Executive Summary
- The selection process for the next UN Secretary-General has officially begun, with Rafael Mariano Grossi, Michelle Bachelet, and Rebeca Grynspan among the early candidates.
- A UN Women/UNODC report indicates femicide rates have declined by only 0.2% annually over two decades, while digital abuse is rising.
- The United States disassociated itself from specific paragraphs of the UN General Assembly’s political declaration on human trafficking.
- Humanitarian conditions in Gaza have worsened due to flooding, affecting over 200,000 displaced people.
The process to select the next United Nations Secretary-General has officially commenced following the release of a joint letter from the presidents of the UN General Assembly and the Security Council. This formal initiation of the diplomatic contest coincides with the release of significant UN reports highlighting stalling progress in combating violence against women and escalating humanitarian crises in Gaza and Sudan.
According to UN officials, the “selection and appointment” process was launched with the circulation of the joint letter, inviting member states to present candidates. On November 26, the government of Argentina officially endorsed Rafael Mariano Grossi, the current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, as a candidate for the top UN post. Grossi joins a field that reportedly includes former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, marking the early stages of high-level maneuvering for the organization’s leadership.
Concurrent with the leadership race, UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, emphasizing the growing threat of digital abuse. Citing a new joint report by UN Women and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), officials noted that intentional murders of women—often committed by intimate partners—have declined by only an estimated 0.2 percent annually over the last two decades. The report underscores that digital technology is increasingly being weaponized to harass and exploit women and girls.
In a related session at the General Assembly regarding the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, Guy Ryder, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Policy, stated that human traffickers are leveraging artificial intelligence to recruit and control victims with unprecedented speed. During the adoption of the associated political declaration, the United States representative, Michael Heath, stated that while the U.S. allowed the declaration to pass by consensus, it must disassociate itself from specific paragraphs, citing the inclusion of topics deemed unrelated to effective anti-trafficking actions.
On the humanitarian front, UN spokespeople reported deteriorating conditions in Gaza following heavy rains, which have impacted an estimated 214,000 displaced persons living in makeshift shelters. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) continues to operate nearly 350 temporary learning spaces despite logistical hurdles. Additionally, in Sudan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported massive displacement in Kordofan states, while the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa documented over 50 verified cases of sexual violence following recent assaults in El Fasher.
Diplomatic and Humanitarian Outlook
The simultaneous launch of the Secretary-General selection process and the release of critical reports on trafficking and conflict displacement highlights the complex operational landscape facing the United Nations. As the organization prepares for a leadership transition, the incoming administration will inherit a multilateral system straining under the pressure of entrenched regional conflicts and evolving digital threats to human rights. The ability of the Security Council to maintain consensus on humanitarian aid delivery and peacekeeping mandates will remain a critical determinant of the UN’s efficacy in the coming months.
