As the United Nations prepares to select its tenth secretary-general, global attention is focused not only on which candidate will succeed António Guterres in January 2027, but on what the choice will signal about the institution’s relevance, priorities, and ability to respond to mounting global crises.
On November 25, 2025, the presidents of the UN General Assembly and the Security Council jointly invited all 193 member states to nominate candidates for the post. In a noteworthy departure from past practice, their letter expressly encourages member states to nominate a woman while also underscoring the importance of regional diversity.
“Noting with regret that no woman has ever held the position of secretary‑general, and convinced of the need to guarantee equal opportunities for women and men in gaining access to senior decision‑making positions, Member States are encouraged to strongly consider nominating women as candidates,“ they wrote.
All nine individuals who have previously led the United Nations in its 80‑year history have been men, a fact that critics and diplomats alike increasingly view as a glaring symbol of gender inequality at the highest level of global diplomacy.
A historic moment for gender equality
Calls for a woman to lead the United Nations have grown louder in 2025, with voices from capitals worldwide urging a break from an unbroken tradition that has excluded women from the organisation’s most powerful seat.
At the 80th UN General Assembly, numerous leaders spoke out. Estonia’s President Alar Karis said it was “high time for a woman to be chosen as UN secretary‑general,” explicitly linking gender equality to broader efforts to strengthen the organisation. Slovenia’s President Nataša Pirc Musar echoed this, declaring: “By the end of this session, she should be joined by a madam secretary‑general‑elect.”
Rebeca Grynspan, who was formally nominated by Costa Rica in October 2025, has strongly embraced this narrative. In an interview with Reuters, she said, “We don’t need special treatment. What we are really asking for is no discrimination… equal treatment. If equality will prevail, we will be able to get there.”
Grynspan’s emphasis on equal treatment underscores the subtle shift in diplomatic rhetoric: many states are advocating not just for a woman SG, but for a selection that reflects merit, inclusivity, and diversity, challenging traditional power dynamics within the United Nations.
Civil society organisations and advocacy coalitions such as 1 for 8 Billion and the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders note that dozens of countries have in recent months pressed the UN to consider gender balance in its leadership, with indirect or direct references to the need for the next secretary‑general to be a woman.
Beyond gender: Gaza, credibility, and trust
The push for the first woman secretary‑general is not happening in isolation. The United Nations’ credibility has been intensely debated over its response to the Gaza crisis, where humanitarian needs remain severe and civilian suffering has persisted despite repeated appeals from UN agencies for humanitarian access and protection.
Leaders at the 80th General Assembly condemned the violence and urged action. Jordan’s King Abdullah II described what is happening in Gaza as “one of the darkest moments in the history of the organisation,” questioning the effectiveness of repeated UN statements without tangible protection mechanisms. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went further, accusing global institutions of failing to safeguard civilians.
This sense of institutional frustration factors into discussions about the next secretary‑general. Many diplomats and analysts believe that gender representation — particularly candidate models associated with empathy, inclusivity, and a focus on humanitarian issues — could be positively correlated with public trust in a UN perceived to be lagging in crisis leadership.
The power dynamics: US, China, Russia and the Security Council veto
Despite mounting support for a woman leader and the broader narrative of inclusion, the realpolitik of the Security Council will likely determine the final outcome. Under Article 97 of the UN Charter, the secretary‑general is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council, where the five permanent members (P5) — the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France — hold veto power.
In October 2025, the United States made its position clear. Deputy US Ambassador Dorothy Shea told the Security Council that the next leader should be chosen in a “purely merit‑based” process with as wide a pool of candidates as possible and that nominees should come from all regional groupings. “The next secretary‑general should bring the UN back to basics… help achieve the bold vision of peace and prosperity” envisioned by the founders, Shea said, invoking former secretary‑general Dag Hammarskjöld’s mission to save humanity from “hell.”
This statement reflects a broader trend in US policy under the Trump administration, which has sought to shape the UN’s leadership while also pressing for institutional reforms.
