In 80 years, no woman has served as Secretary-General of the United Nations.
98% confidence
EqualityInternational
Omissions
The claim uses '80 years' as a rounded figure. The UN Charter entered into force on 24 October 1945 and the first Secretary-General (Trygve Lie) took office on 1 February 1946, giving either ~81 years since founding or exactly 80 years of having an incumbent Secretary-General as of 2026. The approximation is reasonable and does not distort the claim.
As of the session date (19 May 2026), a selection process for the next Secretary-General was underway, with at least one woman (María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés) formally nominated on 11 May 2026, but no appointment had been made.
Sources
PrimaryUnited Nations – Former Secretaries-GeneralThe official UN page lists all former Secretaries-General: Ban Ki-moon (Republic of Korea), Kofi Annan (Ghana), Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt), Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (Peru), Kurt Waldheim (Austria), U Thant (Burma), Dag Hammarskjöld (Sweden), Trygve Lie (Norway). All are men. Together with the incumbent António Guterres (Portugal, 2017–present), all nine Secretaries-General in UN history have been men.
PrimaryUN Secretariat Documentation – UN Secretary-GeneralLists all Secretaries-General: António Guterres (2017–), Ban Ki-moon (2007–2016), Kofi A. Annan (1997–2006), Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1992–1996), Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (1982–1991), Kurt Waldheim (1972–1981), U Thant (1961–1971), Dag Hammarskjöld (1953–1961), Trygve Lie (1946–1952). All are men.
SecondaryReutersIn its 80-year history, the United Nations has never had a woman serve as secretary-general -- a fact that has sparked growing calls for change as the world body prepares to choose its next leader.