Volume 20, Issue 61 (4-2026)
MLJ 2026, 20(61): 454-471 |
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Sadeghi S, Eslami T, Negahban Vatan N. Evaluating the Performance of the UN Secretary-General in Global Health Protection: Achievements and Challenges. MLJ 2026; 20 (61) :454-471
URL: http://ijmedicallaw.ir/article-1-1988-en.html
URL: http://ijmedicallaw.ir/article-1-1988-en.html
1- Department of Law, Roshdiyeh Institute of Higher Education, Tabriz, Iran.
2- Department of Law, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
2- Department of Law, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
Abstract:
Background and Aim: Through strategic leadership and multilateral cooperation, the United Nations Secretary-General has played a pivotal role in addressing global health challenges. In recent decades, the role of the Secretary-General in safeguarding global health, particularly in crises such as the Ebola outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic, has assumed particular significance. Over the past three decades, United Nations Secretaries-General have played an active role in coordinating international efforts, promoting equitable access to healthcare resources, and combating diseases. These efforts have included initiatives aimed at strengthening intergovernmental cooperation, integrating human rights mechanisms into health policies, and emphasizing the need for States to cooperate in epidemic control within the legal frameworks governing global health security. Accordingly, this study aims to critically examine the actions of United Nations Secretaries-General in strengthening international cooperation, promoting equitable access to health services, advancing global health governance, and addressing the key challenges confronting the Secretary-General in the field of global health.
Method: This study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach and draws upon library-based sources, including authoritative books and scholarly articles relevant to the subject, in order to analyze the issues under examination and ultimately formulate conclusions.
Ethical Considerations: Throughout the conduct and preparation of this library-based study, ethical principles, including textual originality, honesty, and academic integrity, were observed.
Results: The United Nations Secretary-General has played an effective role in enhancing international coordination through leadership in response efforts during the Ebola crisis and the establishment of mechanisms for responding to COVID-19. By promoting a more human-centered approach to health, the Secretary-General has sought to address the challenges arising from contemporary health crises and to ensure that no community is left behind in achieving universal health coverage and collective health security. Nevertheless, significant challenges and shortcomings persist with regard to health equity, the concentration of power in developed countries, geopolitical tensions, budgetary disparities, the delicate balance between national sovereignty and global health imperatives, and inequalities in technology transfer and access to vaccines.
Conclusion: The United Nations has evolved from a predominantly administrative and coordinating role toward a more proactive, supportive, and operational role, serving as a critical catalyst for collective action in an increasingly health-vulnerable world. Despite the progress achieved through the strategic leadership of the Secretary-General in strengthening global health governance, structural inequalities, weak accountability, and insufficient sustainable financial resources remain persistent challenges. Achieving equitable and sustainable health outcomes therefore requires the establishment of legally binding frameworks and the strengthening of transparency and accountability within global health governance structures.
Please cite this article as:
Sadeghi S, Eslami T, Negahban Vatan N. Evaluating the Performance of the UN Secretary-General in Global Health Protection: Achievements and Challenges. Medical Law Journal. 2026; 20: e30.
Method: This study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach and draws upon library-based sources, including authoritative books and scholarly articles relevant to the subject, in order to analyze the issues under examination and ultimately formulate conclusions.
Ethical Considerations: Throughout the conduct and preparation of this library-based study, ethical principles, including textual originality, honesty, and academic integrity, were observed.
Results: The United Nations Secretary-General has played an effective role in enhancing international coordination through leadership in response efforts during the Ebola crisis and the establishment of mechanisms for responding to COVID-19. By promoting a more human-centered approach to health, the Secretary-General has sought to address the challenges arising from contemporary health crises and to ensure that no community is left behind in achieving universal health coverage and collective health security. Nevertheless, significant challenges and shortcomings persist with regard to health equity, the concentration of power in developed countries, geopolitical tensions, budgetary disparities, the delicate balance between national sovereignty and global health imperatives, and inequalities in technology transfer and access to vaccines.
Conclusion: The United Nations has evolved from a predominantly administrative and coordinating role toward a more proactive, supportive, and operational role, serving as a critical catalyst for collective action in an increasingly health-vulnerable world. Despite the progress achieved through the strategic leadership of the Secretary-General in strengthening global health governance, structural inequalities, weak accountability, and insufficient sustainable financial resources remain persistent challenges. Achieving equitable and sustainable health outcomes therefore requires the establishment of legally binding frameworks and the strengthening of transparency and accountability within global health governance structures.
Please cite this article as:
Sadeghi S, Eslami T, Negahban Vatan N. Evaluating the Performance of the UN Secretary-General in Global Health Protection: Achievements and Challenges. Medical Law Journal. 2026; 20: e30.
Type of Study: Original Article |
Received: 2025/07/27 | Accepted: 2026/05/4
Received: 2025/07/27 | Accepted: 2026/05/4
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