My Seat at the Table: Reflections on Courage, Compromise and Global Justice at the UN

By Tiarna Williams, Menzies Leadership Foundation United Nations General Assembly 6th Committee Fellow, 2025

Walking through the halls of the United Nations headquarters in New York has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I imagined what it might feel like to sit in the same rooms where world-shaping decisions unfold, but I never truly believed someone like me would one day be there. Being a proud Indigenous woman and despite years of study in international and human rights law, a quiet voice trailed behind me as I entered the UN headquarters: Do I really belong here?

That feeling lingered, but it didn’t overshadow the extraordinary privilege of witnessing global diplomacy in action. Instead, it became part of my learning. It served as a reminder that spaces of power must not only be observed, but also slowly and confidently made our own.

Where Personal Meets Global

The 6th Committee meetings that resonated with me most were the sessions on Crimes Against Humanity. This is a topic I had previously studied in lecture halls and Model UN rooms, but I had never seen it in practice at this scale. What struck me was not only the shared commitment among states to prevent atrocities, but the different pathways they took to get there.

Some grounded their positions in their own national experiences of suffering or conflict, speaking with emotional clarity. Others spoke more strategically, referencing the conduct of other states, a reminder that even the most principled discussions can carry undertones of political manoeuvring.

One statement that stayed with me came from Eritrea, which cautioned that international law is only as strong as its fair and consistent application.

“When applied unevenly, international law loses its moral authority, credibility and effectiveness, becoming a tool of political influence rather than a guarantor of justice.”

Hearing this in the UN, a place built on the idea of impartial global governance, was both confronting and necessary. It raised a truth too often spoken in quiet corridors rather than in plenary: justice loses meaning when it becomes selective.

The Reality of Multilateral Negotiation

Perhaps the most significant insight of the week was seeing how complex, prolonged and compromise-driven global negotiations truly are. From seating protocols to diplomatic language, every detail has purpose. Draft resolutions are weighed word by word. Progress is measured not in leaps, but in commas, brackets and carefully crafted compromises.

At times, I felt the weight of this slow pace. When faced with urgent issues like genocide, war crimes or systemic persecution, the world needs faster action than the UN machinery is built to deliver. But sitting in those rooms also revealed something hopeful: the world keeps showing up to try.

Even when states disagreed, they remained at the table. Even when consensus felt distant, no one walked away. There is something quietly powerful in that persistence. There is an understanding that imperfect dialogue is still better than silence.

Finding Belonging in a Global Space

Beyond the formal discussions, what moved me most was the diversity surrounding me, of language, culture, dress, and lived experience. It reminded me that global governance is not a monolith; it is a tapestry, woven by many histories and worldviews.

Being immersed in that environment softened my imposter syndrome. I realised that the doubt I carried into the building wasn’t a sign that I didn’t belong, it was a sign that I cared deeply about earning my place there. And perhaps belonging at the UN is not about having all the answers, but about bringing sincerity, curiosity and conviction into the room.

A Call to the Next Generation

This experience shifted something fundamental within me. I used to view the UN as a distant, almost mythical institution, the place where only the brightest or most influential could make a meaningful impact. Now, I see it as a human space: imperfect, slow, political, yet profoundly necessary.

The future of global justice will require not only reform of institutions, but new voices willing to enter these rooms even when we shake a little as we take our seats.

To anyone who has ever doubted whether you belong in global spaces of decision-making, I offer this: stay in the room long enough to find your voice within it. The world’s most complex challenges need minds that think critically, hearts that remain open, and people who dare to believe they can contribute.

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The views and opinions expressed by Global Voices Fellows do not necessarily reflect those of the organisation or its staff.