What a joke ! Women being equal to men under the islamic republic of Iran is "undeniable". Why don't they invite Ghadaffi to come and give them a blessing for this brilliant decision ? Whimps and perverts will buy such a lie free of charge ! Geneva is the right place for these appointments... They are destroying what John Calvin had started !

PROOF POSITIVE: Case Closed.

for womens rights in iran? Or is it you have to be shot DEAD in the streets of teheran by your own illegal Despot regime?

The right to cook, clean,and make babies. And when necessary be the punching bag and scapegoat for Islamic men's whims.

Will they be allowed to defend themselves when charged with adultery, before they're stoned to death ?

Have you thought what could replace the U.N.? Would it, could it be any different from what we now have? U.N. evolved from the League of Nations. It will evolve further, over time, but today it definitely is not as good as it could be. However, U.N.'s imperfections are less, much less than the sum total of national imperfections of its members. Objective criticism of the U.N. is valuable and we also need to cheer for the U.N. occasionally.

What else is there to say? (Actually, I have quite a bit to say, but I have to stop laughing first.) Where's the bottle of Jack? We're going to have to toast this one!

Michael, I appreciate your optimism, but let's look at the facts. Did you know that more women in Iran die in childbirth than as a result of disease? You see, in their infinite wisdom, the mullahs have decreed that only women physicians may treat female patients. Unfortunately for women, fewer and fewer women are accepted to medical school each year. This means that there are fewer and fewer female physicians. In a country where midwives are still responsible for presiding over most births, this has spelled disaster for women who encounter difficulties in giving birth. What do you suppose happens to a woman who is in dire need of a Cesaerian section in a village where there are no female obstetricians? She dies, that's what happens. The United Nations needs to try harder. Appointing Iran to the women's rights panel is tantamount to appointing Afghanistan, where the Taliban are reasserting themselves and control better than half of the country and all of the major cities. Your zeal is commendable, but misplaced. The United Nations is simply no longer a credible organization. It should be dismantled, and something better built in its place.

should be flushed down the river, then fumigated. Iran's presence at this damn UN is a direct affront to women the world over, just like Libya was; picked unanimously by gangsters. It only shows once more, the decadence of the UN, the pathetic figure of Ban Ki Moon, and the disgusting behavior of islamic tribes. The impotance and decadence of America, France, Germany and other civilized countries is for all to see, for their approval of islamic thugs to run a crumbling 21 st century " League of Nations ". Anne Bayefsky is right; this putrid institution has no intention in cleaning itself.

Michael, your right in the sense that we need an International body. But I simply said it was a joke and didn't call for it's elimination. It just has little credibility currently, but it is a self inflicted problem. Brazen, this month on HBO there is a documentary called "FOR NEDA" (about the riots in Iran after the 2009 rigged elections). It is recommended viewing for all, if you want the truth about Iran. Sadly, you will watch her shot and bleed to death on video. Although not about women rights, it does show how deficient the UN really is, when picking members for various commissions. Remember LIBYA WAS MEMBER of the UN Human Rights Council until just a couple of days ago.

While I am not a drinking man, I'll buy a case of the "Jack" Sarah mentioned and pour drinks to celebrate a significant awakening if the United Nations is disbanned. That would be real progress. Putting Iran on the UN Human Rights Panel represents further regression.

Your suggestion, in the meantime,whatever happens,Iranian representative will be sitting along woth your representative.All of a sudden UN has become 'no longer a credible organisation' for you,yah? Isn't it the same place where resolutions against Israel are being thwarted by USA so much so that even before the resolutions come up for hearing,we get remarks from USA representative stating that USA will oppose the resolution.Where is the credibility at that time,Sarah? Have you kept a count of these opposed moves by USA.I am sure you will have forgotten the count.We have them,of course.

The vetoes stem from the fact that the resolutions are so outrageously one-sided. The United Nations is no longer a credible organization. The Security Council will convene at the drop of a hat when it comes to issues involving Israel, but I note that despite the fact that nearly seven million people have been murdered in the Congo in the past decade, the Security Council has yet to convene to discuss what is transpiring there. Similarly, there has been ongoing genocide in the Sudan, but the Security Council has not seen fit to address the subject. There are many more examples, but the foregoing should suffice. How can an organization which convenes to discuss fully legal settlement construction yet chooses to ignore genocide be considered credible? Yes, I know pretty much off the top of my head the baseless and outrageous resolutions that the United States has vetoed. I also know -- equally off the top of my head -- all the massacres and disgraceful abuses of human rights throughout the world to which the United Nations has chosen to turn a blind eye. Have you kept a count of those? As stated, I have them. Of course.

