A member of the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has confronted China about the forced deportation of North Korean defectors, in what one advocate called a sign that U.N. institutions are looking to expand the scope of accountability for DPRK human rights violations beyond the regime.

Dalia Leinarte, a member and former chair of the committee, questioned Beijing’s delegation in Geneva about the status of North Korean women in China during the CEDAW’s 85th session on Friday, raising concerns about their lack of recognition as refugees.