Outrage as Saudi Arabia is chosen to lead UN women’s rights group – despite ‘terrible’ equality results in kingdom where women can be stoned for adultery

Human rights groups have taken action after Saudi Arabia won unopposed a bid to lead a top women’s rights group at the UN, despite its own “appalling” record on gender equality.

Saudi Arabia’s envoy to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil, was elected president of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) won a completely unopposed race at the group’s annual meeting in New York on Wednesday.

Alwasil was elected without any dissent from any of the 45 members present at the meeting, and will hold the position for at least two years.

He was even supported by a group of Asia-Pacific states on the commission, despite his country’s infamous record on gender equality, which human rights groups were quick to point out.

Sherine Tadros, the head of Amnesty International’s New York office, said Saudi Arabia will chair the CSW on the 30th anniversary of the passage of a landmark piece of international law that has greatly advanced the rights of women around the world .

“Whoever holds the chairmanship, which is now Saudi Arabia, is in a key position to influence the planning, the decisions, the taking stock and looking ahead in a crucial year for the commission,” said Tadros.

Saudi Arabia has a shocking record on gender equality (File Image)

“Saudi Arabia is now in charge, but its own record on women’s rights is appalling and far removed from the commission’s mandate.”

Louis Charbonneau, UN director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), added: “Saudi Arabia’s election as chair of the UN Commission on the Status of Women shows a shocking disregard for women’s rights around the world.

“A country that jails women simply for standing up for their rights should not be the face of the UN’s top forum for women’s rights and gender equality.

“The Saudi authorities must demonstrate that this honor was not entirely undeserved and immediately release all detained women’s rights defenders, end male guardianship and guarantee women’s full rights to equality with men.”

Saudi lawmakers passed a law in 2022 that claims to have increased the “personal status” of women in the country.

But the law explicitly says that a woman must obtain permission from a male guardian to marry.

Saudi lawmakers passed a law in 2022 that claims to have increased the ‘personal status’ of women in the country (File Image)

A spouse can withdraw financial support for reasons such as refusing to have sex with him (File Image)

Human Rights Watch pointed out that a woman who leaves the marital home may lose custody of her child if the “best interests of the child,” which is not defined, makes this necessary (File image)

It also states that a wife must obey her husband in a “reasonable manner,” and that her husband’s financial support depends on her “obedience.”

A spouse can withdraw financial support for reasons such as refusing to have sex with him, live in a marital home, or travel with him without a “legitimate excuse.”

Human Rights Watch pointed out that a woman who leaves the marital home may lose custody of her child if the “best interests of the child,” which is not defined, makes this necessary.

This was announced by the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs the guard that she is not a member of the Commission on the Status of Women and therefore has no role to play in the choice of the chair.

It added: “We continue to work closely with the Saudi authorities on women’s rights issues.”