Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the UN to ensure the promotion of gender parity, equality and diversity in the selection process for the next Secretary General.
James Duddridge
Last year the UK launched an initiative to reform the selection process for the next UN Secretary General. We proposed measures that would deliver greater transparency, fairness and structure to the process. All other attributes being equal, it is high time for a woman to lead the United Nations – a job that represents the interests of all the world’s people cannot exclude half of its population. We were therefore pleased the General Assembly adopted a resolution (69/321) that broadly reflects our key proposals: clarity over timelines, greater transparency and an invitation to Member States to put forward women candidates. We also welcome the joint letter of 15 December 2015 (http://www.un.org/pga/70/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/15-Dec-2015_Appointment-of-Secretary-General-15-December-2015.pdf) from the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council that sets out principles to guide the selection process.
