At a discussion on Tuesday, three contenders for secretary-general of the United Nations argued that it is past time for a woman to lead the organization.
Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, and Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador are all vying to succeed Antonio Guterres, who will step down at the end of the year after two five-year terms.
During a debate organized by independent organizations in Geneva, the city that houses the United Nations’ European headquarters, the trio emphasized their diplomatic credentials.
“I believe, of course, a woman – it’s about time, isn’t it? Espinosa, a former foreign minister, stated that the UN had been around for 80 years.
However, the 61-year-old stated that the future secretary-general should be “the best woman, not any woman”; a “leader with a lot of energy”.
According to an AFP article, numerous countries are campaigning for a woman to lead the United Nations for the first time, and Latin America is claiming the job based on a geographical rotation tradition that is not always fully adhered to.
“Women can bring more humanism,” remarked former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who is also a former UN human rights chief.
She also stated that the next chief should be a woman, but not just any woman, and that she was not scared to “risk that what I try doesn’t work.”
“I’m not afraid of speaking up when it’s needed,” she said.
Meanwhile, Grynspan, 70, the head of the UN trade and development organization UNCTAD, stated that she was running “because I believe I am the best candidate for the job.”
Costa Rica’s former vice president has called for a selection procedure that does not give women preferential consideration.
The debate took place at the Maison de la Paix, which houses various organizations and is located just a short distance from the UN Palace des Nations.
Two other stated candidates were also invited: Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, the chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Macky Sall, Senegal’s former president, who sent a short video message.
The UN General Assembly of member states can only pick the secretary-general after receiving a recommendation from the UN Security Council, where the five permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States — have veto power.
The Security Council’s debates are likely to begin in late July, followed by a vote in the General Assembly in the coming months.
On Tuesday, the three contenders in Geneva laid out their plans for reforming the United Nations, which is confronting a lack of financing, several crises, and decreasing faith in multilateralism.
“The UN is not the only game in town,” explained Espinosa.
“But the UN is irreplaceable because it’s the only universal platform that brings all countries together to face and respond to today’s challenges,” she said, citing her experience as a past General Assembly president.
Grynspan stated, “The UN is unique, but it’s not alone,” indicating that it had a “culture problem” and needed to find methods to form alliances with outside forces.
Bachelet, 74, stated that she will be “an independent secretary-general, always on the ground”.
Republican politicians in the United States have already lobbied Washington to oppose Bachelet because she supports abortion 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 later told reporters.
