None of the 07 women contenders out
of 13 who vied to secure the top job at the United Nations has been able to
break the glass ceiling, forcing many to call gender equality to question at
the world’s top governing body. They included the former Prime Minister of New
Zealand Helen Clark, the Director General of the UNESCO Irina Bokova of
Bulgaria, the deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Natalia Gherman, the Foreign
Minister of Argentina Susana Malcorraa, the Vice President of the European
Commission Kristalina Georgieva of Bulgaria and the Executive Secretary of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Christiana
Figueres of Costa Rica. Speculation was ripe about an appointment of the
world’s first ever female UNSG this time.
The former Prime Minister of
Portugal Antonio Guterres, who has been nominated by the 15-member UN Security
Council as the next General Secretary, will be the 09th male leader
to head the UN in its 70 years of existence. He takes over from Ban Ki-moon of
South Korea, who ends two terms in office on 31 December. Guterres, former UN
High Commissioner for Refugees, will have the mammoth task of leading the world
top organisation comprising 30 separate agencies and a 40,000-strong staff to
serve the interests of 193 member states for the next five years.
No comments:
Post a Comment