View source for United Nations Secretariat

{{Short description|Executive principal organ of the UN}}
{{About||the building it is housed in|United Nations Secretariat Building}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=November 2010}}
{{Infobox United Nations
| image = Emblem of the United Nations.svg
| image_size = 120px
| name = {{lang|en|United Nations Secretariat}}
| map = United Nations Headquarters in New York City, view from Roosevelt Island.jpg
| map_caption = [[Headquarters of the United Nations|United Nations Headquarters]] in New York City
| type = Primary Organ
| abbreviation = 
| leader_title = Secretary-General
| leader_name = [[António Guterres]]
| leader_title2 = Deputy Secretary-General
| leader_name2 = [[Amina J. Mohammed]]
| leader_title3 = 
| leader_name3 = 
| leader_title4 = 
| leader_name4 = 
| status = Active
| formation = 1945
| website = {{url|https://www.un.org/en/about-us/secretariat|un.org/secretariat}}
| parent_organization = 
| subsidiaries = 
| footnotes = 
}}
{{United Nations series}}
The '''United Nations Secretariat''' is one of the [[United Nations System|six principal organs]] of the [[United Nations]] (UN),<ref name="Organs of the UN">{{cite web |title=Main Organs |url=https://www.un.org/en/sections/about-un/main-organs/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412155627/https://www.un.org/en/sections/about-un/main-organs/index.html |archive-date=Apr 12, 2015 |access-date=9 April 2015 |publisher=United Nations}}</ref><ref name="UN Secretariat">{{cite web|title=UN Secretariat|url=https://www.un.org/en/sections/about-un/secretariat/index.html|publisher=United Nations|access-date=9 April 2015|date=18 November 2014}}</ref> The secretariat is the UN's executive arm. The secretariat has an important role in setting the agenda for the deliberative and decision-making bodies of the UN (i.e., the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, and Security Council), and the implementation of the decision of these bodies. The [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|secretary-general]], who is appointed by the General Assembly, is the head of the secretariat.<ref name="UN Secretariat"/>

The mandate of the secretariat is a wide one. [[Dag Hammarskjöld]], the UN's second secretary-general, described its power as follows: "The United Nations is what member nations made it, but within the limits set by government action and government cooperation, much depends on what the secretariat makes it. It has creative capacity. It can introduce new ideas. It can, in proper forms, take initiatives. It can put before member governments findings which will influence their actions".<ref name="Hammarskjöld1968">{{cite book|author=Dag Hammarskjöld|title=Hammarskjöld: The Political Man|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VuxBAAAAIAAJ|year=1968|publisher=Funk & Wagnalls}}</ref> The [[United Nations Department of Political Affairs]], which has a role analogous to a [[ministry of foreign affairs]], is a part of the secretariat. So is the [[Department of Peace Operations]]. The secretariat is the main source of economic and political analysis for the General Assembly and Security Council; it administers operations initiated by UN's deliberative organs, operates political missions, prepares assessments that precede peacekeeping operations, appoints the heads of peacekeeping operations, conducts surveys and research, communicates with non-state actors such as media and non-government organizations, and is responsible for publishing all of the treaties and international agreements.<ref name="UN Secretariat"/><ref name="Paul Novosad">{{cite web|last1=Novosad|first1=Paul|last2=Werker|first2=Eric|title=Who Runs the International System? Power and the Staffing of the United Nations Secretariat|url=http://wp.peio.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Conf7_Novosad-Werker-03.09.2013.pdf|publisher=Paul Novosad|access-date=9 April 2015|date=9 January 2014|quote=The article by Harvard Business School, researchers, Views the staffing of the Secretariat as a globalized power struggle.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413011738/http://wp.peio.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Conf7_Novosad-Werker-03.09.2013.pdf|archive-date=13 April 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>United Nations. (2011). Official web site http://www.un.org/en/mainbodies/secretariat/</ref>

== Secretary-general ==
[[File:António Guterres November 2016.jpg|thumb|150px|[[António Guterres]] is the current UN secretary-general]]
{{Main|Secretary-General of the United Nations}}
The UN secretary-general's duties include helping resolve international disputes, administering peacekeeping operations, organizing international conferences, gathering information on the implementation of Security Council decisions, and consulting with member governments regarding various initiatives. Key secretariat offices in this area include the Office of the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. The secretary-general may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter that, in his or her opinion, may threaten international peace and security. The current secretary-general of the UN is [[António Guterres]].

