Center for Human Rights and Policy Studies (CHRIPS) and Saferworld

Summary

Rodrigues Birkett commits to proactive engagement and working collaboratively with regional and sub-regional organizations. She proposes better use of anticipatory decision making and foresight on prevention. She has not offered specific prevention reform proposals.  

Profile

Rodrigues Birkett’s prevention approach is cautious, pragmatic and largely deferential to member states. She has described the Secretary-General’s role as providing "objective information” to member states rather than driving decisions, and emphasized “knowing which role to play in which situation” as her core leadership attribute. Her vision of Secretary-General is one who is a peacemaker, mediator, broker, negotiator and convener. 

She has framed her recent Security Council experience, having served as the permanent representative of an elected member, as practical preparation for managing the Secretary-General’s relationship with the Council. 

On peace and security, she has said she would seek to boost the UN’s visibility in conflicts and assess where the Secretary-General’s intervention might yield “speedy results” in prioritizing her actions as Secretary-General. She has committed to proactively engaging parties when early information suggests a crisis is developing and highlighted peace operations reform as a priority.

Rodrigues Birkett has said that the Secretary-General should be willing to use all available tools to prevent conflicts, including Article 99, and clarified she would invoke it when civilians face imminent and serious harm and parties have been engaged. She has also noted the Secretary-General’s appearance in informal Security Council consultations as an underused avenue for early engagement.

She has acknowledged the underrepresentation of women in peace negotiations, described the Women, Peace and Security agenda as important and committed to implementing relevant Security Council resolutions. She has not proposed a dedicated SRSG or new structural mechanism, favoring implementation through the existing UN field network. 

On the climate-security nexus, she has explicitly affirmed the link between climate change and conflict drivers, citing pastoral movement and land scarcity as concrete examples, and committed to raising the issue as Secretary-General. She has also addressed transnational organized crime and acknowledged its changing nature and the role of UNODC and regional organizations in response, though without proposing specific new mechanisms.

Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding (CCCPA) and International Peace Institute (IPI)

Summary

Rodrigues Birkett draws on substantial Security Council experience on peacekeeping. She advocates adapting peace operations models case by case, operationalizing Resolution 2719, streamlining mandates, maximizing the PBC’s advisory role and framing development as a vector for peace.

Profile

As Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN since 2020, Rodrigues Birkett has consistently argued that “peacekeeping cannot be an end in itself,” emphasizing the critical link between peace operations and sustainable political solutions. She has maintained that the Secretary-General should actively recommend pathways for advancing political processes and supported exploring peacekeeping models that address contemporary security challenges.

During Guyana’s tenure on the Security Council (2024–2025), Rodrigues Birkett worked closely on peacekeeping and peacebuilding files. Under Guyana’s presidencies in February 2024 and June 2025, the Council held signature events on the links between conflict, poverty, underdevelopment, climate change and food insecurity. Throughout her interventions, she promoted approaches rooted in the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, arguing that peacebuilding must address both traditional and emerging drivers of conflict. She has also described development as “a vector for peace” and stressed the importance of strengthening local resilience.

Rodrigues Birkett has advocated for “different types of [peace operations] models for different situations,” noting that lessons from AU partner missions and the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti will be critical to informing future responses. She has also addressed challenges to UN peace operations, including transitions policy, ceasefire monitoring, host-state consent, arms control, misinformation and threats posed by new technologies.

A strong supporter of partnerships, Rodrigues Birkett led Guyana’s membership in the A3+ Group in the Council and joined African elected members in supporting Resolution 2719 on UN financing for AU peace support operations; she has argued that the Secretary-General should “[ensure] the readiness of the organization to implement 2719.” While recognizing the value of partnerships, she insists the UN must remain visibly engaged in peace and security efforts. Rodrigues Birkett has also emphasized the role of the Peacebuilding Commission in advising the Security Council and advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

ODI Global

Summary

Rodrigues Birkett takes a principled approach to humanitarian crises, emphasizing access, protection of civilians and adequate resources for humanitarian response. She commits to invoking Article 99 if needed to address severe humanitarian crises. 

Profile

Rodrigues Birkett has consistently emphasized the importance of respecting the Charter, international humanitarian and human rights law and multilateralism. Characterizing her approach as one of principled pragmatism, she has been outspoken and principled in her engagement on humanitarian crises, calling for adherence to international humanitarian law and the protection of vulnerable groups. 

Rodrigues Birkett has highlighted the urgency of challenges related to humanitarian access and said that if appointed Secretary-General, she would be “at the forefront in advocating with the parties concerned to abide with international humanitarian law, especially as it relates to access, but not only to access.” 

She has also drawn attention to the protection of civilians agenda. When asked under what circumstances she would invoke Article 99 to bring a matter to the Security Council’s attention, she identified situations involving “severe humanitarian crisis” and violations related to the protection of civilians, stating that “if civilians are going to suffer immensely, I think it's important enough to bring that to the attention of the Security Council on Article 99.”

Rodrigues Birkett has also emphasized the importance of adequate funding for humanitarian action. Speaking as Guyana’s Permanent Representative in a 2025 briefing to the Security Council, Rodrigues Birkett noted the rise in conflict-induced displacement and the challenges this posed for the chronically underfunded humanitarian sector. In her vision statement, Rodrigues Birkett notes that humanitarian needs have increased exponentially while resources have shrunk, and asserts that the Secretary-General must be proactive and willing to engage with parties to conflict and other stakeholders, including regional and sub-regional organizations.  

She has framed advocacy on humanitarian action as a central responsibility of the Secretary-General, arguing that “the Secretary General must also be the spokesperson for the world’s most vulnerable. Persons in conflict settings, disasters, humanitarian emergencies, and other vulnerable situations must have confidence that their Secretary General is rallying support and relief for them.” She has not, however, offered specific proposals for improving humanitarian action or addressing impediments to humanitarian response.

Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Southern Voice

Summary

Rodrigues Birkett emphasizes delivering on existing commitments including through accelerating implementation of the SDGs. She supports vulnerability-based development metrics, stronger Global South representation and international financial architecture reform.

Profile

Rodrigues Birkett argues that the UN’s principal challenge is not the absence of commitments, but the failure to deliver on those already made. Her approach therefore prioritizes accountability, efficiency and measurable results rather than the creation of new global frameworks.

A central theme of her vision is addressing global inequality, particularly the structural disadvantages faced by developing countries, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). She advocates reform of the international financial architecture, improved access to concessional finance and the adoption of vulnerability-based measures such as the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index and “Beyond GDP” approaches to better reflect countries’ development needs.

Rodrigues Birkett also views climate change as both an environmental and development challenge that exacerbates existing inequalities and disproportionately affects vulnerable states. Consequently, she supports greater access to climate finance, resilience-building measures and stronger international support for countries facing climate-related risks.

Her policy priorities further include accelerating implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, strengthening preventive diplomacy and conflict prevention, expanding youth engagement, advancing gender equality and enhancing the representation of developing countries within global governance institutions.

While she acknowledges emerging challenges related to artificial intelligence, cyber governance and digital transformation, these issues receive comparatively limited attention in her platform, with few detailed proposals on AI governance, cybersecurity, disinformation or the broader implications of technological change.

Rodrigues Birkett has extensive experience in development. As Guyana’s Foreign Minister from 2008 to 2015, she advocated for developing countries, particularly SIDS and LDCs, within regional and global organizations. She later worked with the Food and Agriculture Organization, promoting food security and sustainable development. As Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN, she participated in major negotiations including the Political Declaration on Universal Health Coverage and the creation of the UN Youth Office. As Chair of the Group of 77 and China, she represented over 130 developing countries.

Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) and GQUAL Campaign

Summary

Rodrigues Birkett places human rights at the center of the UN's work. She supports increased funding for human rights, but without specific measures to strengthen accountability mechanisms. She supports gender equality and WPS. She commits to gender parity and geographic representation in staffing. 

Profile

Rodrigues Birkett has committed to the principles of the UN Charter and the UN's three pillars. She has advocated respect for international humanitarian and human rights law as the foundation for global order, peace and stability, arguing that the Secretary-General's "only bias should be to the Charter and international law." She has stressed: "wherever the Charter is violated, wherever international law is violated, it is a responsibility of the Secretary-General to highlight those."

She has described the three pillars as mutually reinforcing and centered human rights and human dignity in UN action, advocating for "human rights, non-discrimination and gender equality." She has argued that investments in development and peace are also investments in rights because conflict and underdevelopment undermine rights. 

Rodrigues Birkett has emphasized compliance with treaty body recommendations, accountability, education, public awareness and a people-centered approach. She has acknowledged the need to strengthen funding for human rights, stating that she would work with member states to increase resources. However, she has not outlined specific proposals to strengthen funding or human rights accountability mechanisms.

Her priorities include the digital space and artificial intelligence as emerging human rights challenges, particularly for young people, and has called for new frameworks, including with the private sector, to ensure that rights are respected online. She has highlighted investment in human rights, citing examples from her time as Guyana’s Minister of Amerindian Affairs during which investments in education and Indigenous peoples advanced development. 

Rodrigues Birkett has supported gender equality and the Women, Peace and Security agenda, emphasizing women's participation in peace negotiations and implementing Security Council commitments. She stated that "when women lead, peace follows" and argued that the Secretary-General "must not only speak gender equality, but must do gender equality." On staffing, she has committed to geographical representation, gender balance, inclusivity and merit and supported organization-wide gender parity.

