By: A/Kabeer Kuye with agency report
OF the 11 candidates (6 males and 5 females) who ran for the next United Nations Secretary General, Filipino Senator, Leila de Lima, has emerged as the new Secretary-General of the United Nations.
De Lima, who is now the first woman to take the leading role of United Nations since its formation in 1945, was sworn in following the end of Ban ki-moon’s tenure.
Ban had pleaded earlier that the next person to take over from him should be a woman, after the UN have been led by eight men since its formation.
The former Secretary-General stated that “its high time now” for a female secretary-general as he feels women should be given equal rights.
Ban, who was careful enough not to mention his favorite candidate in the run down to the elections, had stated that there were many distinguished women leaders who can help change the world and can actively engage with other leaders around the world.
Senator Leila de Lima, who is also a lawyer served as the Chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights in May 2008, after being appointed by President Gloria Arroyo, where she served until June 30, 2010.
She was then appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Justice by President Benigho Aqinno III until October 2015 when she resigned to contest for a seat in the Senate of the Phillipines and won in 2016.
