THE current administrator of the UN Development Programme and former New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark, has entered the race to succeed Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary-General. If she ascends to the post it will be for the first time that a woman will head the UN.

In her 2011 official visit to Pakistan and meeting with former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, she “promised to continue supporting the government of Pakistan in its efforts to rebuild infrastructure and restore social services and livelihoods destroyed by the last year’s massive floods”.

She also visited Khairpur Nathan Shah and Dadu districts in Sindh, where the UNDP, with funding provided by the government of Japan, was helping to pump out stagnant floodwater and clean up debris. She also presented ownership certificates to women heads of households for their new disaster-proof and energy-efficient homes.

In my opinion, she will be more appropriate for the post of the UN Secretary-General, as there is a global move regarding empowering women. So why not make her the UN Secretary-General and start empowering women globally?

As a woman, she could lead the UN in a better manner on the path of protecting and promoting the rights of women globally. The gesture will attract girls from all parts of the world to acquire education as they will get inspiration from Ms Clark.

Furqan Hyder Shaikh

Jamshoro

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2016