The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
March 29, 2024

Outrage After Saudi Arabia Named as Chair of U.N. Commission on the Status of Women
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saudi Arabia was chosen to chair the U.N. Commission on the Status of
Women. Rights groups expressed outrage at the news. Amnesty
International's Deputy Director for Advocacy Sherine Tadros said, "Saudi
Arabia's abysmal record when it comes to protecting and promoting the
rights of women puts a spotlight on the vast gulf between the lived
reality for women and girls in Saudi Arabia, and the aspirations of the
Commission." Earlier this week, Amnesty International released a report
condemning a leaked draft of Saudi Arabia's first written penal code,
which, Amnesty says, criminalizes free speech, homosexuality and
abortion and fails to protect women and girls from all forms of
gender-based violence.


.