Feminist Foreign Policy in Times of War: From Policy to Action

Sweden, Canada and Mexico have long started to use a feminist lens in their diplomacy, while countries such as Germany and Slovenia are vibrant newcomers.  Although feminist foreign policy has potential to be transformative and emancipatory, it has been challenged by populist governments and its implementation was disturbed by various crises. Sweden was the first country to announce a feminist foreign policy agenda in 2014, but the new right-wing government abandoned it. More than 20 years after numerous global feminist initiatives, such as the UNSC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, we are experiencing a rollback on women’s rights in many countries in the world, as well as attacks against women’s human rights and environmental defenders. In 2022, following the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the warmongering rhetoric and increasing militarisation across Europe are normalised, while the traditional militaristic view of security is reinforced, further marginalising the feminist foreign policy as well as the women, peace and security agenda. The purpose of this panel is to provide a better understanding of the feminists’ solutions to a burning global foreign policy and security problems. This includes answering questions of how feminist foreign policy is practiced in different countries, what the priorities of feminist foreign policies are, and how to sustain this policy in the new geopolitical context and continue to fight discriminatory masculine structures of inequality.

Speakers: