UN Chief makes case for female Secretary- General

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The President of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly, Mr Mogens Lykketoft, on Thursday suggested that the next UN Secretary-General should be
a woman.

Lykketoft said in an article entitled:
“Who should lead the United Nations?’’ that he strongly desired that the next UN Secretary-General from Jan. 1, 2017, should be a woman.

“This year, the United Nations will
choose its next Secretary-General.
“We need the best possible candidate for the job.

I do not see why the best candidate should not be a woman.
“She must be a voice for the world’s
most vulnerable people and embody the very ideals and purposes of the United Nations.
“The world’s top diplomat, the UN
Secretary-General, must use her
independence, impartiality and good
offices to prevent conflict, broker peace and stand-up for human rights,’’ he said.

The UN General Assembly president also said that such a woman should be able to draw the UN Security Council’s attention to the maintenance of international
peace and security.

Lykketoft noted the UN had in the last 70 years been faced with conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and Europe, as well as the global problem of violent extremism.

The UN official also said that the
international body had within the years contended with problems of
discrimination against women and girls, xenophobia, with over 800 million people in extreme poverty.
According to him, about 60 million
people are currently displaced around the world.

“In its 70-year history, the UN, for all its flaws, has demonstrated that it can rise to such challenges.

“But to do so today, it must secure the best possible candidate through this year’s process of selection and
appointment of the next Secretary-
General,’’ he added.