India becomes member of UN’s Commission on Status of Women, beats China in election of UN body

TS Tirumurti, permanent representative of India to the United Nations announced on September 15, 2020, that India has been elected as a member of the United Nation’s Commission on Status of Women, a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

India will remain a member of the prestigious body for four years from 2021 to 2025. As per TS Tirumurti, it is a ringing endorsement of India’s commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in all the endeavors.

Along with India, China and Afghanistan had also contested elections to the Commission on Status of Women. While India and Afghanistan had won the ballot among the 54 members, China failed to even cross the half-way mark.

India wins seat in prestigious #ECOSOC body!

India elected Member of Commission on Status of Women #CSW. It’s a ringing endorsement of our commitment to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in all our endeavours.

We thank member states for their support. @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/C7cKrMxzOV

— PR UN Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) September 14, 2020

What is the role of the UN’s Commission on Status of Women?

United Nation’s Commission on Status of Women is the principal global intergovernmental body. It is exclusively dedicated to the promotion of women empowerment and gender equality.

The UN body promotes women’s rights while highlighting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world. It also helps in shaping the global standards on gender equality and women empowerment.

CSW is the functional commission of ECOSOC. It was established by ECOSOC resolution 11 (II) of June 21, 1946.

Elections for UN CSW: Key Highlights

• The 54 member ECOSOC while holding the first plenary meeting of its 2021 session in UN General Assembly Hall, held elections for 2 seats in the Asia-Pacific States category with India, Afghanistan, and China in the fray.

• Afghanistan led by Ambassador Adela Raza at the United Nations, won 39 votes while India got 38 votes of the 54 ballots cast.

• China which is a permanent member of the UN got only 27 votes and failed to get the required majority of 28 votes.

• Afghanistan and India will be joining Austria, Argentina, Israel, Dominican Republic, Latvia, Turkey, Nigeria, and Zambia. These were elected by acclamation to CSW for the four- year term beginning from 2021-2025.

• 45 member states of the UN serve as the members of the commission at any one time.

How the winning of CSW elections is significant for India?

India’s Permanent Mission to the UN has been working tirelessly for the hard-fought elections by reaching out and sensitizing with all the member states.

India’s win at the election is highly significant as it comes on the eve of India gearing up to sit at the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member for the two-year term which is beginning on January 21, 2021.

Why China losing the elections of CSW is notable?

It is highly notable that China lost the elections to the UN’s principal inter-governmental body which is exclusively dedicated to the women empowerment and the promotion of gender equality, especially in the year when the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, which was held in Beijing in 1995, is being commemorated around the world.

China losing the election of the UN’s Commission on Status of Women can be seen as a strong signal about China’s own record of women’s equality and empowerment.