Empowering Conservative Women Take Center Stage at the UN General Assembly

When Jacinda Ardern brought her baby Neve to the United Nations for the 2018 General Assembly, she became a symbol of modern women in politics. Her actions went beyond a mere photo opportunity; she took practical steps by advocating for new lactation rooms at the UN headquarters in New York to support new mothers in their work. However, the representation of women at the annual UN General Assembly remains low. Out of approximately 145 leaders scheduled to speak, only ten women heads of state and government are expected to address the assembly this year, along with a few women foreign ministers.

Susana Malcorra, a former foreign minister of Argentina and president of Global Women Leaders Voices, pointed out that this perpetuates the ongoing cycle. She believes that the number ten is considered a magical number, as it has slightly risen in recent years only to magically decrease once again. However, there has been an interesting increase in the number of female leaders representing the conservative end of the political spectrum. This includes figures such as Hungarian President Katalin Novak and the newly appointed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Meloni, leader of the right-wing political party Brothers of Italy, has implemented new restrictions on the parental rights of same-sex couples and has vocalized opposition to abortion rights. However, she has shifted her focus to internationally acceptable issues, such as offering support to Ukraine and addressing Europe's migration crisis. She has called for the United Nations to take decisive action against human traffickers, advocating for a global effort.

According to Richard Gowan, a UN expert at the International Crisis Group, Meloni has gained a reputation for being a reliable figure in international affairs. Gowan believes that she is unlikely to disrupt the General Assembly because her approach has been to project responsibility on the global stage while pursuing a more radical domestic agenda.

Hungarian president Katalin Novák, a staunch ally of the country's nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán and a proponent of traditional "family values", has made previous visits to the UN. In a speech last March at the Commission on the Status of Women, which focuses on women's rights, Novák emphasized the preservation of heterosexual families. However, she has also stood against certain extreme measures proposed by her party, such as vetoing a bill that would have encouraged reporting of same-sex couples to authorities - a rare act of defiance against Orbán.

During her speech at the UN, Novák seemed to prioritize population growth even more than addressing the climate crisis. She stated, "If we don't have children, there will be no future. What is the purpose of taking care of the Earth if we don't have descendants to inherit it?"

During a ministerial level meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the crisis in Ukraine, Hungary's President Katalin Novak addressed the audience at UN headquarters in New York on September 20, 2023.

Dina Boluarte, Peru's first woman president, assumed office in December 2022 following Pedro Castillo's impeachment. Despite starting as a left-wing candidate, Boluarte has formed alliances with those on the right in Peru. However, there is growing concern among experts regarding the government's suppression of political protests under her leadership.

Not all of the women leaders attending UNGA are politically aligned on the extreme end.

During the General Assembly session on Wednesday, two female presidents from neighboring countries of Ukraine, Zuzana Čaputová of Slovakia and Maia Sandu of Moldova, delivered speeches that addressed the impact of Russia's war on Ukraine. Čaputová, who will not be running for reelection in 2024 due to personal reasons, participated in her final General Assembly as president of Slovakia.

Slovenia's President, Nataša Pirc Musar, recently attended the UNGA for the first time. This provided an opportunity for her to outline the potential priorities for Slovenia's term on the Security Council. Slovenia was elected as a temporary member of the council in June and will take its seat on the horseshoe table in January.

Among the women leaders present at this year's UN General Assembly is Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina holds the record for being the longest-serving woman head of government in history. She first became Prime Minister in 1996 until 2001, and then regained the title in 2009. With her extensive experience in international affairs, Sheikh Hasina is widely recognized as a symbol of stability.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados garners attention wherever she goes. Notably, she has caught headlines in the past for quoting the renowned Jamaican singer Bob Marley during her speeches, advocating for more effective measures in combating climate change and addressing the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, she is in New York City, where she is actively engaged in reforming global financial structures, effectively causing a stir in the city. Additionally, Xiomara Castro, the progressive president of Honduras, is also present in the city for her second visit. She aims to provide an update on the progress made in combatting corruption within her country.

In addition to not taking the podium for their countries, numerous influential women leaders are making their presence felt during the United Nations General Assembly meetings. Among them are Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission; Kristalina Georgieva, the director of the International Monetary Fund; and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first female leader of the World Trade Organization. Notably, actress and philanthropist Natalie Portman is also attending the event, exerting a unique form of influence.