The European Union has called on candidates for the position of United Nations Secretary-General to commit to defending all human rights equally and to address a funding imbalance that sees only 1% of UN system spending dedicated to human rights mandates. In a statement delivered on 15 June 2026 at the UN General Assembly interactive dialogues, EU Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis stressed that the next Secretary-General must build trust, reduce polarization, and accelerate UN reforms.
Lambrinidis, speaking on behalf of the EU and its Member States, outlined three questions for the candidates: whether they agree that human rights promotion is indispensable for peace and security and sustainable development; whether they can provide concrete examples of human rights protection boosting development or security; and how they plan to increase funding for the human rights pillar as mandated by the Pact for the Future.
The statement highlighted the EU's own support across all three UN pillars — peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights — noting that the EU provides close to 50% of all official development assistance and over one-third of voluntary contributions to the UN system. Lambrinidis expressed deep concern over recent normative attacks on human rights, including on women's and girls' rights and gender equality, as well as racial, religious, and political discrimination.
The intervention comes as the UN General Assembly holds interactive dialogues with candidates vying to succeed António Guterres, whose term ends in December 2026. The EU's push for a balanced approach across the UN's three pillars reflects its longstanding position as a major financial contributor to the organization.
Stakeholder impact: The statement signals to UN member states and candidates that the EU will prioritize human rights funding and equal treatment of all UN pillars in its support for the next Secretary-General. For human rights organizations and civil society, the EU's emphasis on increasing the human rights budget from its current 1% could lead to greater resources for their work. For developing countries reliant on UN development programs, a rebalancing toward human rights could shift funding away from other areas. For the candidates themselves, the EU's questions create pressure to articulate concrete plans for human rights funding and to demonstrate how human rights integrate with security and development.
Expected follow-up: The EU will assess candidates' responses to its questions as the selection process continues, with the General Assembly expected to appoint the next Secretary-General later in 2026.