== Organization==
The secretariat is divided into offices and departments. The hierarchy within each is as follows:
:Office: a minimum of 20 high level professionals under the supervision of a D-2 staff member (division head), or in few cases an assistant secretary-general or under secretary-general
:Division: a minimum of 15 high level professionals under the supervision of a D-2 staff member (division head)
:Service: a minimum of 8 high level professionals under the supervision of a D-1 (general administrator) staff member
:Section: a minimum of 4 professionals under the supervisions of a P-4 (8–12 years experience) or a P-5 (13–17 years experience) staff member
:Unit: a minimum of 4 positions under the supervision of a chief

===Offices===
* Executive Office of the [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|Secretary-General]] (EOSG)
* [[Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict]] (SRSG/CAAC)
* [[Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict]] (SRSG/SVC)
* [[Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children]] (SRSG/VAC)
* [[Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights]] (OHCHR)
* United Nations Development Coordination Office (DCO)
* [[United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs]] (OCHA)
* [[United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs]] (ODA)
* [[United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction]] (UNDRR)
* [[United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs]] (OOSA)
* [[United Nations Office for Partnerships]] (UNOP)
* [[United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa]] (OSAA)
* [[United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism]] (OCT)
* [[United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services]] (OIOS)
* [[United Nations Office of Legal Affairs]] (OLA)
* [[United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime]] (UNODC)
* [[United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States]] (OHRLLS)
* [[United Nations Youth Office]] (UN YOUTH)

===Departments===
* [[United Nations Department for Safety and Security]] (DSS)
* [[United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs]] (DESA)
* [[United Nations Department of General Assembly and Conference Management]] (DGACM)
* [[United Nations Department of Global Communications]] (DGC)
* [[United Nations Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance]] (DMSPC)
* [[United Nations Department of Operational Support]] (DOS)
* [[United Nations Department of Peace Operations]] (DPO)
* [[United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs]] (DPPA)

===Other offices===
* [[United Nations Office at Geneva]] (UNOG)
* [[United Nations Office at Nairobi]] (UNON)<!--Arrange in alphabetical order-->
* [[United Nations Office at Vienna]] (UNOV)

===UN regional commissions===
* Bangkok, [[United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific|Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific]]
* Beirut, [[United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia|Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia]]
* Addis Ababa, [[United Nations Economic Commission for Africa|Economic Commission for Africa]]
* Geneva, [[United Nations Economic Commission for Europe|Economic Commission for Europe]]
* Santiago, [[United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean|Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean]]
== Ranks ==
* [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|Secretary-General]]
* [[Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations|Deputy Secretary-General]]
* [[Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations|Under-Secretary-General]]
* Assistant Secretary-General
* D-2: Principal Director 
* D-1: Director 
* P-5: Senior Officer 
* P-4: First Officer 
* P-3: Second Officer 
* P-2: Associate Officer 
* P-1: Assistant Officer<ref>http://www.worldlii.org/int/other/UNGARsn/1950/119.pdf {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326080239/http://www.worldlii.org/int/other/UNGARsn/1950/119.pdf |date=26 March 2012 }} Salary, Allowance and Leave System of the United Nations</ref>

