Photo: Daniel Novakovič/Slovenian Press Agency
President Pirc Musar addresses urgent United Nations reform at the GWL Voices Dialogue 2026 international conference in Madrid
President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar is on a two-day visit to Spain. As part of the international conference GWL Voices Dialogue 2026 – Women Leading the UN of the 21st Century, the President delivered a keynote address, highlighting the importance of women’s leadership, including within the United Nations.
Madrid, 29 Jan 2026
The GWL Voices Dialogue 2026 international conference brings together numerous world leaders, experts and human rights advocates. At a historic moment of particular importance for strengthening multilateralism, key topics addressed at the conference included the geopolitical crisis, the future of the United Nations through the Pact for the Future and the UN80 reform agenda, as well as the urgent need for women’s leadership at the highest levels. The aim of the GWL Voices Dialogue conference is to promote women’s leadership in order to strengthen the legitimacy and effectiveness of the United Nations.
In her address, President Pirc Musar stressed that the marginalisation of women in society must come to an end. Together with like-minded countries, Slovenia advocates the introduction of a gender parity system for the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly. President Pirc Musar first presented this proposal two years ago during the general debate at the United Nations.
The President once again highlighted facts that speak for themselves. Since the founding of the United Nations, the General Assembly has had 75 presidents, only four of whom were women. The UN Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly are among the most recognisable faces of the United Nations. As the election of the next UN Secretary-General approaches, President Pirc Musar therefore once again called for openness to the possibility that the best candidate for this position could be a woman – a role that has never yet been held by one.
“We are living in a time of multiple crises, so let us give the ‘other half of humanity’ a genuine opportunity. Perhaps ‘she’ will surprise us all with her resilience, innovative problem-solving and deeply human empathy. This is what our world and our United Nations need more than ever,” the President concluded.
In the afternoon, the President of the Republic also met with the President of the Spanish Senate, Pedro Rollán Ojeda.
