Guterres calls for bias-free recruitment and promotion at UN

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for transparent, consistent and bias-free decisions on recruitment, promotion, assignments and staff retention, saying the United Nations must address inequality within its own workforce to defend equality credibly around the world.

Speaking at a UN anti-racism and women’s rights event in New York on 28 October, Guterres said a Secretariat survey in 2020 found that one in three staff members reported experiencing racial discrimination. He described the finding as “totally unacceptable” and said condemning racism alone was not enough.

Guterres said the organisation had since established a task force on racism and dignity, held dialogues involving tens of thousands of staff, introduced mandatory learning and begun voluntary race data collection. He said progress had been made, but “this is a long road”.

He also said the UN had achieved parity across senior leadership, headquarters and professional staff. But, he argued, equal numbers were not enough: women needed equal opportunities to influence decisions and advance their careers, and to be safe from danger and harassment.

Guterres warned that progress must be protected amid reform and financial pressure. He called for the organisation to examine outcomes, listen to staff and hold leaders to account, while recognising how race and gender can shape staff members’ experiences differently.