Iranian women don’t need guardians, caretakers, says UN envoy to the West

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“Iranian women are smart, well-educated, dedicated and patriotic, and they know their rights. They also understand how to engage with the government in a peaceful and constructive way to advance their rights. Therefore, we advise Western states that they are not obliged to act as guardians or caretakers of Iranian women or speak on their behalf,” Iranian Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Zahra Ershadi said in a statement on Monday. a UN meeting. Security Council on “Women, peace and security: Strengthening the resilience and leadership of women as a path to peace in regions plagued by armed groups”, held in New York on October 20.

The following is the text of his statement:

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Mr. president,

I congratulate Gabon on assuming the presidency of the Security Council this month and thank you for organizing this open debate.

Women have an undeniable capacity to contribute to peace and security processes. Women, on the other hand, are the most at risk, especially during times of conflict, and are often victims of violence and discrimination in areas that are directly affected by terrorist and armed groups.

Preventing and resolving armed conflicts are equally important. To achieve this, we must first address its underlying causes. The international community, and in particular the Security Council, must continue their efforts to resolve conflicts by peaceful means and find political solutions to conflict hotspots through dialogue and mediation. At every stage of the peace process, it is advantageous to include women as a vital component of society.

Mr. president,

The Islamic Republic of Iran, since its establishment, has always considered the promotion of the cultural, social, economic and political status of women as a key element in its national policy-making, legislation and planning. As a result, Iranian women have the right to fully participate in opportunities for advancement.

Education is just one example of how fundamental it is to the empowerment of women. Women and girls make up more than half of all university students and currently 73% of medical professionals and 49% of doctors in Iran are women.

Such significant progress has also given the government the ability to appoint women to managerial positions, as well as increased efforts to improve the managerial skills and executive experience of female employees, thereby also increasing women’s participation in decision-making. This figure has gone from 13% in 2017 to more than 25% in 2021.

In addition, the Islamic Republic of Iran has created an environment in which Iranian women can proudly represent their nation’s religious and patriotic beliefs internationally in all fields, including science, sports, and the arts. The country is on the rise in this field, as statistics show.

Mr. president,

Given the unintended and disastrous consequences of the inhumane unilateral coercive measures by the United States on the rights of Iranian women, as well as the violation of their basic rights, the United Nations, in particular the Security Council, must not shirk its responsibility to Report these illegal acts. and cruel measures.

Mr. president,

In conclusion, I would like to respond to certain Western countries that have misused this camera to make baseless accusations against my country while claiming to support Iranian women’s rights.

We denounce these accusations, which are nothing more than a political attempt to politicize women’s rights because we do not see good faith or authenticity in the claims of these states to support Iranian women given their hypocrisy, double standards and selective application of rights. humans.

We believe that no country can claim to be perfect when it comes to human rights or the rights of women and girls, and Iran, like other countries, strives to improve human rights, including the rights of women and the girls.

The tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian woman, has broken the hearts of not only our government but also the people of my country. We are sorry for the incident and hope that we never have to witness such a heartbreaking loss again. A thorough investigation was carried out to determine the circumstances that led to this tragic death. So far, the results of two preliminary investigations have been shared with member states and organizations affiliated with the UN.

Iranian women are intelligent, well educated, dedicated and patriotic, and they know their rights. They also understand how to engage with the government in a peaceful and constructive way to advance their rights. Therefore, we warn Western states that they are not obliged to act as guardians or caretakers of Iranian women or speak on their behalf.

Mr. president.

We have recently heard Western states, on numerous occasions, claim to uphold the UN Charter and international law. We urge those states to keep their promises, uphold their international obligations under the Charter of the United Nations, and respect the principles of national sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of other sovereign states, which are the cornerstones of the United Nations. and the international legal order. .

I thank you Mr President

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