The Hana Human Rights Organization expresses grave concern and condemns the election of the Islamic Republic of Iran as Vice-Chair of the United Nations Commission for Social Development. This election has taken place under circumstances in which the Islamic Republic has, in recent weeks, committed crimes against humanity and killed thousands of protesters inside the country.
The Commission for Social Development (CSocD) is a subsidiary body of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is tasked with monitoring states’ commitments in areas such as poverty reduction, human development, employment, and social justice. The commission’s founding documents and stated objectives place core emphasis on principles such as the rejection of violence, protection of social rights, gender equality, and the promotion of tolerance.
From Hana’s perspective, granting a vice-chair position to a state facing allegations of crimes against humanity and widespread, systematic violations of fundamental citizens’ rights stands in direct contradiction to the very purpose of this commission and undermines the credibility of United Nations mechanisms in the field of social justice. Moreover, the manner in which the election was confirmed—following the announcement of Iran’s name and the statement “I hear no objections”—raises serious questions about the sensitivity of this process to human rights standards.
The Hana Human Rights Organization calls on UN member states and relevant UN bodies to strengthen clear, human rights–based criteria for the selection of leadership of specialized bodies, and to prevent the promotion of human rights–violating states from becoming a normalized practice.