Today the UN General Assembly adopted a significant resolution (see pgs 13-15) which shapes the rules of the process to appoint the next UN Secretary-General. While the resolution missed opportunities on several fronts — including an unequivocal commitment to appoint the first woman to this position and measures to strengthen civil society participation in the upcoming process — read 1 for 8 Billion’s snap reaction below outlining the top three reforms that states did manage to find agreement on.

Stay tuned to 1 for 8 Billion for a deeper analysis of the negotiations and its outcome, to be published in the coming days.

A more structured process

For the first time, the process now has a basic timetable: the starting point for the race should be initiated “in the last quarter of the year preceding the end of the incumbent’s term”. This means that the upcoming selection process will begin between October and December 2025 allowing 12-15 months to complete the selection.

As in the past, the race will be initiated by a joint letter from the presidents of the General Assembly and Security Council. This letter should be used to expand on this timetable by outlining “notional events” during the process. This enables the presidents to jointly establish a provisional deadline for candidate nominations, a window for candidates to present their visions to the General Assembly, and a period for deliberations in both the General Assembly and the Security Council.

Importantly, the resolution re-asserts language adopted in 2015 highlighting elements of the person specification required for the role, specifically: “the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, and a firm commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter”. These criteria cannot be seen merely as technical standards; a candidate’s competence and commitments must demonstrate a genuine dedication to the core values of the United Nations — including multilateralism, the protection and promotion of human rights, gender equality, and the pursuit of peace and sustainable development. The decision to highlight these criteria seems significant at a time when the UN, and multilateralism more broadly, is on the back foot.

Lastly, the resolution states that the process should end with the swearing into office of the successful candidate: “during the last quarter of the year prior to assuming office”. In the upcoming race, this means October-December 2026, although the resolutions suggests that the swearing in should not be left to the last minute “to allow the Secretary-General-designate sufficient time to prepare for their term in office”. The new Secretary-General will officially take office on 1 January 2027.

1 for 8 Billion has long advocated for a more structured and transparent process as a vital measure to reduce speculation and uncertainty, and enable serious contenders to prepare their candidacies. On the specifics, 1 for 8 Billion called for a slightly earlier start date (the beginning of the 80th session) and for the General Assembly to be more specific about when other phases of the race will take place. Nonetheless, the new resolution usefully sets the basics for a better-organised process.

Financial transparency

1 or 8 Billion welcomed the previous resolution on this matter, adopted in 2023, encouraged candidates to voluntarily disclose their sources of funding. Since then the idea has gained significant momentum and today’s resolution makes it unequivocal that all candidates “should disclose their sources of funding at the time of the nomination”. Such financial disclosures must now be seen as an integral part of any nominee’s public credentials, along with their vision statement and their curriculum vitae. This information will be hosted on a dedicated and regularly updated webpage maintained by the joint presidents of the General Assembly and Security Council; in this regard candidates will need to ensure that any changes to their campaign finances are communicated promptly to the joint presidents to ensure the repository remains accurate.

States should only consider nominating and supporting women

The resolution stops short of issuing an unequivocal statement of intent that the General Assembly intends to end the 80 year wait and finally appoint the first Madame Secretary-General - something 1 for 8 Billion had been advocating strongly for during the negotiations. However, at a time when women’s rights are witnessing a global backslide, and issues related to diversity and inclusion in appointments have become highly politicised, this resolution nonetheless shows that gender equality remains a critical consideration and that the appetite for the appointment of a woman Secretary-General remains strong among member states.

The resolution “notes with regret” that no woman has ever held the position of UN Secretary-General and encourages member states to “strongly consider nominating women as candidates” (emphasis added). This goes one step further than the Pact for the Future, adopted by world leaders last year which encouraged member states to merely “consider” nominating women. It also builds on General Assembly language agreed in 2023 which “strongly encourages” states to consider nominating women.

Last year also saw the adoption of CEDAW General Recommendation 40 which unequivocally affirms women’s right to have “equal and inclusive representation” in all decision-making systems, including in the highest leadership of multilateral organisations. Crucially, it establishes that achieving this goal begins with no less than 50-50 gender parity between women and men, and underscores that States have an obligation to adopt measures — including through transparent and merit-based procedures — to ensure that qualified women are able to access leadership positions.

Against the backdrop of 80 years of unbroken male leadership, and in the context of States’ international obligations and the values of the United Nations, the upcoming selection process presents a historic opportunity: an opportunity to address the urgent need for leadership that is both representative and committed to advancing the rights of women and girls. One principle stands out: the next Secretary-General must be a woman - a leader with a proven record of championing gender equality, and who embodies a steadfast commitment to peace, sustainable development, human rights, multilateralism, and the core values of the United Nations.

Further links

Image: The General Assembly meets to adopt the resolution on the Revitalization of the General Assembly, chaired by Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly for the 79th Session (UN Photo / Eskinder Debebe)