Yemen, ranked 10 years in a row as the worst country in the world for women (in WEF Gender Gap Report), has been elected to a leadership post at the UN agency for the empowerment of women, the head of the UNWatch Hillel Neuer denounces.

“Electing Yemen to protect women’s rights is like making a pyromaniac into the town fire chief,” he added.

“We’re calling on UN chief Antonio Guterres and high commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet to speak out against this absurd and morally repugnant decision, which sends absolutely the wrong message from the very organization that is supposed to be protecting women from discrimination.”

Also Sweden, the so called “first feminist government in the world”, voted in favour of this decision: “The government believes that discussions on gender equality and women’s situation are needed with all countries of the world regardless of their current situation,” the Swedish Foreign Ministry justified.