Three women from Latin America have made a strong case for the United Nations to be led by a woman for the first time in its 80-year history, as the race to succeed Antonio Guterres as Secretary-General gathers momentum.
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Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica and Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador are among the candidates seeking to replace Guterres, who is expected to step down at the end of the year after completing two five-year terms.
The three candidates presented their credentials on Tuesday during a debate organised by independent organisations in Geneva, the city that hosts the UN’s European headquarters.
Espinosa, a former foreign minister of Ecuador and former President of the UN General Assembly, said the time had come for a woman to head the global body.
“I think, of course, a woman — it’s about time, isn’t it? After 80 years,” Espinosa said.
She, however, stressed that the position should not go to just any woman, but to “the best woman,” describing the next UN chief as someone who must have energy, experience and capacity to lead in a difficult global environment.
Bachelet, a former President of Chile and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, also backed calls for a female Secretary-General, saying women could bring “more humanism” to the office.
She said the next UN chief must be bold, independent and willing to take risks in defence of global values.
“I’m not afraid of speaking up when it’s needed,” Bachelet said, adding that she would be “an independent Secretary-General, always on the ground.”
Grynspan, a former Vice President of Costa Rica and current head of the UN Trade and Development agency, UNCTAD, said she was not seeking the office merely because she is a woman, but because she believes she has the qualifications required.
“I am running because I think I am the best person for the job,” Grynspan said.
She also called for a selection process free from preferential treatment, while insisting that the UN must reform its internal culture and build stronger partnerships outside the organisation.
The debate, held at the Maison de la Paix near the UN Palais des Nations, also invited two other declared candidates: Rafael Grossi of Argentina, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency, and former Senegalese President Macky Sall, who sent a short video message.
The push for a female Secretary-General comes amid growing calls from several countries for the UN to break with history and appoint a woman to the top job. Latin America is also laying claim to the position based on the tradition of regional rotation, although the practice has not always been strictly followed.
The next Secretary-General will be elected by the UN General Assembly only after a recommendation from the Security Council, where the five permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — hold veto power.
Security Council deliberations are expected to begin in late July, ahead of a General Assembly vote in the following months.
During the Geneva debate, the candidates also addressed the future of the UN at a time when the organisation is facing funding shortages, multiple wars, geopolitical divisions and declining faith in multilateral cooperation.
Espinosa described the UN as irreplaceable despite its limitations.
“The UN is not the only game in town,” she said. “But the UN is irreplaceable because it’s the only universal platform that brings all countries together to face and respond to the challenges of the world of today.”
Grynspan said the UN remained unique but must recognise that it cannot work alone.
“The UN is unique, but it’s not alone,” she said, adding that the organisation must confront its “culture problem” and strengthen partnerships with outside actors.
Bachelet, meanwhile, said she would defend democracy, multilateralism, women’s rights and human rights if elected.
Republican lawmakers in the United States have reportedly urged Washington to block Bachelet over her support for abortion rights.
Responding to the criticism, Bachelet said she would consider it an honour if she were vetoed for standing by democracy, multilateralism, women’s rights and human rights.
“If somebody vetoes me because I believe in democracy, because I believe in multilateralism, because I believe in women’s rights, and because I believe in human rights, I mean, I would be honoured,” she told reporters after the debate.
The contest is expected to test not only the demand for gender balance at the highest level of the UN, but also the influence of regional politics and the power of the Security Council’s permanent members in shaping the future of global leadership.
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