CIVICUS and Transparency, Accountability and Participation (TAP) Network

‍Summary

Rodrigues Birkett commits to ensuring geographic representation and gender parity in hiring. She emphasizes use of communications in revitalizing trust in the UN, and notes the importance of education and development for youth. She acknowledges the role of women in peacebuilding.

Profile

‍Rodrigues Birkett has emphasized the importance of improving UN communications with youth in order to engender trust. She has not offered specific proposals on youth participation, but has affirmed the necessity of continued commitments to the 2030 Agenda, Pact for the Future, the Sevilla Commitment and “Leave No One Behind” principles. She has recognized the importance of creating peace and security for youth through developmental and educational systems, especially through including them in AI governance conversations. On addressing challenges facing younger generations such as climate change, education, artificial intelligence and safety, she has noted that "Whatever we do for this generation, we must do for future generations." These sentiments are also supported by her previous roles as co-facilitator of the establishment of the United Nations Youth Office and as an elementary school teacher.

Rodrigues Birkett has committed to gender parity as well as geographic representation in hiring at the UN, but her concrete commitments to the advancement of women and girls beyond that issue remain unclear. Despite being the first woman and youngest person to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, her vision statement does not mention women or girls specifically, instead making reference to advocating for “human rights, nondiscrimination and gender equality.” She has highlighted the importance of women's organizations as peace negotiators in conflict settings.

When asked about her views on civil society participation, Rodrigues Birkett has framed its role as consultative and said that it is member states’ prerogative to determine how civil society is included in UN processes. She has not explicitly acknowledged shrinking civic space.

Plataforma CIPÓ and SHE Changes Climate

Summary

Rodrigues Birkett calls for the full operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS and adoption of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index. She emphasizes ocean governance, including implementation of the BBNJ Agreement.

Profile

Though Rodrigues Birkett’s vision statement engages with climate only in general terms, she has offered several proposals in response to questions. She has called for “continued support to Member States as they implement” climate commitments and stated that the Secretary-General must use their convening power “to address climate impacts and protect the environment.” She has mentioned environmental protection and “regulating our oceans” among key areas where the UN has delivered, pointing to the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) as a recent example of “multilateralism at work.” 

In her vision statement, Rodrigues Birkett identifies “climate change and natural disasters” as key drivers of inequality that hinder development. Regarding development finance, she has recognized “climate-related challenges” as one of the factors causing “a profound shift in the risk landscape,” but suggests no specific proposals related to climate funds.

In response to a question on the climate-development nexus, she has noted that states committed to this in the Paris Agreement, emphasizing implementation and financing as required next steps.

On climate finance, Rodrigues Birkett has acknowledged that many countries still face considerable hurdles in accessing climate funds and affirmed that the Loss and Damage Fund must be “fully operationalized.” She has drawn on her own national experience, noting that Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which include Guyana, face significant climate-related challenges. She has said that the UN should “dedicate all efforts” to implementing the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS). 

Rodrigues Birkett has highlighted her own efforts in this area during Guyana’s Security Council term and pledged to implement any related decisions taken by member states. She has also committed to strengthening the UN's work on oceans, including the implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, and advocating for the adoption of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) by IFIs and relevant banks, as a complement to the ongoing work on Beyond GDP.

Article 109

Summary

Rodrigues Birkett has not offered an ambitious program for reform. She focuses on implementation over systemic changes. She emphasizes member state direction-setting over the leadership role of the Secretary-General. 

Profile

For Rodrigues Birkett, the issues the UN is facing are largely questions of implementation, rather than indicative of the need for more transformative change. 

She proposes “reasserting, reforming, and rallying” the organization to respond to frustration that the UN is not delivering. Her response to deliver on this is underwhelming, however. She does not set a clear direction of UN reform, saying this must be guided by member states – perhaps also a reflection of her current role as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN.

Rodrigues Birkett has offered few specific reform proposals. She has called for reform of international financial institutions, strengthening the Resident Coordinator system and greater support for regional partnerships, but does not spell these out in detail.

She favors continuing to implement the UN80 reform initiative and has noted that the greatest impact will be through its third work stream focused on structural alignment. While she does not expand on this, she does reference the Pact for the Future as the “blueprint” for reform.

Rodrigues Birkett states that "hopefully" Security Council reform will happen, but sees it as a member state-driven process and frames the Secretary-General’s role as only providing member states with necessary information. 

Rodrigues Birkett has noted the Secretary-General’s responsibility to use all available tools to prevent and resolve conflict, including Article 99 (empowering the Secretary-General to bring matters to the Security Council’s attention) and has indicated her support for using it in situations involving serious humanitarian crises.