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Opinion
Five former UN secretaries general
The United Nations faces a crisis amid a global setback on rights and democracy
– United Nations member countries will elect a new UN Secretary-General this year to succeed António Guterres in January 2027. The leadership change comes at a time when human rights and democracy, as well as the international organizations created to defend those principles and provide life-saving assistance, are under unprecedented attack.
So far member countries have formally nominated only two candidates: former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, of Argentina.
Threats to the global human rights system demand a courageous leader at the UN who puts human rights at the center of his agenda. However, the selection process gives veto power over any candidate to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.
But human rights are clearly not a priority for China, Russia or the United States.
Human Rights Watch and others have long documented attempts by China and Russia to defund and undermine the UN human rights pillar. More recently, the United States, which played a key role in the creation of the UN and its human rights architecture in 1945, has rejected and defunded dozens of UN programs that promote rights and humanitarian assistance.
The Trump administration has also withheld billions of dollars in dues to the UN, which has been a major factor in the organization’s devastating financial crisis. While Washington recently announced an initial payment of its arrears, its actions have seriously affected the UN’s ability to do its work.
US President Donald Trump has also been trying to sideline the UN by establishing a “Peace Board”, modeled on the Security Council, of which he himself is president-for-life. The invited leaders include serial human rights violators from China, Belarus, Hungary and Saudi Arabia, along with two men (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin) facing arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court.
The UN needs a leader willing to stand up to big powers and abusive governments to defend victims of abuse and marginalized communities, and aggressively support accountability for serious crimes.
As Member States nominate additional candidates, they should present a diverse group, especially women and others with proven human rights records, and ensure a competitive and transparent process that places an exceptional individual committed to human rights at the top of the UN.
Widad Franco is UN Advocate, Human Rights Watch
IPS UN Office
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