Former President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, is vying for the position of Secretary-General at the United Nations. Despite criticism from over two dozen Republican US lawmakers who accuse her of prioritizing an extreme abortion agenda and calling for a U.S. veto, she remains committed to advancing women’s rights.
Bachelet, 74, one of four candidates competing for the role, stated that as secretary-general, her primary responsibility would be ensuring UN agendas on women’s rights are implemented. She emphasized the need to “continue advancing on women’s rights.”
Washington’s UN envoy, Mike Waltz, has previously expressed concerns about Bachelet’s suitability. The next UN leader will face a significant task in revitalizing an organization that is currently in crisis and has seen its stature diminish over recent years.
Bachelet faces competition from Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, and Macky Sall of Senegal for the five-year term. While these are the only declared candidates so far, more may join the race in the coming months.
No woman has ever headed the UN in its 80-year history, a tradition that dictates the role rotates between regions with Latin America next in line. Another unwritten rule is that the secretary-general never comes from among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to avoid over-concentration of power.
Bachelet’s candidacy received support from Brazil and Mexico despite her country withdrawing its backing due to a right-wing shift in leadership. Grynspan, 70, a former Costa Rican vice president who heads the UN Conference on Trade and Development, sees herself as a reform-minded multilateralist committed to gender equality. Sall, 64, Senegal’s president for another four years, is a geologist with a background in African development and support for debt-burdened countries.