Woman SG
Campaign to Elect a Woman UN Secretary - General
COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN Event 2026
“UN Leadership: The Next Secretary-General Must Be a Woman”
Insights from the WomanSG Panel on Why the Next UN Secretary-General Must Be a Woman
March 13, 2026
On March 13, 2026, the WomanSG Campaign, with support from the Academic Council on the United Nations System
(ACUNS), hosted a panel titled “UN Leadership: The Next Secretary-General Must Be a Woman” during CSW70. The discussion made a clear case that the next UN leader must be a woman, not for symbolism, but because many qualified women are ready to lead.
Jean Krasno, who chairs the campaign, explained that the effort began 11 years ago to change the long pattern of male leadership at the UN. She emphasized that this is about choosing a strong, capable leader and pointed to current nominees such as Michelle Bachelet, Rebecca Greenspan, and Virginia Gamba as clear examples.
Gillian Sorensen, serving as the panel chair, emphasized the importance of leadership style, particularly communication, public presence, and the ability to bring people together. She also reminded the audience that, despite some progress, the final decision still largely rests with the Security Council. Susana Malcorra, who ran for Secretary-General in 2016 but lost to António Guterres, reflected on that experience and argued that the UN now needs deeper change, not just small reforms, and that women are well-suited to lead that shift. Maria Leone brought the conversation back to broader issues of justice and representation. Drawing from her work as a human rights lawyer, she argued that the UN’s failure to elect a woman reflects a gap between its values and its actions. She pointed out that women remain underrepresented across diplomacy, international law, and global decision-making spaces, and called for a more open and inclusive selection process with stronger civil society involvement.
Throughout the discussion, speakers challenged the idea that women lack “merit,” noting that women have long held top leadership roles. They also raised concerns about shrinking space for civil society, low morale within the UN, and the continued influence of closed-door political decisions. Overall, the panel made clear that electing a woman Secretary-General is both overdue and necessary for a more credible,inclusive, and effective United Nations.
Reflections from Secretary-General Nominee Michelle Bachelet on Transformative Leadership in a Fragmented World and the Future of the United Nations
March 17, 2026
On March 11, 2026, NYU’s Center on International Cooperation hosted the event “Transformative Leadership in a Fragmented World: A Conversation with President Michelle Bachelet,” outlining a vision for a more adaptive and inclusive United Nations.
Bachelet, who was jointly nominated by Chile, Brazil, and Mexico for the UN Secretary-General in February 2026 as part of a shared Latin American effort, explained that the UN needs to do more than respond to crises. It should help shape long-term solutions by connecting its work on peace, development, and human rights.
She also emphasized opening up multilateralism to include civil society, regional organizations, and other voices. Today’s challenges, like climate change, inequality, and fast-moving AI technology, are all connected, and she stressed that they require coordinated global action. This also means rethinking how global efforts are funded, with more fairness, transparency, and shared responsibility.
She also spoke about the kind of leadership the moment requires. Leaders need to be trusted, fair, and willing to listen. She noted that much of the UN’s work goes unseen, especially the quiet efforts that prevent crises before they happen. At the same time, the UN is often criticized for issues it cannot fully control, since real power still lies with member states. Progress in multilateral settings can be slow, but she argued that it leads to stronger and more lasting results. She highlighted the value of ongoing dialogue and giving communities a real voice in solutions. In the end, she made clear that rebuilding trust in global institutions depends on showing real impact and making people feel included.
Opening the UN Secretary-General Selection Process:
Transparency, Participation, and Leadership
This event took place on Monday, March 16, at the Baha’i International Community Center in New York as a part of the CSW70 two-week series of events showcasing women from around the world. The organizers were: One for Eight Billion, CIVICUS, GQUAL, and the Permanent Mission of Estonia to the United Nations. The speakers on the panel were: Ambassador Rein Tammsaar, Permanent Representative to the United Nations of Estonia, Dr. Jean Krasno of the Campaign to Elect a Woman UN Secretary-General, Professor Linda Mhando of the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), Ms. Marita Cristina, former Permanent Representative of Argentina to the UN and President of Percevel of Feministas Sin Fronteras, and Isham Shah of the UN Foundation. Each spoke for 10 minutes, followed by questions from the audience. The panel moderator was Jesselina Rana of CIVICUS.
Jean Krasno was also asked to represent the Steering Committee of One for Eight Billion, which consists of representatives from CIVICUS, GQUAL, CIPÓ, Southern Voices, UNA-UK, and CIPPEC. She discussed the origin of One for Eight Billion (one secretary-general for 8 billion people around the world). The organization was actually created in 2015 with the title One for Seven Billion, accounting for the world’s population a decade ago. It has been central in advocating for a more transparent and inclusive process in the selection of the UN Secretary- General which historically was cloaked in secrecy within the UN Security Council. It is credited for pressuring the General Assembly in 2016 and again in 2026 to open up the process, have Member States nominate candidate and include civil society in the discussions. This time around,
they are also calling for the election of a woman to lead the United Nations. The presentations and questions following, added to a lively dialogue.
Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN Hosts a CSW 70 Panel on
Women’s Leadership in Governance and Justice
March 10, 2026
During the CSW70 panel discussion “Power to Lead, Power to Justice: Women Parliamentarians Transforming Governance,” held at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations on 10 March 2026, participants explored the role of women’s political leadership in advancing peace, justice, and effective governance. The event was moderated by Senator Marilou McPhedran and opened with remarks from Ambassador David Lametti, Canada’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Minister Rishi Valdez, Canada’s Minister of Women and Gender Equality. The panel brought together Baroness Harriet Harman of the UK House of Lords; MP Petra Bayr, Acting President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; Hon. Viola Samuel, President of the Women’s Caucus of South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly; Friba Rezayee, founder of Women Leaders of Tomorrow; and Rima Salah, former UNICEF Deputy Executive Director.
Speakers emphasized the importance of increasing women’s representation in political institutions and removing the barriers that still prevent many women from entering or staying in public life. Panelists shared experiences from conflict-affected contexts, including Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Afghanistan, where women leaders often work under serious security threats while advocating for peace and more inclusive governance.
The conversation also addressed the need to protect women politicians from harassment and violence, close the gap between laws and their real-world implementation, and expand access to education and economic opportunity for women and girls. Participants reflected on the long struggle for women’s political representation and how women’s growing presence in politics has helped bring issues like childcare and violence against women into policy discussions. At the same
time, speakers warned that these gains are facing a growing global backlash, as organized movements argue that
gender equality has gone too far and pushes for a return to more traditional gender roles, threatening decades of progress on women’s rights and political participation.
