ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has taken a major step in her bid to become the first woman to lead the United Nations.
After more than three hours of discussions, Bachelet addressed the media, where she was asked by Rudaw's Namo Abdulla why the nearly 80-year-old UN has never had a female Secretary-General.
"Last election, there was also [a] movement that a woman, in 2016, should be a Secretary General. And many countries have made that public statement," Bachelet said, adding that "there were a lot of female candidates, but at the end it did not happen."
"I would say if I'm going to, if I am polite, I would say the world was not prepared for it. Is it prepared now? I hope so," she said.
The Secretary-General serves a five-year term, which can be renewed once. The next term is set to begin on January 1, 2027, as Antonio Guterres is finishing his second and final term at the end of 2026, meaning the selection process and final decision are expected to be concluded during 2026.