New York — In 2025, the United Nations will celebrate 80 years of shaping global policies, fostering peace, and driving international development. Yet, in those eight decades, not a single woman has held the position of Secretary-General.
This glaring absence speaks volumes; the institution that champions gender equality on the world stage cannot seem to practice what it preaches.
As the UN prepares to host the 69th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York, this dichotomy is impossible to ignore. While the world gathers to assess progress on gender equality, the UN itself remains stuck in a cycle of male dominance.
There are no gender quotas for national delegations, no real push to increase women’s representation, and no collective effort to break the all-male stronghold at the highest leadership level.
The UN’s gender imbalance mirrors the entrenched inequalities within its member states. This disparity was painfully clear at the 79th UN General Assembly, where women comprised less than 10% of speakers during the General Debate. Only 19 women took the podium–a mere five as Heads of State and three as Heads of Government. Meanwhile, 175 men dominated the conversation, including 67 Heads of Government and 47 Heads of State.
These numbers are not just statistics–they reflect a deeper, more troubling truth: women continue to be excluded from the highest levels of decision making.
The obstacles to women’s leadership are not just about individual ambition. They are tied to larger systems of repression and silencing. According to CIVICUS’ flagship research, 70% of the world’s population lives in countries where civic space is restricted or closed.
In these conditions, women’s rights groups face constant threats as governments wield restrictive laws to suppress dissent under the pretext of countering terrorism, online crime, or disinformation. Women human rights defenders, particularly those fighting for climate action, gender equality, and LGBTQIA+ rights, face increasing persecution.
These restrictions make it harder for civil society to demand transparent, accountable and gender representative institutions. Without open civic space, women–especially those from marginalized communities–are shut out of decision-making processes and denied the opportunity to shape stronger, more inclusive institutions and policies. It is no surprise that countries with repressed civic space also tend to have low gender equality outcomes.
CSW69, intended to review the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, comes at a pivotal moment, just ahead of the UN’s 80th anniversary. However, this review is overshadowed by the fact that the chair of CSW69 has a dismal human rights record, particularly on women’s rights.
The event is being hosted in a country that has actively regressed on gender equality, both nationally and internationally–withdrawal from the Human Rights Council and the Paris Agreement, re-imposing the global gag rule to cut abortion access funding, and promoting the Geneva Consensus Declaration, an anti-reproductive rights and anti-LGBTQ+ political statement.
Moreover, it has pressured UN agencies to align with its regressive stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion, fostering a climate of fear and self-censorship. This chilling effect has led global north CSOs to retract terms like ‘feminism’ from their website and advocacy platforms, while EU governments cut funding for gender equality initiatives.
CSW69 must not be just a moment for reflection–but a moment for action.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres himself called the gender imbalance “unacceptable” in his opening speech at the General Assembly. Yet, rhetoric alone will not change reality. The systemic barriers extend far beyond the top position. GWLvoices, a collective of global women leaders, found that since 1945, only 13% of elected leaders in multilateral organizations have been women.
Civil society is not staying silent. The 1 for 8 Billion advocacy campaign, with CIVICUS as a steering committee member, is pushing for transformative reforms. It builds on the success of the earlier 1 for 7 Billion campaign, which in 2016 successfully advocated for a more transparent and accountable selection process for the Secretary-General.
That campaign led to key reforms, including open candidate hearings and greater public scrutiny of the selection process–an important step toward breaking the culture of backroom deals.
The 1 for 8 Billion campaign calls on Member States to nominate feminist women candidates and demands full transparency in the Secretary-General selection process. The campaign insists on public updates, the publication of straw poll results, and the disclosure of campaign funding. It also urges candidates to make explicit commitments to uphold the UN Charter and reject political bargaining.
The UN was founded on principles of human dignity, equality, and justice. Yet, these ideals ring hollow when the institution itself fails to elevate women to its highest office. As the world faces intersecting crises–from climate change and rising authoritarianism to gender apartheid and genocide–we need a leader who understands the urgency of inclusion and the power of diverse voices.
A feminist woman Secretary-General would do more than break a symbolic barrier–she would center the lived experiences of half the world’s population, which have been excluded from global decision-making for nearly a century. As the UN approaches its 80th anniversary, it must choose to lead by example. The time for a feminist woman Secretary-General is not in the future–it is now.
Jesselina Rana is UN Advisor, CIVICUS, in New York.
IPS UN Bureau
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