Statement by the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Calling for the Selection and Appointment of the First Woman Secretary-General of the United Nations

The African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) has issued a call for the United Nations to appoint its first female Secretary-General when the current leader's term concludes on December 31, 2026. This marks 81 years and nine male leaders without a woman at the helm of the global organization, despite its own stated goals of dismantling gender barriers and the significant leadership advancements women have made elsewhere.

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It is time to end this historical inequity.

Launched in 2017 in partnership with the African Union and the UN, AWLN highlights the critical juncture the UN faces. The organization, while indispensable, is experiencing an erosion of confidence and needs to deepen institutional and financial reforms. AWLN believes a woman leader is essential at this time to restore credibility, relevance, and trust in multilateralism, especially as previous reform efforts have been episodic and often sidetracked by crisis management.

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The record is clear, there is ample evidence to show that women’s leadership, at several critical times and in other places, has often helped to restore credibility, relevance and authority.

The network stresses that women are ready for this role, possessing the necessary understanding of the current geopolitical landscape and the UN's complexities. They are calling for a transparent and fair selection process, urging member states to support the necessary reforms. AWLN seeks a candidate with demonstrated inclusiveness, integrity, courage, and experience in multilateral institutions, capable of driving reform and articulating a clear vision for the UN's future while addressing issues like agency fragmentation and administrative redundancies.

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We urge a fair and transparent process and wish all involved in the selection process, discernment and wisdom.