Jacinda Ardern will indefinitely suspend New Zealand’s human rights dialogue with Iran, as countless numbers continue to march against the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was killed by Iran’s morality police in mid-September.
Prime Minister Ardern called to expel Iran from the U.N.’s top women’s rights body at a press conference on Monday, saying it is “not sustainable for a country that continues to so brutally attack the rights of women to belong to a pre-eminent global body dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.”
UN Watch has praised Ardern for her latest announcement, encouraging her to initiate the process by introducing a draft resolution prepared by them.
In February this year, New Zealand became one of the 54 members of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
In a controversial move last year, the council elected the Iranian regime to the Commission on the Status of Women. As a member of ECOSOC, New Zealand is now being urged to introduce a resolution to remove Iran’s regime.
Although Prime Minister Ardern noted “the starting point will be engagement with the UN Secretary-General,” António Guterres’ office has said he has no involvement on elections of countries to UN bodies, and that this was a matter for member states.
“We have always believed in dialogue and diplomacy as key tools, but we also believe in sending clear messages on behalf of those who are less able to,” Ardern said.
“So on that basis, New Zealand will now suspend indefinitely our human rights dialogue with Iran. We don’t see the utility of holding talks that aren’t accompanied by progress, and, worse, provide legitimacy to them that their actions don’t warrant.”
“We are also calling on United Nations member States to remove Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women.”
“It is our duty to add our voice to this call and to uphold the mandate and values of the commission.”
Ardern said she has requested advice on further actions her government can take to “amplify” her “condemnation of Iran’s human rights abuses” and demonstrate her country’s support to all those in Iran — especially women and girls standing up for democracy and human rights at very significant risk to their lives.
NZ’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the “decision sends a strong signal that bilateral approaches on human rights are no longer tenable with Iran, when they are denying basic human rights and violently suppressing protests of those who stand up to them”.
“Recent events continue to show Iran’s position on human rights is deteriorating, not improving,” Mahuta said. “Aotearoa New Zealand continues to be appalled by the use of force by Iranian authorities in response to peaceful demonstrations following the death of Mahsa Amini last month.”