== Staffing ==
{{Main|United Nations Staff Selection System}}
As of 31 December 2022, there are 36,791 staff in the UN Secretariat from more than 190 nationalities and working across 474 duty stations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 November 2023 |title=A/78/569 |url=https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n23/351/57/pdf/n2335157.pdf |access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref> 
Eligibility for employment is based on a competitive application process, and there are opportunities across a variety of positions, from internships to mid-level roles and senior leadership appointments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UN Careers |url=https://careers.un.org/work-force |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=careers.un.org}}</ref> Qualifications for membership include "the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity",<ref name="Charter of the United Nations">{{cite book|title=Charter of the United Nations|pages=Chapter XV}}</ref> according to the UN Charter. Staff-members are appointed by the secretary-general alone and are assigned to the organs of the UN. Staff members are appointed on a temporary or permanent basis, under the discretion of the secretary-general.<ref>{{cite web|title=UN Staff Regulations – 2003|url=http://cdu.unlb.org/Portals/0/PdfFiles/PolicyDocA.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427083636/http://cdu.unlb.org/Portals/0/PdfFiles/PolicyDocA.pdf|archive-date=27 April 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> During staff recruitment, geographical representation is an especially prominent selection factor in order for the UN workforce to accurately reflect the scope of member states present in the UN.<ref name="The UN Charter">{{cite book|title=The UN Charter|pages=Chapter XV, Article 101}}</ref> The charter states that staff members are responsible "only to the organization" and are prohibited from any action or influence that would suggest affiliation with a government or organization outside the UN.<ref name="The UN Charter"/>

Headquartered in New York, the secretariat functions through duty stations in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Geneva, Nairobi, Santiago and Vienna, in addition to offices all over the world.<ref name="Secretariat">{{cite web |title=Secretariat – United Nations |url=https://www.un.org/en/about-us/secretariat |publisher=The United Nations}}</ref>

One study finds the following factors play a role in the selection of staff for the secretariat: a desire to achieve a minimum number of officials from each state; population size; and lo assessment of dues. The most overrepresented states in the secretariat are small, rich democracies. The Nordic states stand out, in particular, when it comes to overrepresentation.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Who Runs the International System? Power and the Staffing of the United Nations Secretariat|ssrn = 2622700|date = 3 September 2014|location = Rochester, NY|doi = 10.2139/ssrn.2622700|first = Paul|last = Novosad|first2 = Eric|last2 = Werker|url = https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/1/13360008/1/15-018.pdf|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190502212416/https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/13360008/15-018.pdf;jsessionid=4AA2BEA3972D85F79632D6AB0ABE7AE0?sequence=1|archive-date = 2 May 2019|archive-format = PDF|url-status = dead}}</ref>

== Status of women in the secretariat==
Representation of women in the UN, particularly at managerial and decision-making positions at the D-1 level and above, has been a UN General Assembly concern and goal since 1970.
<ref name="women, 15 December 1970">{{cite journal|last1=General Assembly, 1930 Plenary Meeting|first1=United Nations|title=Employment of Qualified Women in Senior and other professional positions by the secretariats of Organisations in the United Nations system|journal=General Assembly Resolution|date=15 December 1970|volume=2715 (XXV)|page=31|url=http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/349/80/IMG/NR034980.pdf?OpenElement|access-date=16 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216232046/http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/349/80/IMG/NR034980.pdf?OpenElement|archive-date=16 December 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="A/RES/45/239">{{cite web |last1=((General Assembly, 72nd plenary meeting))|title=Personnel questions : C Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat|date=21 December 1990|volume=A/RES/45/239|url=https://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/45/a45r239.htm|publisher=United Nations|location=New York |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305075156/http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/45/a45r239.htm |archive-date= Mar 5, 2016 }}</ref> Since 1984, the [[UN Secretariat]], in order to achieve early gender equality, issued several five-year "action plans", including strategic plans, to improve the status of women in the secretariat.<ref name="A/RES/45/239"/><ref name="40/258. 18 December 1985">{{cite web|last1=General Assembly|first1=United Nations|title=Improvement of Status of women in the Secretariat|date=18 December 1985|volume=40/258 B|url=http://www.worldlii.org/int/other/UNGARsn/1985/349.pdf|access-date=16 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322193636/http://www.worldlii.org/int/other/UNGARsn/1985/349.pdf|archive-date=22 March 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> These plans, however, did not have the desired impact, and progress in achieving gender parity remained slow.

