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On this International Day of Women in Diplomacy, the Roya Institute once again underscores the urgent need to revisit the unequal structures of global power and calls for the next Secretary-General of the United Nations to be selected from among the many qualified, experienced women who enjoy broad international support.
Since its founding in 1945, the United Nations has served as the world’s principal multilateral body for peace, security, and international cooperation. Yet in more than seven decades of its operations, all nine individuals to have served as Secretary-General have been men. This historical exclusion stands in direct contradiction to the UN Charter, which affirms the principles of gender equality, inclusive participation, and respect for cultural and social diversity.
Now that the second term of Secretary-General António Guterres is officially set to end on 31 December 2026, we urge the international community to support the appointment of a qualified and experienced woman to this pivotal role.
Today, women’s participation in global diplomacy is not merely a moral call for justice—it is a structural necessity for rethinking global leadership. The world is facing unprecedented challenges: complex wars, climate crises, mass migration, widespread distrust, and the erosion of multilateral institutions. In such conditions, the participatory, values-driven, and empathetic leadership styles often embodied by women can provide a vital path to rebuilding trust, ensuring sustainable development, and securing just and lasting peace.
It must be acknowledged that the historic exclusion of women from the UN’s highest diplomatic office is not only unjust, but also undermines the moral legitimacy and functional effectiveness of the institution. There are dozens of accomplished women leaders in fields such as international law, human rights, conflict resolution, environmental protection, and global governance who are fully qualified to assume this position.
Furthermore, women diplomats have already shaped critical moments in global history. Their prominent role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948 remains a testament to that legacy. Eleanor Roosevelt(USA), Hansa Mehta (India), Minerva Bernardino (Dominican Republic), Begum Shaista Ikramullah (Pakistan), and other women from diverse legal and cultural backgrounds played key roles in ensuring the Declaration’s commitment to gender inclusivity and universal principles. Unfortunately, while their voices helped shape the post–World War II global order, the uneven implementation of the UDHR and the persistence of double standards have gradually weakened its moral authority. The responsibility to realize its promise—and to secure the full spectrum of human rights for all people—remains ours.
Today, the world does not need symbolic female representation in speeches alone; it needs real and consequential participation of women at the highest levels of global political decision-making. We continue to witness the underrepresentation of women in roles such as ambassadors, deputy foreign ministers, and permanent representatives to international organizations—even as hundreds of highly qualified, capable women are active in fields such as human rights, international law, peace mediation, and sustainable development.
The Roya Institute calls upon all governments, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and regional and international bodies to raise their voices together and actively support the nomination and selection of women for the position of UN Secretary-General. This is not merely a gender-based demand or a call for quotas; it is a vital step toward restoring public trust in multilateral institutions, strengthening peace, and responding to the shared crises facing humanity.
The world today needs not only strong leaders, but leaders who are able to listen, empathize, and rebuild.
Let us hear the voice of peace spoken through a woman this time.
Roya Institute for Global Justice
24 June 2025 – International Day of Women in Diplomacy