Big Step towards Women Empowerment - India Bests China, Elected Member of Commission on Status of Women

By: WE STAFF | Tuesday, 15 September 2020

India has been elected as the member of the Commission on Status of Women (CSW), a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This is an estimable step by the nation towards joining global discussions on women’s empowerment. Now, India will be a member of the prestigious body for four years, 2021 to 2025.

“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,” tweeted T. S. Tirumurti, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations.

Three countries including, India, China and Afghanistan had contested the elections to the United Nation’s Commission on Status of Women. While New Delhi and Kabul won the poll among the 54 members, China could not cross the half-way mark. The CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. A functional commission of the ECOSOC, it was established by ECOSOC resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946. The CSW takes responsibility to promote women’s rights, highlight the reality of women’s lives throughout the world and helps in shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

45 member states of the United Nations serve as members of the Commission at any one time. The Commission consists of one representative from each of the 45 member states elected by the Economic and Social Council on the basis of equitable geographical distribution: 13 members from Africa, 11 from Asia, nine from Latin America and Caribbean, eight from Western Europe and other States and four from Eastern Europe.

In June, India was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. India was elected with overwhelming support, garnering 184 votes out of 192, to become a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the term 2021-2022, Vikas Swarup, MEA Secretary (West) said. India’s two-year term will begin on January 1, 2021. This will be the eighth time India will be serving on the Security Council.