Women . Where are the so called lefty feminists? Sleeping with the Islamists I suppose!!!!!!

The UN has 192 member nations, of those 57 are Muslim nations. So Israel is outnumbered 57 to 1 at the UN. Which why so many Resolution are forced against Israel. Also add the nations that OPEC blackmails with Oil and the odds against Israel are higher. But Israel does have One Ace-in-the-hole. Of course even that is to much for the Arab/Muslim ego. That's the USA veto power, and with a 63% favorable rating among the USA public, we use it to block the nonsense from the UN. The UN, as many in the USA feel, hasn't been credible for some time i.e. Libya on the UN Human Rights Council, Iran just put on a UN Commission for women rights, etc., I think you get the point. Basically now, the UN is just a place for thug dictators, thug nations and thug groups (think Pals) to gain a false legitimacy. Many here in the USA want to stop our funding of such an anti American International organization. Making such poor decisions, that it forces us to veto the really bias and unfair resolutions. Like who cares what or where Israel builds houses, when the people who complain about it commit war crimes weekly, and have been for years. Yet never does the UN condemn or pass resolutions against those acts, proving unmistakable bias and hypocrisy. Plus, as Sarah B. has pointed out, there are far more pressing and urgent matters at hand. These are much more serious because people are dying by the hundreds a day. Yet the UN wastes an extraordinary amount of time regarding Israel, and its non-violent plans to build house's. While the Arabs in and around Israel are self inflicted and can be solve easily, they stop the violence, and it's done. But they don't want peace, just PR to vilify Israel.

rights, to be stoned for some made up adultery cases for example...the UN once again proves it's moral bankruptcy...it is sooooooooo boring....

Iran practices government sanctioned political rape, public stoning and lashing of women. They arrest and imprison women's rights advocates. Ahmadinejad could not even pass a law allowing women to attend a soccer game with men. Clerics prefer women work at home so they're out of sight in the workplace.

you said "the un should be dismantled, and something better built in its place". you can have your critic/opinion, but what is your alternative/solution (in this case)? i know mine. if you really want to know what i can give it (to you).

You Rock man.. very nicely written. I enjoyed that... Mahmood and his lot cant see the wood for the trees... The Arab world is corrupt and in decay.... if it wasnt for oil, they would not have such a high profile as they do not contribute to the world in any way... unlike the jews and the israelis. This is fact not fiction. Let the antisemites have their say now... but when the oil runs out, or we ween ourselves of oil with electric cars and renewable energy sources... they will have a lot of trouble acting smart :)

Ok so in a week over 6,000 civilinas were outright murdered in Libya, now that was in a week, on operation cast lead where there was a full right to attack the hamas in the gaza strip, 1,200 people were killed (in gaza not including Israelis) of the 1,200, 800 were known terrorists, the majority though were claimed to be "civilians" but without arguing lets say 400 civilians got killed, now the operation lasted a month+ after the first couple of days, the UN jumped awnd started to condemn Israel, now just keeping straight numbers, Libya 6,000 civilians killed:1 week:UN still debating wether or not to condemn, 400 supposed all civilians killed: month+ :UN condemned almost instantly...this leads me to say this the UN IS A JOKE AND ITS MORAL COMPASS IS SO #%$&ED UP THAT IT DOESN'T KNOW NORTH FROM WEST OR EAST FROM SOUTH.... (this argument still works even if you were to say that all 1,200 killed in gaza were civilians...) KEEP UP THE AWESOME JOB UN

Given the swollen budget which is largely wasted and complete corruption of the current United Nations, I'm hard-pressed to think how it could possibly be worse. What we have now is simply not taken seriously. It's a complete waste of time and resources. It is worth at least a try. If it doesn't work, pack it up and acknowledge that there simply isn't a point until the Third World comes to its senses.

the "Committee for the Safeguard of Political Prisoners Rights", which Iran will co-chair with Israel ;<)

an improvement to the present un perhaps can be a strong and democratized un/a democratically elected world-parliament/world-government, which has to be a supra-national organization, which serves the entire world-population/mankind of about 7 billion people.