Khairul Islam :
The 70th anniversary of the United Nations was recently observed all over the world with an inspirational theme of “Strong UN Better World.” People from different socioeconomic backgrounds, irrespective of their gender and culture, celebrated the founding anniversary with enthusiasm. Around 70 years back, the world’s most influential leaders laid the foundation stone for the global agency. It was established with major objectives of promoting world’s peace and security, human rights and ensuring gender equity, and to represent the equal voice of around 7.0 billion world’s population irrespective of their gender, race, religion and nationality.
No doubt, over the 70 years of its functioning, the global watchdog has achieved a strong position among the people. As a result, its’ number of member countries has been increased to 193 from its 50 founding members. However, in this article, I am not writing the UN’s achievement or its failure. Even I do not have questions about its achievement of major objectives like promoting global peace and human rights. But, my question is whether the United Nations is successful in achieving the gender equity inside the organization itself?
Regrettably, the answer is simply negative and disappointing for all, especially for the world’s over 3 billion population, female. If we look at the organization’s top management, it will be clear. Since its inception, the global agency has been representing by male although half of the world’s population is female.
It is unfair. Does the body has proper representation of the people? The answer is very simple, not. There are three major possible reasons why UN failed to have a female as the top executive over the long period of its history. Firstly, it could be simply reflection of overall all scenario of women in the world. If we support this view, then we have to admit that they are still fighting with the dominant male to achieve equal rights in the society.
Secondly, it could be because of not having such leadership quality to run such big and important organization by a female. Is it believable? According to an article recently published The Washington Post, presently 22% of the global parliamentarians are been represented by female while many countries’ head of states are female. Of course, women are still under representative across the world. However, it does not necessarily mean that there is no female in the world who is capable to lead the organization. Many women already created examples for rest of the worl by their bold leadership like German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
Thirdly, such gender disparity could be because of male dominated election mechanism that discourages female. However, to make the global agency properly representative to the people, the next election scheduled to be held by end of 2016 is turn for female. The tenure of the existing secretary general Ban Ki-moon will expire by next year. Its’ high time to replace the top executive position by a woman to ensure gender equity in the organization itself. Allowing a female for the top global position will inspire over 3.0 billion populations who are under representative in the world.
