Saudi Arabia has been selected to chair the UN commission responsible for promoting gender equality and empowering women globally, despite criticism from human rights organizations due to its dismal track record on women’s rights.
The Saudi ambassador to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil, was unanimously elected as the chair of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) during its annual meeting in New York. There were no competing candidates, and no objections were raised by the 45 members present.
Alwasil’s endorsement came from the Asia-Pacific states within the commission. Despite the usual two-year tenure for the chair position, pressure from other Asia group members led the Philippines to split its tenure, with Saudi Arabia unexpectedly stepping in to assume the chairmanship, seemingly to improve its international image.
Critics were quick to highlight the irony of a country with such a wide gap between men’s and women’s rights leading the CSW. Amnesty International’s Sherine Tadros noted the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Beijing declaration on women’s rights, which Saudi Arabia will oversee during its chairmanship.
While Saudi officials tout a 2022 “personal status” law as progress in women’s rights, critics argue that it still mandates women to obtain male guardians’ permission for marriage and requires obedience to husbands for financial support, among other restrictions.
Amnesty International also criticized a leaked draft of a new penal code for its failure to adequately protect women and girls from gender-based violence.
“Saudi Arabia’s election as chair of the UN Commission on the Status of Women shows shocking disregard for women’s rights everywhere,” Louis Charbonneau, UN director at the Human Rights Watch (HRW), said.
“A country that jails women simply because they advocate for their rights has no business being the face of the UN’s top forum for women’s rights and gender equality. Saudi authorities should demonstrate that this honor was not completely undeserved and immediately release all detained women’s rights defenders, end male guardianship and ensure women’s full rights to equality with men.”
Human Rights Watch attempted to sway other CSW member countries, such as the Netherlands, Japan, Portugal, and Switzerland, which have stronger records on women’s rights. However, the UK clarified that it did not have a role in the chair selection process as it was not a CSW member.
