Calls for a woman as Secretary-General of the United Nations are increasing

Guterres' term is coming to an end and five candidates, three of them women, are vying for the UN's top job.

The UN Secretary General wants: who will succeed Guterres amid the crisis of multilateralism?

- Suzanne Melkora, a candidate ten years ago, warned that even then the election of a woman seemed "inevitable"

- The United States issues rules that do not take into account gender roles, while Spain wants to break the glass ceiling

Gender bias has historically been seen on the political front line and so much so that today 28 countries have a woman as head of state or government and only 101 are ruled by men, according to a recent report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IUP) and UN Women.The United Nations, which will turn 80 in 2025, is facing some important months to set an example when it has never had a woman at the helm of the organization's Secretary-General.

When the international community looked for a replacement for Ban Ki-moon in 2016, the general consensus seemed to be that the time had come, but the one finally chosen was former Portuguese Prime Minister António Guterres, and now, ten years later, voices are rising to definitively break the glass ceiling in the original theater of multilateralism.

One of the 2016 candidates, former Argentine minister Susana Malcora, admitted in an interview with Noticias that there was still a "feeling of reluctance" that with seven women's names on the table, there was no choice but to let one of them win."We were sure the moment had come," he added, but it didn't.

After nine men, the balance has shifted again to women and, according to the unwritten rules of rotation between regions, the person who succeeds Guterres must come from Latin America.The president of the German parliament, Analena Baerbock, wants to close the debate as soon as possible and has set April 1 as the deadline for the appointment, although Malcora warns that this is the only intention and that "surprises" may be swept under the hood for the coming months.Stay, as long as this process depends on the interests of everyone.

Who is who in this race?

Governments are aware of the delicate balance of geographic power, and the five confirmed candidates are matched by four Latin American figures, including Chile's Michelle Bachelet, Costa Rica's Rebecca Greenspan and Argentina's Virginia Gamba, who have previous experience in UN offices and positions.

Bachelet's name has been in the polls for the past few years to lead the United Nations, and her particular profile has made her the favorite.Adding to his political experience in Chile, where he amassed two non-consecutive presidential terms, was the launch of UN Women and a stint as High Commissioner for Human Rights, one of the most politically charged positions within the combination of agencies and institutions.

In recent days, the bride's candidacy faced an unexpected challenge.The government led by right-wing Jose Antonio Caste has withdrawn its support for the former president, although Mexico and Brazil are on the shortlist of candidates.

Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Argentina's official candidate, completes the Latin American team, as Gamba represents the Maldives.Also, this national distinction came in the fifth time of the former president of Senegal, Macky Sall, who was chosen by Burundi to run, who, at least on paper, has some options to reach the end.

Malcorra, who is part of the GWL Voices movement, which aims to justify the presence of women in key areas of power, insists it is not a matter of quotas at the moment but a final recognition of the merits of women in campaigns.In this sense, he clarified that the person who leads the United Nations over the next five years, regardless of gender, "must have the right profile", have "very strong principles" and be able to "open the door when everything is decided by one party to the conflict"."We live in a testosterone-rich world," he added.

The UN Charter already outlined equality between black and white men and women in 1945, and the former Argentine foreign minister believes the fact of the historic change "creates interest" around the UN and will help shine a "point of light" that acts as a guide for member states.

The countries have the final say

UN Women Director-General Sima Bhaus said "many" would be "proud to serve and work with the Secretary-General", although the agency notes that the decision rests with member states."We will respect the process and position adopted by the states", added the consulted sources, although they also suggest that "when a woman leads, peace is more sustainable, economies are more inclusive and human rights are better protected".

In 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution aimed at ensuring transparency in the process of appointing the Secretary General, but in practice the balance of power has not changed.All member states of the international organization have the right to vote and vote.

So the five veto-wielding superpowers – the US, Russia, China, France and Britain – have a lot to say, and women's development is not important to any of them.Russia has put itself front and center, and the U.S. has already made clear that gender will not be a requirement under the talks, which President Donald Trump has always distanced himself from ideas he attributes only to the progressive side.

As a representative of the US State Department told Noticias, Washington is looking for a "pragmatic, motivated and reform-oriented candidate who could restore competent leadership and significantly improve the organization."Guterres' replacement will not focus on "preserving world peace and security" and promoting an "ideology" that Trump described as "absurd, political and vigilante."Trump is expected to spare no criticism of the United Nations.

"The United States will actively evaluate the profile of each candidate to determine who is the most qualified individual," without "disadvantaging anyone based on "unchangeable characteristics" such as gender," he said.

Malcora likes to focus on U.S. messages that signal eligibility matters when making the final decision, and notes that there are "high-powered" women in the race.For this reason, it is "hard to believe" that Washington's veto is based solely on gender, despite the Trump administration's vague words.

On the Spanish side, government sources maintained the position set out by President Pedro Sánchez in January. "It is time for international organizations to reflect the diverse, diverse and equitable reality of our society," she declared at a meeting organized by GWL Voice, in which she asked for a woman from Latin America and the Caribbean to head the United Nations.“Because it is necessary and right,” he said.

And what will happen if Guterres does not hand over the reins to a woman on January 1?Malcorra is clear that he will once again have "a strong sense of a missed opportunity".