First UN Secretary-General debate sees women candidates pledge reform and human rights

A platform for renewal

On Tuesday, four of the five declared candidates to succeed António Guterres as United Nations Secretary-General appeared at a debate in Geneva, organised by GWL Voices and the United Nations Foundation. The event, held at the Maison de la paix, attracted some 500 attendees and focused on restoring trust in the multilateral system. The three women present — Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, and Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador — received a standing ovation and took turns outlining their priorities. Former Senegalese president Macky Sall addressed the audience by pre-recorded video, while Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, did not participate.

A call for rights and reforms

Bachelet, a former president of Chile and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, placed human rights at the centre of her pitch, saying she would reform the organisation “to make it more agile, efficient and responsible, through dialogue and consensus building.”

I will reform the organization to make it more agile, efficient and responsible, through dialogue and consensus building.

She insisted that a secretary-general must be independent and unafraid to speak, adding that without real power, the role becomes that of a “commentator on what happens.” On the sensitive issue of sexual reproductive rights, Bachelet noted she would be “honoured” to be vetoed over the matter, reaffirming the UN's commitments under the Beijing +20 agreement.

Eroding trust and peace-building

Grynspan, a former vice-president of Costa Rica who now leads the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), stressed the erosion of confidence in international institutions.

I am running because peace is in peril and trust in the U.N. and in international organizations is eroding.

She called for closer cooperation between the UN and regional bodies to strengthen peace and security. Sall, speaking via video, argued that the UN must place development at the heart of peace-building, with a focus on youth employment, climate justice and fair access to finance.

A renaissance for the UN

Espinosa, a former Ecuadorian foreign affairs and defence minister who once presided over the General Assembly, struck an ambitious tone, calling for a “renaissance” secretary-general capable of restoring the organisation’s moral authority.

This moment calls for a renaissance Secretary-General, a Secretary-General capable of restoring the U.N.'s moral authority.

She proposed establishing an early action hub to detect and address conflicts before they escalate. All three women agreed on the need for UN reform, including a financial system overhaul to support development and a framework for the ethical use of artificial intelligence.

A first step, and what comes next

The debate was the first of its kind for a UN leadership contest and came amid a push for a woman to head the organisation for the first time in its 80-year history. While the candidates’ visions overlapped considerably, the event itself marked a departure from the traditionally opaque selection process. The Security Council is expected to begin its deliberations by the end of July, with the General Assembly likely to vote on a recommended candidate in the autumn. The winner will take office on 1 January 2027, inheriting an organisation grappling with a severe financial crisis, billions in unpaid US arrears, and a fractured international landscape.