# 80 years on, it’s ‘hard to explain’ why the UN never had a woman at the helm: General Assembly President

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/un-interviews-817354/80-years-on-it-s-hard-to-explain-why-the-un-never-had-a-woman-at-the-helm-general-assembly-president
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/un-interviews-817354/80-years-on-it-s-hard-to-explain-why-the-un-never-had-a-woman-at-the-helm-general-assembly-president.md
Podcast: [UN Interviews](https://stenobird.com/podcast/un-interviews-817354)
Published: 2026-04-28T15:59:21+00:00
Episode link: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/audio/2026/04/1167396
Audio file: https://news.un.org/feed/listen/1167396/en/sites/default/files/audio/2026/04/28apr2026-intv-pga-un80.mp3
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Duration seconds: 501

## Resource

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock highlights a striking gap in its leadership: the continued absence of a woman Secretary-General. For an institution founded on principles of equality, human rights, and inclusion, this omission is becoming harder to defend. Ms. Baerbock argues that the issue is not merely symbolic, but central to the UN’s mission, with women’s rights inseparable from peace, security, and sustainable development. In an interview with UN News’s Anshu Sharma during her official visit to India, Ms. Baerbock also reflected on the broader challenges facing multilateralism, the need for reform, and the importance of standing together to uphold the values of the UN Charter.

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