In December 1994, the UN General Assembly's "disappointment" that its gender equality target were not met urged the secretary-general to prioritize the recruitment and promotion of women to reach to 50/50 representation in D1 and above posts by 2000.<ref name="ST/SGB/282">{{cite journal |first1=Boutros |last1=Boutros-Ghali |title=Policies to achieve gender equality in the United Nations |journal=Secretary-General's Bulletin|date=5 January 1996|volume=ST/SGB/282|pages=2|url=https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/n9600282.pdf|access-date=11 December 2014|publisher=United Nations Secretariat |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041220012430/https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/n9600282.pdf|archive-date=20 December 2004|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="A/RES/49/167 - 23/dec">{{cite web|last1=General Assembly|title= Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat|date=23 December 1994|volume=A/RES/49/167|issue=94th plenary meeting|url=https://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/49/a49r167.htm|access-date=11 December 2014|publisher=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217005459/https://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/49/a49r167.htm |archive-date= Dec 17, 2014 }}</ref> In Feb 2004, gender parity target for the secretariat was once again revised to 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last1=General Assembly|title= Improvement of the status of women in the United Nations system|date=19 February 2004|issue=A /RES/58/144|pages=6|url=http://www.worldlii.org/int/other/UNGARsn/2003/202.pdf|access-date=11 December 2014|publisher=United Nations|quote=on the report of the Third Committee (A/58/501)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331140549/http://www.worldlii.org/int/other/UNGARsn/2003/202.pdf|archive-date=31 March 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="UN women legislative basis">{{cite web |title=Legislative basis for the UN Mandate on Representation of Women in the United Nations System: Commitments by the General Assembly to Gender Parity|url=https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/fplegbasis.htm |publisher=UN Women|access-date=20 December 2014}}</ref> In 2009, despite the plans, and General Assembly resolutions, the representation of women in the UN secretariat remained well below parity at 29.2 percent.<ref name="A /65/334">{{cite journal|last1=General Assembly|title=Improvement of the status of women in the United Nations systemReport of the Secretary-General|journal=GA Resolution|date=9 September 2010|issue=A /65/334|pages=54|url=http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N10/500/50/PDF/N1050050.pdf?OpenElement|access-date=23 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223192536/http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N10/500/50/PDF/N1050050.pdf?OpenElement|archive-date=23 December 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{rp|p 29, Table 19}}

===Representation of women at decision making levels ===
The representation of women in the UN secretariat, at the D1 level, in 2000, was 30.3 percent. Instead of increasing, in the next decade, the representation of women in the secretariat decreased to 26.7 percent.<ref name="A /65/334" />{{rp| p 29, Table 19}} In December 2011, the representation of women in the secretariat at the D1 level was 27.4 percent, an increase of .6 percent over a two-year period.<ref name="A /67/347">{{cite journal|last1=General Assembly|title=67/347 Improvement in the status of women in the United Nations system|journal=Report of the Secretary-General|date=4 September 2012|issue=A /67/347|pages=58 para 67|url=https://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/67/347|access-date=11 December 2014|publisher=United Nations|quote=Advancement of women: implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women }}</ref>{{rp|p 50, fn 64}} At the current rate of progress, it is estimated that gender parity at the D-1 to higher levels will not be achieved until after 102 years.<ref name="A /67/347" />{{rp|paragraph 133}} At the D2 level, the representation of women in 2011 was 24.4 percent.<ref name="A /67/347"/>{{rp|p 17}}

