Meet the women seeking to become the UN’s first female secretary general

For 80 years, the United Nations has been led exclusively by men. Now, as the global body prepares to choose a new secretary general, three prominent women are making the case that the time has finally come for a woman to take the organisation’s top job.

At a debate in Geneva on Tuesday, Michelle Bachelet, former Chilean president, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, UN Trade and Development chief, and Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former Ecuadorian foreign minister argued that the world’s most influential multilateral institution would benefit from female leadership.

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The next UN secretary general will be elected this year for a five year term beginning on January 1, 2027, replacing António Guterres, who is stepping down after serving two terms.

In a resolution adopted last September, the UN General Assembly acknowledged “with regret that no woman has ever held the position of Secretary General” and encouraged member states to strongly consider nominating women.

While the final decision will rest with member states and the UN Security Council, where the five permanent members hold veto powers, many countries are increasingly backing the idea that the organisation’s next leader should be a woman. Latin America is also pressing its claim to the role under the tradition of regional rotation.

Here are the women seeking to become the UN’s first female secretary general

Michelle Bachelet: The former president and rights advocate

Among the contenders, Michelle Bachelet brings one of the most extensive political and UN resumes.

The 74-year-old physician made history as Chile’s first female president, serving two separate terms from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2018. She later served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2018 to 2022 and was the first executive director of UN Women.

Speaking in Geneva, Bachelet said the next secretary general should be a woman, but stressed that gender alone should not determine the choice.

“Women can bring more humanism,” she said.

She described herself as a leader willing to take risks and speak out when necessary.

“I’m not afraid of speaking up when it’s needed,” Bachelet said.

Responding to criticism from some Republican lawmakers in the United States who oppose her support for abortion rights, Bachelet remained defiant.

“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.

Bachelet has pledged to be “an independent secretary general, always on the ground” if elected.

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Rebeca Grynspan: Thee economist focused on reform

Rebeca Grynspan, 70, enters the race with decades of experience in economic development and international diplomacy.
She currently serves as secretary general of UN Trade and Development, becoming the first woman to lead the agency when she took office in 2021.

Before that, she was vice president of Costa Rica, held several senior cabinet positions, and served in multiple high ranking UN roles, including UN under secretary general and associate administrator of the United Nations Development Programme.

Unlike some supporters of a gender based campaign, Grynspan has argued that the selection process should remain focused on merit.

“I am running because I think I am the best person for the job,” she said.

At the debate, she argued that the UN faces a cultural challenge and must work more closely with governments, businesses and civil society organisations.

“The UN is unique, but it’s not alone,” she said.

Maria Fernanda Espinosa: The diplomat seeking a historic breakthrough

Maria Fernanda Espinosa, 61, has built a career that spans diplomacy, environmental policy, academia and government service.

A former foreign minister and defence minister of Ecuador, she became the first woman from Latin America and the Caribbean to serve as president of the UN General Assembly when she was elected in 2018.

She has also represented Ecuador at the United Nations in both New York and Geneva and currently leads an organisation that advocates for greater gender equality in global governance.

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Espinosa was the most direct in arguing that the UN should finally break with tradition.
“I think, of course, a woman. It’s about time, isn’t it? After 80 years,” she said.

However, she quickly added that the successful candidate must be chosen for her abilities rather than her gender alone.
“The best woman, not any woman,” she said, describing the ideal secretary general as “a leader with a lot of energy”.

Espinosa has also highlighted the importance of preserving the UN’s role at a time of growing geopolitical tensions.

“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,” she said.
a race that could reshape the UN
The campaign comes as the United Nations confronts some of the biggest challenges in its history, including funding shortages, multiple armed conflicts and declining faith in international cooperation.

The Security Council is expected to begin deliberations in late July before forwarding a recommendation to the General Assembly, which will elect the next secretary general in the months that follow.