Byanyima calls for UN security reforms amid global crises

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UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima has renewed calls for urgent reforms to the United Nations Security Council, warning that its current structure is ill-equipped to respond to escalating global conflicts and humanitarian crises.

In an interview with the BBC World Service, Byanyima said the global governance system remains “paralysed,” largely because key institutions still reflect the power dynamics of the post-World War II era.

“The United Nations was born out of the ashes of the Second World War, and its rules and systems still reflect that reality 80 years on,” she said, noting that the Security Council lacks the legitimacy and credibility needed to effectively resolve modern conflicts.

Byanyima pointed to ongoing wars, including in the Middle East, as evidence of the Council’s limitations. She contrasted the massive resources devoted to warfare with the relatively small amounts required for humanitarian response.

“There’s funding to kill more people, but not enough funding to save lives,” she said, adding that humanitarian needs continue to outpace available resources.

She argued that meaningful reform—particularly expanding representation and reconsidering veto powers—is essential to restoring confidence in the Security Council and the broader multilateral system.

“We need a Security Council that has the legitimacy, the credibility, and the ability to resolve conflicts,” she said.

“But that requires the big powers to support reform, and that is what is lacking.”

Byanyima expressed optimism that pressure for reform will increasingly come from the Global South, where countries feel excluded from decision-making despite bearing the brunt of global crises.

“Change has always been driven by those disadvantaged by the status quo,” she said, pointing to growing calls for fairer representation and a more equitable distribution of power within global institutions.

Her remarks come at a time when alternative multilateral platforms—such as regional blocs and institutions outside the United Nations—are gaining influence, reflecting declining trust in traditional global governance systems.

Beyond global governance, Byanyima also spoke about domestic and personal challenges, including her concerns over the detention of her husband, Kizza Besigye, who is facing treason charges in Uganda.

She alleged that his arrest and prosecution have been marred by legal irregularities, describing the case as politically motivated and inconsistent with the rule of law.

Besigye has been on remand for over a year, and his repeated bail applications have been denied.

Byanyima further warned of democratic backsliding in Uganda, saying gains made in earlier decades are being reversed. 

She accused the government of consolidating power and undermining human rights, describing the current political environment as a departure from the ideals that once united reformists.

At the global level, she also addressed challenges facing the fight against HIV/AIDS, particularly disruptions in funding following shifts in United States foreign aid policy. 

While welcoming the partial restoration of funding, she raised concerns about new conditions attached to aid, including restrictions that could undermine human rights-based approaches to healthcare.

Despite these setbacks, Byanyima maintained that progress remains possible, emphasizing the need for continued advocacy and international cooperation.

“It’s not a perfect world. It never will be,” she said. 

“But we make progress bit by bit.”