Women in Multilateralism

GWL Voices’ flagship report, Women in Multilateralism (WIM), provides a unique view into the gender composition of the heads, governing bodies, and senior management teams of the world’s most important multilateral organizations.

In 2023, GWL Voices drew global attention to the scarcity of women at the top of international organizations. The first edition of our report mapped the gender of the leaders of 33 of these organizations since 1945. Women in Multilateralism 2024, in addition to including an expanded list of 54 organizations, features two new sections on the gender composition of governing bodies and senior management teams. Now, for Women in Multilateralism 2025, GWL Voices included the never-before-seen data about the gender of Permanent Representatives appointed to the UN since its founding.

Why does WIM matter?

Multilateral organizations claim to be committed to gender equality. But for decades, anecdotal evidence had pointed to a different reality. We find that women have indeed been systematically excluded from leadership positions. Our flagship report brings clarity and accountability to this discussion, helping raise awareness and paving the way for evidence-based solutions.

Facts

Seventy-five men and only four women have led the UN General Assembly since 1946.
No woman has been elected Secretary-General.
Most international financial institutions (IFIs) have never had a woman leading the organization.
Only 7% of the more than 2,800 permanent representatives who have served as ambassadors to the United Nations since 1947 have been women.
Seventy-three countries have never sent a female permanent representative to the UN.
Sixty-four have done so only once.