India beats China to become member of UN's ECOSOC

"India elected Member of Commission on Status of Women. It’s a ringing endorsement of our commitment to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in all our endeavours," TS Tirumurti said.  

Washington DC: Washington: India has been elected as a member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women, a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), said TS Tirumurti, permanent representative of India to the United Nations, on Monday (local time).

Taking to Twitter, TS Tirumurti said, "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."

India, Afghanistan and China had contested the elections to the Commission on Status of Women. Even as India and Afghanistan won the ballot 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 promotes women’s rights, highlights 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.

This year is the 25th anniversary of the famous Beijing World Conference on Women (1995).

India will be a member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women for four years, 2021 to 2025.