have to Do is Tied to a Man, Indian Girls Alleged Rape and Murder Sparks Protests, Qatar: Male Guardianship Severely Curtails Womens Rights, Qatar: Security Forces Arrest, Abuse LGBT People, supported by 47 states, including at leastthree European countries. April 24, 2017. From: UK Mission to the WTO, UN and Other . Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3)nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808, Deputy Director, Middle East and North Africa Division. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, 3 human rights abuses you probably wont hear Theresa May mentioning. The conservative Gulf monarchy is the only country in the world where women are barred from driving Election of Saudi Arabia to UN women's rights council causes outrage | Middle East Eye dition . Hillel Neuer, the Executive Director of UN Watch, said many things on . Saudi Arabia has made marginal improvements on womens rights in recent years, primarily in employment and access to higher education, but such changes have been hindered or even nullified because authorities have allowed the male guardianship system to remain largely intact, enabling men to maintain control over female relatives lives.
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