Meet the Three Female UN Secretary-General Candidates

At a discussion on Tuesday, three contenders for secretary-general of the United Nations argued that it is past time for a woman to lead the organization.

Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, and Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador are all vying to succeed Antonio Guterres, who will step down at the end of the year after two five-year terms.

During a debate organized by independent organizations in Geneva, the city that houses the United Nations’ European headquarters, the trio emphasized their diplomatic credentials.

“I believe, of course, a woman – it’s about time, isn’t it? Espinosa, a former foreign minister, stated that the UN had been around for 80 years.

However, the 61-year-old stated that the future secretary-general should be “the best woman, not any woman”; a “leader with a lot of energy”.

According to an AFP article, numerous countries are campaigning for a woman to lead the United Nations for the first time, and Latin America is claiming the job based on a geographical rotation tradition that is not always fully adhered to.

“Women can bring more humanism,” remarked former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who is also a former UN human rights chief.