New York, USA – Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, called on member states to appoint the United Nations’ first female Secretary General during the opening of the General Assembly’s high-level week on Tuesday.
Baerbock said the selection process is a chance to address the historic gender gap in the UN’s leadership and strengthen the institution’s credibility. She pointed out that in its 80-year history, no woman has ever held the position, and urged leaders to prioritise gender equality in choosing António Guterres’ successor.
She cited the UN’s contributions worldwide, including the United Nations Children’s Fund, which educates 26 million children, and the World Food Programme, which aids nearly 125 million people. Baerbock warned that the UN’s legitimacy depends on member states’ commitment to its Charter. “The Charter is only as strong as Member States’ willingness to uphold it,” she said, rejecting claims that the UN is outdated.
The session’s theme, “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights,” reflects the UN’s ongoing challenges and achievements. Baerbock urged leaders to emulate the unity of the UN’s founders and stressed that leadership means lifting others up for mutual benefit. She pointed to global cooperation on pandemics, climate action, and artificial intelligence governance as examples.
Baerbock argued that a female Secretary General would support a reformed, inclusive UN and strengthen its moral authority amid ongoing crises in Gaza, Ukraine, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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