Əlirza Quluncu (Alirza Quluncu) - May 05, 2021
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| Lawyer Mehri Jafari |
The recent election of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has sparked strong and angry reactions from human rights groups. Lawyer Mehri Jafari stated that Iran's presence on this commission contradicts the commission's goals.
In an interview with Voice of America, Mehri Jafari also shared her thoughts on the sexual assault allegations against some famous Iranian artists.
Two weeks ago, Iran was elected to the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) for a four-year term with the votes of 43 out of the 54 countries in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Mehri Jafari said: "This matter shocked many of us working in human rights around the world. This is because the Iranian regime, in recent times, has not only failed to correct its behavior, but in some cases, has passed laws that take us back 30 years. When you look at the UN's own reports, Iran ranks among the lowest countries in terms of equal rights for women. Giving the Iranian regime a seat on such a commission as if these problems don't exist, and as if Iran has made significant progress, is a form of encouragement for the regime.”
The CSW is dedicated to promoting gender equality and empowering women. Jafari emphasized that Iran’s election contradicts the commission’s core mission:
"This raises the question: Why was this commission formed? What is its goal? Isn't the goal to empower women? If that is the goal, how can you give voting and decision-making power to a regime like Iran? This is an important institution where decisions are made. Think about it—a regime where women can't even leave the country without their husband's permission is now going to be part of decision-making at the UN about women in other countries. Giving Iran this position is not only an insult to Iranian women, but I believe it endangers the status of women worldwide."
The lawyer noted that women’s rights have become a bargaining tool between states.
"This is a political issue, where women’s rights are being used as a bargaining chip. This is very concerning. Some may argue that Iran is being given an opportunity to change its stance on women's rights, but if that's the case, it shows a very simplistic view of the situation," she said.
The Geneva-based group “UN Watch” stated that only 11 countries in ECOSOC did not vote for Iran, which means that at least four countries from the European Union and Western democracies voted in favor of Iran.
Jafari remarked: "It’s clear that non-democratic countries voted for Iran. But there’s also a group of democratic countries that voted in Iran’s favor due to lobbying. These decisions are based on political calculations. They have backdoor deals with Iran and are trading votes for other concessions."
In the past year, several well-known Iranian artists, both inside the country and abroad, have faced sexual assault allegations.
Iranian singer Mohsen Namjoo, who lives in Europe, recently made headlines in Farsi-language media and social networks due to accusations from women claiming they were sexually assaulted by him. Namjoo has also made controversial remarks, saying, “One hour of my breathing is equal to six months of your life.” He further claimed that when Iranian women say "no," it doesn’t always mean "no," suggesting it could be a form of "playing hard to get."
Mehri Jafari described these remarks as "misogyny."
"Every man must be accountable for his behavior. The fact that you were raised with a certain mindset or upbringing is no excuse for not understanding that when someone says ‘no,’ it means ‘no.’ If you don’t understand that, you are a manipulator trying to impose force... Just as a man can express his attraction to a woman, a woman can decide whether she is attracted to a man or not. And that man could be you. But when some men hear 'no,' they take it as a personal attack, especially those who view women as inferior," Jafari said.
She highlighted that the term "sexist" is similar to "racist" in the sense that one side views the other as inferior.
"The Mohsen Namjoo case is a prime example. In the end, he basically says, ‘Who are you to say no to me?’ Sexual harassment is one issue, but insisting on harassment, refusing to accept a woman’s ‘no,’ is another. And the reason for that refusal is something else entirely—it’s because that person does not want to hear ‘no.’ They don’t want to accept that women have the same right to choose as they do. Just as a racist sees a group of people as inferior, a sexist views women as inferior."