President of the 80th session of the General Assembly Hybrid press Conference.
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Hybrid press Conference by Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th session of the General Assembly, on issues including the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons and International Day of the Elimination of Violence Against Women. ----- The President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, announced the launch of the formal selection and appointment process for the next Secretary-General, and said “the world is looking to the next SG to provide strong, dedicated and effective leadership in delivering on the three pillars of the United Nations; peace and security, human rights and development, and in making the United Nations fit for the future.” Baerbock told journalists in New York that the President of the Security Council, Ambassador Michael Imran Kanu, and she, as president of the General Assembly, had signed the joint letter which formally initiates the process and said, “the selection of the next Secretary-General comes at a pivotal moment for our United Nations.” She said, “our choice will send a powerful message about who we are as United Nations, and whether we truly serve all the people of the world, of which everywhere in the world half are women and girls.” The GA President noted that the joint letter “reflects improvements to the process and the latest resolution on revitalisation of the work of the General Assembly, including a call to member states to strongly consider nominating women as candidates for the position of Secretary-General, the importance of regional diversity, transparent campaign disclosures and provisions on the withdrawal of candidates.” She said, “I am convinced that the decision about the future leadership of this organisation is also about credibility.” Baerbock said, “as President of the General Assembly, I will therefore ensure that the process reflects the principles of the United Nations Charter and the very best of our shared commitment and values.” On 5 September 2025 the General Assembly adopted resolution 79/327 on the Revitalisation of the work of the General Assembly, which sets out the process for the selection and appointment in line with Article 97 of the Charter of the United Nations. The resolution builds on previous related resolutions, which introduced significant improvements to the selection and appointment process of the Secretary-General. According to the resolution, candidates are nominated by a Member State or groups of Member States and must provide a vision statement, curriculum vitae and campaign financing disclosures. The President of the General Assembly then convenes webcast interactive dialogues with all candidates and engages closely, in a transparent and inclusive manner, with Member States.
We already live in a world where at least one in three women experience physical or sexual violence. Enter a host of extremely powerful AI tools, trained on existing gender biases, now enabling tha t violence to spread further, faster, and in more complex ways. It’s a perfect storm. While technology-facilitated violence against women and girls has been intensifying – with studies showing 16 to 58 per cent of women worldwide impacted – artificial intelligence is creating new forms of abuse and amplifying existing ones at alarming rates. The numbers are stark: one global survey found that 38 percent of women have personal experiences of online violence , and 85 percent of women online have witnessed digital violence against others. This isn't just about what happens on screens. What happens online spills into real life easily and escalates. AI tools target women, enabling access, blackmail, stalking, threats and harassment with significant real-wo...
Digital violence is a complex threat that undermines our collective vision for Agenda 2063 . To dismantle these barriers, we must empower our legal frameworks. The African Union Convention on ending Violence against Women and girls AUCEVAWG (Art. 10 on digital violence) requires 15 ratifications to enter into force. We call on Member States to finalize this process. Our unity is key to continental digital safety .
From Manila to Mexico City, from Nairobi to New York City, women are on the front lines of digital violence. It can happen in rural or urban settings, and across income brackets. From anonymous threats to abuse and control by intimate partners, it can take many shapes and forms. For example, women living low income or rural households often share devices or depend on others for access to phones, computers, or the Internet. In these settings, perpetrators restrict or monitor access to devices or power sources, and exploit limited digital literacy to commit both economic and digital violence. The targets are familiar: young women, politicians, journalists, women human rights defenders, and activists often singled out with sexist, racist, or homophobic slurs. For migrant and racialized women, those with disabilities, the abuse can be even more extreme, combining misogyny with other forms of hate and exclusion. And i...
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