Beyond the Parity Ceiling
Why gender matters for the next UN Secretary-General, and why it is not enough
The case for the first female UNSG is real. But there is a ceiling above the glass ceiling that the 2026 conversation hasn't named yet. In this collaborative issue with Millennial Intellectual, we explore the parity ceiling, the selection mechanism, and what profile cannot protect. Read the full story:
This article draws on Institutional Gravity: Exiting Authority, Reclaiming Mandate by Moon Ting Li, forthcoming. Referenced sources include the UN Women Transparency Portal (2024 gender parity data), the Blue Smoke working group reports on UN senior appointments (UNA-UK, 2022-2026), the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation’s 2020 report on UN leadership, and the UN Pact for the Future (2024).
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