United nations employment law and the causes for its failed senior female appointments record

The United Nations is one of the world’s significant employers, with a
multinational workforce stretching across all continents. Its ever-changing
needs and the plethora of urgent and long-term circumstances it is mandated
to address require constant recruitment at both junior and senior levels. The
task of recruitment and promotions within the Organization is entrusted
to and exercised by the Secretariat and as will become evident in the course
of this article, the Secretary-General has been invested with a seminal
exclusive authority, which he can unilaterally exercise in respect of senior
appointments. This authority is complementary to the institutional employ-
ment law of the United Nations, which is circumscribed by its Charter,
relevant General Assembly resolutions and the Secretariat’s own Staff Rules
and Regulations. The Secretariat has during the last two decades made a
concerted effort to enhance the position of its female workforce through a
system of quotas and policies aimed at securing a 50/50 equilibrium between
men and women, both in terms of appointments and promotions