The Institute for Global Policy launched the UNelections.org Campaign in late 2006, following the selection of the eighth UN Secretary-General, to encourage the UN system to increase transparency in filling high-level posts, place a greater emphasis on individual qualifications, reduce corruptive political and financial trading for positions, and help ensure more equity for candidates from all Member States.

Of course, the larger goal is for the appointment of better and more qualified leaders for those global institutions addressing the most sensitive and pressing problems of our world community.

Campaign Background

For more than a decade, diverse civil society groups, governments, and progressive international organizations have been taking steps to improve the selection, election and accountability procedures of regional and international organizations.

In addition to this recent trend towards accountability for international leaders, the campaign also draws on the experience of another successful WFM-IGP project, the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC). The Coalition’s efforts culminated in the successful, scandal-free first election for judges, which resulted in a group of 18 qualified women and men being selected for the bench. The ICC’s historic election offers a model for a better way to approach elections and appointments to positions of importance in the UN system, and a precedent for NGO monitoring of the selection processes.

With UNelections.org, WFM-IGP has expanded its efforts and is working to improve UN election and selection processes of a number of positions and offices of great international importance.

Principles of High-Level Selections

Individual Appointments

The UNelections.org campaign encourages the United Nations to incorporate the following procedures to enhance the transparency, accountability and inclusiveness necessary for the selection of qualified and effective individual candidates.

1. Formal candidate qualifications

2. Official timetable and systematic reporting

3. Procedures for identification and assessment of candidates

4. Gender and geographic diversity considerations

These procedures reflect crucial yet realistic reforms based on current practices of other international organizations in their high-level appointment procedures. Many governments in the General Assembly and Security Council have themselves issued calls to enhance the accountability and quality of the UN’s management and leadership.

Elections of Member States for UN Bodies

Regarding elections for members of key intergovernmental councils and committees (including the Human Rights Council and the Security Council), the UNelections.org campaign aims to promote competitive elections based on states’ actual records, contributions, pledges and positions on relevant issues. The common practice of making “reciprocal arrangements” (in which States exchange promises of support for one another in various elections or selection processes) undermines competitive elections. Unraveling this vote-trading practice is our broad goal.

Stay Informed and Take Action

Civil society organizations across sectors and regions must come together to call for more democratic, transparent and effective selection processes. We encourage civil society and NGOs to endorse the campaign, sign on to our open letters to the General Assembly, Security Council, and regional groupings, and subscribe to “UNelections Monitor” e-updates and stay informed. With questions or comments about the campaign, please contact info@UNelections.org.