===Special measures for the achievement of gender equality===
{{Main|Special measures for gender equality in the United Nations}}
To ensure that the gender equality target mandated by the General Assembly is met, the secretariat, in September 1999, promulgated an administrative instruction (AI) on "Special Measures for the Achievement of Gender Equality" (ST/AI/1999/9)<ref name="ST /AI/1999/9-1">{{cite web|last1=United Nations|title=ST /AI/1999/9. SPECIAL MEASURES FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF GENDER EQUALITY|url=https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/STAI19999.PDF|publisher=Secretariat|access-date=9 December 2014|location=New York|pages=7|date=21 September 1999|quote=Gender Equality A/I( ST/AI/1999/9), superseded ST/AI/412 of 5 January 1996.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030118221854/https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/STAI19999.PDF|archive-date=18 January 2003|url-status=live}}</ref>{{rp|section 5.2}} Gender Equality A/I echoes the goals of, and is in conformity with, the mandate of Articles 8 and 101 of the [[Charter of the United Nations]], and Article 4 paragraph 1 of the ''[[Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women]] (CEDAW)''.<ref name="ST /AI/1999/9-1" />{{rp|preamble}}<ref name="United Nations">{{cite journal|last1=United Nations|title=Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women :Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 34/180 of 18 December 1979. Entry into force 3 September 1981, in accordance with article 27(1)|date=18 December 1979|pages=10|url=http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/cedaw.pdf|access-date=17 December 2014|publisher=United Nations|location=New York|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921133024/http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/cedaw.pdf|archive-date=21 September 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 4 September 2012, in his annual reports to the [[General Assembly of UN|General Assembly]], titled "Improvement of the Status of Women in the United Nations System", Secretary-General [[Ban Ki-moon]] stated that the aim of the special measures was to ensure "gender balance in recruitment and promotion".<ref name="A /67/347" />{{rp|p3, paragraph 67–68}} and that special measures would remain in effect until the "goal of gender parity is achieved", and sustained for a period of time.<ref name="A /67/347"/>{{rp|p 33, paragraph 67}}<ref name="ST /AI/1999/9-1" />"<ref name="A /67/347"/> The secretary-general, in his recommendations to the General Assembly, noted that the " United Nations Secretariat, pursuant to the decision of the Policy Committee chaired by the Secretary-General" is to "ensure the effective implementation of special measures for gender equality. These measures include mandatory selection of equally or better-qualified women candidates…"<ref name="A /67/347" />{{rp| paragraph 147b}}

== Reforms ==
Since its creation, the secretariat has undergone extensive reforms. On 21 March 2005, Secretary-General [[Kofi Annan]] proposed several reforms for the secretariat. He announced his intentions to appoint a scientific adviser, create a peacebuilding support office, establish a cabinet-style decision-making mechanism, and strengthen the [[mediation]] function. He also asked the General Assembly to [[Appropriation (law)|appropriate]] funds for a one-time staff buyout; to work with him in revising [[budget]]ary and [[human resources]] rules; to grant the secretary-general more managerial authority and flexibility; to strengthen the [[Office of Internal Oversight Services]]; and "to review all mandates older than five years to see whether the activities concerned are still genuinely needed or whether the resources assigned to them can be reallocated in response to new and emerging challenges".<ref>[https://www.un.org/largerfreedom/chap5.htm V. Strengthening the United Nations] In Larger Freedom, United Nations</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Dag Hammarskjöld Library]]
* [[International Court of Justice]]
* [[Four Nations Initiative|The Four Nations Initiative on reform of governance and management issues in the UN Secretariat]]
* [[UN Economic and Social Council]]
* [[UN General Assembly]]
* [[UN Headquarters]]
* [[UN Security Council]]
* [[UN Trusteeship Council]]
* [[United Nations Interpretation Service]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|United Nations Secretariat}}
* [https://www.un.org/en/about-us/secretariat UN Secretariat]
* Records of [https://search.archives.un.org/ag-011 the United Nations Executive Office of the Secretary-General] at the United Nations Archives 
* [https://reform.un.org/content/management-reform UN Reform - Management Reform (official site)]
* [https://2009-2017.state.gov/p/io United States Department of State – UN Division]

{{United Nations}}
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[[Category:United Nations Secretariat| ]]
[[Category:United Nations organs]]
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