Geneva-based NGO, UN Watch, has slammed the election of Sudan to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and called on the United States, European Union and UN chiefs to condemn the appointment.

Criticising Sudan as “genocidal, misogynistic and repressive” Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch labelled it an “outrage”.

“Electing genocidal Sudan to a global human rights body is like choosing Jack the Ripper to guard a women’s shelter. This diminishes the credibility of the United Nations human rights system and casts a shadow upon the reputation of the organization as a whole.”

“Sudan, whose leader was indicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide and crimes against humanity, will now help choose the members of the Commission on the Status of Women, the executive of UN Women, and UNICEF, which protects children’s rights,”

“Perhaps most importantly, ECOSOC is the body that accredits and oversees human rights groups at the UN, deciding who can participate at the UN Human Rights Council. The dominant influence of non-democracies has often led to the rejection or expulsion of human rights groups that dare to criticize China, Cuba or other repressive UN member states, and they have often barred gay rights NGOs.”

“There is no question that Sudan will be a malign influence. This is a terrible decision — and world leaders, who failed to prevent it, must at least now speak out for basic decency and morality in UN bodies.”

Neuer also went on to protest against the election of Turkmenistan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Haiti, Bolivia, Tunisia, and Nepal to the 54-member council and stated that while they were “not genocidal”, they still had “poor or even terrible human rights records”.