Saudi CSW 63 Statement

Home > Saudi CSW 63 Statement

Saudi Arabian CSW63 Statement

 

Madam chair,

 

Excellencies,

 

Ladies and Gentleman,

 

After serious consideration, back and forth discussions, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not prepared to join consensus. We have worked long hours for many weeks. We have made compromises. Regretfully, not all delegations have shown flexibility. The agreement we have before us disregards important red lines for my country known to all. We are disappointed that the facilitator waited so long to try and forge consensus on all issues. All red lines were preserved in the text until today. It is not fair to try and force us to agree to compromises that are forced and quickly prepared.

 

Specifically,

 

  • Multiple references to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights
  • Promotion of sexual rights and related issues that have never garnered consensus
  • Refusal to recognize parental rights language
  • Refusal to recognize the family as the natural and fundamental group unit of society
  • Failure to fully reflect the role of the family in protecting women and girls
  • Promotion of sexuality education for children, despite its relevance to the theme
  • Focus on ambiguous terms such as multiple and intersecting discrimination
  • Lack of language on national sovereignty
  • Lack of balance when addressing the issue of violence
  • Overall issues of transparency and failure to give sufficient time to controversial issues

 

In this regard we repeat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia cannot join consensus on accepting the agreed conclusions of the 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

 

Thank you.