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Urge your leaders to vote YES to remove the Islamic Republic of Iran from the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women 

A coalition of Iranian women, with the backing of Vital Voices and For Freedoms, published an open letter in The New York Times calling for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s (IRI) removal from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)—the U.N.’s top entity to advance women’s rights and gender equality.  
  
The letter was signed by dozens of Iranian and global women leaders such as Roya Boroumand, Azadeh Pourzand, Nazanin Boniadi, Malala Yousafzai, Christiana Figueres, Oby Ezekwesili, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and nearly 100,000 people across the globe. Since then, several Member States on the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) responded by calling for the IRI’s membership on the CSW to be revoked. 
  
A U.N. resolution to terminate the IRI’s membership has now advanced, and will come to a vote on December 14. The passage of the resolution is critical to this women-led movement. Countries including New Zealand, Canada, Guatemala and the U.S. have publicly expressed their intention to vote “Yes.” We need your support and advocacy this week in ECOSOC member states.  

 

Here’s how you can help: 

  • Contact your head of state and foreign ministry offices this week. Ask them to vote “Yes”. Find contact information for key countries below. 
  • Follow @VitalVoices and @GissouNia on Instagram to stay up-to-date on action items and news about the vote. 
  • Download and post the Countdown to December 14 Vote graphic to your social media channels    
  • Add your voice to the movement at womanlifefreedom.today 
  • Show your support on social media using the campaign hashtag #IRIoffCSW and tag your country leaders. Draft Tweets for key country with leaders tagged are below.  

We need to match the courage of Iranian women and girls with this historic vote.

Suggested Tweets

El régimen opresor de la República Islámica de Irán no debería estar en la Comisión de la Condición Jurídica y Social de la Mujer de la ONU. Necesitan ser eliminados inmediatamente. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW @ArgentinaMFA @SantiagoCafiero… Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations

H.E. Ms. María del Carmen Squeff, Permanent Representative

Het onderdrukkende regime van de Islamitische Republiek Iran zou niet in de VN-commissie voor de status van vrouwen moeten zitten. Ze moeten onmiddellijk worden verwijderd. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW @BelgiumMFA @alexanderdecroo @BelgiumUN Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of Belgium to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Philippe Kridelka, Permanent Representative

Contact Federal Public Service – Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation

Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs

The oppressive Islamic Republic of Iran’s regime should not be on the UN Commission on the Status for Women. They need to be removed immediately. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW @UN_Botswana Click To Tweet
El régimen opresor de la República Islámica de Irán no debería estar en la Comisión de la Condición Jurídica y Social de la Mujer de la ONU. Necesitan ser eliminados inmediatamente. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW @ChileMFA @gabrielboric Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations

H.E. Mrs. Paula Narváez Ojeda, Permanent Representative

 

Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile

El régimen opresor de la República Islámica de Irán no debería estar en la Comisión de la Condición Jurídica y Social de la Mujer de la ONU. Necesitan ser eliminados inmediatamente. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW @CancilleriaCol @AlvaroLeyva @MisionONUCol… Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of Colombia to the United Nations

H.E. Mrs. Leonor Zalabata Torres, Permanent Representative

 

Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia

Álvaro Leyva, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Le régime oppressif de la République islamique d’Iran ne devrait pas faire partie de la Commission des Nations Unies sur la condition de la femme. Ils doivent être retirés immédiatement. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW@RDCongoMAE @RDC_Minafet Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Congo to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Lazare Makayat-Safouesse, Permanent Representative
Tel: +1 (212) 744-7840; +1 (646) 517-2366
Email: cgbrazzadel60@gmail.com

Le régime oppressif de la République islamique d’Iran ne devrait pas faire partie de la Commission des Nations Unies sur la condition de la femme. Ils doivent être retirés immédiatement. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW @Kandiacamara_Of @IvoryCoastWorld @AOuattara_PRCI Click To Tweet

Contact Permanent Mission of Côte d’Ivoire to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Lazare Makayat-Safouesse, Permanent Representative

Den undertrykkende Islamiske Republik Irans regime bør ikke være medlem af FN's Kommission for Kvinders Status. De skal fjernes med det samme. I dag underskriver jeg dette åbne brev med krav om netop det. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW @JeppeKofod… Click To Tweet

