This policy brief examines how the selection of the next UN Secretary-General can become an opportunity to advance decolonized, representative and accountable global governance, addressing persistent colonial power structures and the marginalization of Global Majority perspectives. It explores the powers and limitations of the Secretary-General and proposes reforms to strengthen institutional accountability, redistribute decision-making power, and institutionalize meaningful youth participation and intergenerational justice within the UN. Ultimately, it argues that decolonizing global governance requires moving beyond symbolic representation towards a genuine redistribution of power, knowledge and authority, with young people recognized as active decision-makers in shaping the international system.
The full policy brief is below as a PDF.
