Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Saudi Arabia has been elected to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The UN describes this commission as the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The executive director of Geneva-based UN Watch has stated that electing Saudi Arabia to protect women's rights is like making an arsonist the town fire chief. It called the appointment "absurd".

We know five European countries voted for Saudi Arabia and we specifically know Belgium voted for Saudi Arabia due to a leaked cable. In the Minister's statement today, he indicated that Ireland has a very strong record in promoting the rights of women and girls at the United Nations, commanding trust and respect across the UN membership. It is an interesting statement given that last year the UN Human Rights Committee ruled that Ireland's laws prohibiting and criminalising abortion violated the human rights of Ms Amanda Mellet. The committee ruled that Ms Mellet was subjected to discrimination and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment due to Ireland's abortion laws. The same committee on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women has called for an independent investigation into Ireland's mother and baby homes and Magdalen laundries, saying that victims should get appropriate compensation and official apologies.

We are probably not the best to be throwing stones at anyone but Saudi Arabia is in a different league to all of us. One would struggle to find any country in the world where women are treated so poorly. Given the Minister's statement, the majority of people in Ireland would believe that diplomacy and trade interests have won out and human rights have lost. Perhaps that is not true but it would be good if the Minister could clarify the issue so we could know the truth.

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