U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres delivers remarks on the occasion of the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women program. Photo by: UN Photo / Mark GartenWith International Women’s Day behind us, it’s worth asking: How much has really changed for women in global leadership? A new GWL Voices report shows progress at the United Nations and other international bodies — with more women in senior roles. However, governments are still lagging, and the U.N.’s top job remains seemingly out of reach.
The numbers are stark. Since 1945, just 208 of 2,800 UN ambassadors have been women. Some countries — China, France, Russia — have never appointed one. Boardrooms aren’t much better: Women held just 29% of governing board positions in 2024.
In 2016, a strong slate of women — Helen Clark, Susana Malcorra, and Kristalina Georgieva — vied for the secretary-general position at the U.N. However, the U.N. Security Council’s power players picked António Guterres. Twice. Now, GWL Voices is rallying behind #MadamSecretaryGeneral for 2026, with potential candidates such as Mia Mottley of Barbados, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, and María Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador.
But there’s backlash. Trump’s new anti-DEI executive order has the U.S. pushing to soften U.N. commitments to female leadership, while Russia wants them gone entirely. “We are witnessing an aggressive backlash against gender equality,” Guterres warns.
Read: Is the world ready for a woman at helm of the United Nations?