Poll: is it time for a woman to lead the UN? | Global development | theguardian.com
▻http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poll/2014/nov/10/poll-time-for-woman-to-lead-united-nations
As the UN enters its 70th year, campaigners are calling for a more transparent process to select its leader. Just who is vying for the position of UN secretary general in 2016 is unknown, but the NGOs, UN associations and former UN officials behind the 1 for 7 Billion campaign want it to be a fairer process in which all member states get a say.
In an open letter to the UN (pdf), the campaigners said the current selection process involved “secret deals and horse trading” that gave the five permanent members of the security council – China, France, Russia, the UK and the US – too much power. “It falls far short of modern recruitment practices for high-level international appointments, as well as of the UN’s own standards and ideals,” the letter stated. “We highlight, for instance, that no woman has ever been selected to become UN secretary general, and that few have been seriously considered.”
The UN has campaigned for greater female participation in politics, so is it time for a woman to become secretary general?