In his World Politics Review column, Richard Gowan argues that the next UN Secretary-General must choose between restoring the UN’s independence in pursuit of a bold internationalist agenda, or adopting a more cautious approach with the associated risks of 'political pulverization' in today's challenging geo-political landscape. He also finds that the 1 for 7 Billion campaign has caused "a frisson of excitement at U.N.headquarters".

In a detailed article for Foreign Policy, Colum Lynch laments the "utter lack of democratic process" in the elections for the world's "premier diplomatic job" and reviews  the background of potential candidates from across the world. The article also describes the obstacles to opening up the selection process.

The article highlights the launch of the 1 for 7 Billion campaign and quotes senior UN experts, including Sir Brian Urquhart and Edward Mortimer, on the major shortfalls of the current outdated selection process. The article also covers the campaign's open letter to world leaders calling for improvements to the appointment process, which was endorsed by a number of leading NGOs.

In an article recently published in the Indian press, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations argues for a more inclusive and transparent procedure to appoint the UN Secretary-General, emphasising that the current process must change in order to support the wider interests of the UN.