NEW YORK, Mar 05 (IPS) – In 2025, the United Nations will celebrate 80 years of shaping global policies, fostering peace, and driving international development. Yet, in those eight decades, not a single woman has held the position of Secretary-General.
This glaring absence speaks volumes; the institution that champions gender equality on the world stage cannot seem to practice what it preaches.
As the UN prepares to host the 69th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York, this dichotomy is impossible to ignore. While the world gathers to assess progress on gender equality, the UN itself remains stuck in a cycle of male dominance.
There are no gender quotas for national delegations, no real push to increase women’s representation, and no collective effort to break the all-male stronghold at the highest leadership level.
The UN’s gender imbalance mirrors the entrenched inequalities within its member states. This disparity was painfully clear at the 79th UN General Assembly, where women comprised less than 10% of speakers during the General Debate. Only 19 women took the podium—a mere five as Heads of State and three as Heads of Government. Meanwhile, 175 men dominated the conversation, including 67 Heads of Government and 47 Heads of State.
These numbers are not just statistics—they reflect a deeper, more troubling truth: women continue to be excluded from the highest levels of decision making.
The obstacles to women’s leadership are not just about individual ambition. They are tied to larger systems of repression and silencing. According to CIVICUS’ flagship research, 70% of the world’s population lives in countries where civic space is restricted or closed.
In these conditions, women’s rights groups face constant threats as governments wield restrictive laws to suppress dissent under the pretext of countering terrorism, online crime, or disinformation. Women human rights defenders, particularly those fighting for climate action, gender equality, and LGBTQIA+ rights, face increasing persecution.
These restrictions make it harder for civil society to demand transparent, accountable and gender representative institutions. Without open civic space, women—especially those from marginalized communities—are shut out of decision-making processes and denied the opportunity to shape stronger, more inclusive institutions and policies. It is no surprise that countries with repressed civic space also tend to have low gender equality outcomes.
CSW69, intended to review the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, comes at a pivotal moment, just ahead of the UN’s 80th…
