COMMUNITY

Link to view motion: https://lnkd.in/eivawhep

During the 151st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), held in Geneva from 19 to 23 October 2025, the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs adopted a landmark motion recommending the election of a woman as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations — a historic step toward achieving gender equality in global leadership.

The GQUAL Campaign participated in the Committee session as an expert organization, also representing the 1 for 8 Billion Campaign, contributing to the discussion and adoption of the motion.

The motion highlights that, in the 80 years since the founding of the United Nations, nine men have successively held the post of Secretary-General, underscoring the need to advance gender parity in senior leadership positions. To that end, it calls on IPU Member Parliaments to:

1. Hold briefings in their respective foreign affairs committees to take stock of the modalities for electing the UN Secretary-General and of the timing whereby the selection and appointment process will unfold during 2026; and 
2. Engage with their government leadership to initiate a search for women candidates as soon as possible, with a view to ensuring a large pool of highly qualified women candidates for election by the Security Council. 

This initiative builds upon broader UN commitments — including the Pact for the Future (2024) and the Revitalization of the Work of the General Assembly resolution (2025) — which emphasize merit, transparency, inclusivity, and gender balance in the appointment of the UN Secretary-General.

Representing both GQUAL and 1 for 8 Billion, María Noel Leoni Zardo underscored the importance of this decision:

“The appointment is not just an internal UN matter, but a critical issue for all peoples whose futures depend on the Organization. As representatives of the people, parliaments have a vital role in ensuring that this process reflects the very principles the UN stands for — equality, transparency, and accountability.”

The GQUAL Campaign welcomes this motion as a milestone toward equal representation and accountability in multilateral institutions. As the 2026 selection process approaches, this call from the world’s parliaments reinforces a shared conviction: the time has come to elect the first woman Secretary-General of the United Nations.

🔗 Read the full Motion adopted by the IPU Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs here.