Washington’s position on this issue increasingly frames the contest in terms of US-desired institutional reforms and alignment with US priorities, even as it acknowledges the momentum behind gender equality.
It’s a known fact that the United States wields considerable influence, but it’s also obvious that China and Russia could veto a candidate seen as advancing US-centric policies.
Russia’s Ambassador to the UN., Vassily Nebenzia, has made the country’s perspective clear: gender is one of many factors, but “merit comes before gender,” and the customary practice of regional rotation should not be dismissed — a point underplayed in Washington.
China, long cautious about overt commentary on gender in high‑level UN politics, has recently signalled that it “would also be pleased to see female candidates presented by Member States.“
But like Moscow, Beijing, too, wants to retain regional rotation while choosing the next secretary-general.
This matters because, despite growing public calls for gender balance, the permanent members wield effective vetoes at the Security Council stage, meaning any candidate must be acceptable to all five for the process to move forward.
Regional rotation and the Latin America factor
Another layer of complexity involves the informal but powerful norm of regional rotation, which has shaped past secretary‑general selections despite not being mandated by the UN Charter. When António Guterres of Portugal was appointed in 2016, Latin America and the Caribbean were widely expected to be next under the customary cycle. The formal start of the nomination period in late 2025 came with renewed emphasis on this unwritten practice.
Latin American leaders have been outspoken about this. Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, while endorsing Michelle Bachelet, framed it as “Latin America’s moment” — not just geographically, but as a region ready to offer leadership on peace, climate justice, and sustainable development.
Costa Rica’s nomination of Rebeca Grynspan, a candidate with a long record in development and multilateral leadership, further reflects this regional push and the broader narrative that the next UN leader should reflect both geographic and gender diversity.
Institutional renewal or geopolitical compromise?
Analysts note that much depends on how member states balance gender advocacy with larger geopolitical interests. A strong push for a woman secretary‑general could unify a majority of member states; research shows that at least 94 countries have recently expressed some form of concern about gender imbalance in the UN’s top ranks, ranging from indirect support to strong advocacy for a woman leader.
But without consensus from the Security Council’s permanent members, even broad General Assembly support may not be enough to secure a nomination. For emerging candidates — particularly women and those from the Global South — navigating the interests and red lines of the United States, Russia, China, Britain, and France will be pivotal.
Why this moment matters
As the nomination process moves into 2026, formal candidacies will be wired to the Security Council, and a series of secret straw polls will begin. These will reveal preference patterns and potential vetoes well before the General Assembly’s final vote later in the year. At stake is not just another leadership transition, but a measure of whether the United Nations can evolve in a world where dozens of crises — from Gaza to Ukraine to climate change — challenge its capacity to act effectively.
Another possibility, although not very visible, is selecting a Muslim woman. It would be historic and would represent not just a symbolic break with decades of male leadership, but a broader acknowledgement of the changing face of global diplomacy.
It would also send a strong signal to millions around the world — especially in societies where gender inequality persists — that the world’s most universal institution is committed to reflecting the diversity of its membership in its highest office.
Muslim Women in the UN: A Possible Path
While no Muslim woman is currently an official candidate, several senior Muslim women hold influential roles within the UN system — showing that such a candidacy is possible under UN rules:
Amina J. Mohammed (Nigeria/UK) — Deputy Secretary‑General, the second‑highest position in the Secretariat.
Nihal Saad (Egypt) — Director of the UN Alliance of Civilizations.
Maimunah Mohd Sharif (Malaysia) — Former head of UN‑Habitat and an Under‑Secretary‑General.
These leaders embody the capacity for both gender and religious diversity at senior UN levels, even if none has yet entered the secretary‑general race.
The process is inevitably shaped by power, politics, and compromise. The United States’ strategic vision, Russia’s emphasis on merit and regional rotation, China’s newly expressed openness, and the fact that all permanent members wield veto power mean that the outcome is far from certain — even if a woman is now the most probable choice.
What is clear, however, is that this race is not simply about filling a leadership position: it is about what kind of United Nations the world wants at a time of profound global challenge.
Header Image: United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States. — Reuters
