Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern

Prime Minister

New Zealand is welcoming the successful removal overnight of Iran from the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women, the first time a member state has been, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

The United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Council has overwhelmingly voted by 29 votes to 8 with 16 countries abstaining to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women, following efforts from countries including New Zealand to take them off the Commission given the serious nature of Iran’s human rights violations, in particular their treatment of women and girls.

“New Zealand is proud to have played a leading role in the efforts to remove Iran from the Commission,” Jacinda Ardern said.

“I want to acknowledge the work of the Vital Voices Global Partnership who initiated the call for Iran’s removal from the Commission through an open letter in the New York Times. As the only current head of Government to sign the letter, New Zealand then took up the challenge to see the call become reality.

“We reached out to the UN Secretariat to discuss the steps required for this unprecedented action to remove a country from the Commission. Once the wheels were set in motion, our embassy teams around the world lobbied other countries to support the removal of Iran. I personally raised the issue just yesterday with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“In recent weeks our embassy teams around the world have lobbied others to support the removal of Iran and I personally raised the issue just yesterday with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“Additionally the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with the Iranian Ambassador yesterday to again register New Zealand’s condemnation of Iran’s use of the death penalty and execution of protesters.

“The removal of Iran from the Commission is the right outcome. It was no longer appropriate for them to remain a member, given the degradation of the human rights situation there in recent months and the ongoing violence against women and girls,” Jacinda Ardern said.

Notes to editor

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) comprises 45 Member States elected based on geographical distribution for a four-year term. Membership of CSW is voted on in the UN’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOC). New Zealand is currently a member of ECOSOC.

While New Zealand is not currently a member of CSW, we actively participate in the annual sessions. Earlier this year Iran began a four-year term on the Commission.

The New Zealand Government has taken a strong stance in response to the death of Mahsa Amini, and the subsequent violent actions by Iranian authorities against peaceful protesters seeking to exercise their rights to assembly and freedom of speech.

Travel bans announced this week on 22 Iranian officials are part of ongoing actions to respond to egregious human rights violations being committed by the Iranian authorities. Work also continues on other potential measures.

Aotearoa New Zealand has also this week implemented sanctions on three Iranian individuals and one entity involved in the manufacture and supply of weapons technology to Russia, causing death and injury to Ukrainian civilians. The sanctions include travel bans, asset freezes and restrictions on commercial activity with anyone in Aotearoa New Zealand.

© Scoop Media