 

Contact the Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Martin Bille Hermann, Permanent Representative

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark

Jeppe Kofod, Minister for Foreign Affairs

 

Le régime oppressif de la République islamique d’Iran ne devrait pas faire partie de la Commission des Nations Unies sur la condition de la femme. Ils doivent être retirés immédiatement. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW @Officiel_MMA @MPNY_GabonOnu @PresidentABO Click To Tweet

Contact Permanent Mission of the Gabonese Republic to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Michel Xavier Biang, Permanent Representative

    • Tel: +1 (212) 686-9720
    • Email: info@gabonunmission.com
    • Twitter: @MPNY_GabonOnu

Contact the Government of Gabon

Ali Bongo Ondimba, President
Rose Christiane Raponda, Prime Minister

Το καταπιεστικό καθεστώς της Ισλαμικής Δημοκρατίας του Ιράν δεν πρέπει να συμμετέχει στην Επιτροπή του ΟΗΕ για το καθεστώς των γυναικών. Πρέπει να αφαιρεθούν αμέσως. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW @NikosDendias @grun_ny @PrimeministerGR Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of Greece to the United Nations

H.E. Mrs. Maria Theofili, Permanent Representative

Contact the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Nikos Dendias, Minister of Foreign Affairs

The oppressive Islamic Republic of Iran’s regime should not be on the UN Commission on the Status for Women. They need to be removed immediately. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW @ruchirakamboj @IndiaUNNewYork Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations

H.E. Mrs. Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative


Contact the Ministry of External Affairs of India

V. Muraleedharan, Minister of State

The oppressive Islamic Republic of Iran’s regime should not be on the UN Commission on the Status for Women. They need to be removed immediately. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW @LibMissionUN @GeorgeWeahOff Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Liberia to the United Nations

Mrs. Cecilia Forgbe Mc Gill, Deputy Permanent Representative

Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia

Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., Minister of Foreign Affairs

El régimen opresor de la República Islámica de Irán no debería estar en la Comisión de la Condición Jurídica y Social de la Mujer de la ONU. Necesitan ser eliminados inmediatamente. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW @m_ebrard @lopezobrador_ Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez, Permanent Representative

Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico

Marcelo Ebrard, Secretary of Foreign Affairs

The oppressive Islamic Republic of Iran’s regime should not be on the UN Commission on the Status for Women. They need to be removed immediately. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW #WomanLifeFreedom @GeoffreyOnyeama @UN_Nigeria @MBuhari Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Tijjani Muhammad Bande, Permanent Representative

Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria

H. E. Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs

El régimen opresor de la República Islámica de Irán no debería estar en la Comisión de la Condición Jurídica y Social de la Mujer de la ONU. Necesitan ser eliminados inmediatamente. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW @CancilleriaPeru @PeruEnLaONU @PedroCastilloTe Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of Peru to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. José Manuel Rodríguez Cuadros, Permanent Representative

Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru

César Rodrigo Landa Arroyo, Minister of Foreign Relations

억압적인 이란 정권은 여성의 지위에 관한 유엔 위원회에 포함되어서는 안 됩니다. 즉시 제거해야 합니다. 오늘 나는 바로 그것을 요구하는 이 공개 서한에 서명합니다. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW #WomanLifeFreedom @MOFAkr_eng @ROK_Mission @President_KR Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Joonkook Hwang, Permanent Representative

Twitter: @ROK_Mission

Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea

H.E. Park Jin, Minister of Foreign Affairs

The oppressive Islamic Republic of Iran’s regime should not be on the UN Commission on the Status for Women. They need to be removed immediately. bit.ly/IRIoffCSW #IRIoffCSW @BernardMembe @SuluhuSamia Click To Tweet

Contact the Permanent Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Kennedy Godfrey Gastorn, Permanent Representative

Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation

Bernard Membe, Foreign Minister

Thank you to Middle East Matters for the translated tweets. You can find additional draft Tweets for other voting countries here. 

Additional resources:

Talking Points – Iran of CSW Resolution.docx

Resources in Spanish

Resources in French