Feminist foreign policy (FFP) is becoming increasingly important in bringing about lasting peace in the face of complicated global issues. Nations like Canada, and Mexico have adopted FFP and have made gender equality and human rights the cornerstones of their International Relations. The evidence shows that FFP is crucial for tackling the underlying causes of violence and insecurity, notwithstanding the ideological views held by some.
Human security comes first in FFP. FFP seeks to involve women and other excluded groups in decision-making, where traditional policies frequently overlook their experiences. Studies from the United Nations demonstrate that peace agreements are 35% more likely to persist when women are involved, making FFP a necessity and a practical strategy for long-term peace.
Nations that have accepted FFP serve as excellent models. To prevent war, Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy addresses poverty and social exclusion while empowering women through aid abroad. As the pioneer of the Free and Priority Process in Latin America, Mexico integrates gender viewpoints into its security and migration policies, providing a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to global issues.
Critics point to inconsistencies such as Canada's arms sales to nations with a history of violating human rights to support their claim that FFP is frequently words rather than action. Even while these difficulties do arise, they reflect how difficult it is to change foreign policy to one that is more inclusive. Furthermore, the goals of FFP are eliminating structural injustices that lead to conflict and advancing universal human rights rather than imposing Western principles.
The guiding ideas are still essential even though Sweden recently decided to abandon its feminist foreign policy. The pullout shows how difficult it is to continue such a program in the face of geopolitical influences. But with the world becoming more and more unstable due to violence and inequality, it is important that foreign policy adopts an inclusive stance.
In summary, implementing a feminist foreign policy is essential to creating a more equitable and peaceful world, not only a choice. Nations like, Canada and Mexico have demonstrated the importance of inclusion and gender equality for maintaining world peace. FFP will significantly influence future international security as more countries understand the need for gender equality to maintain peace.
References:
Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy. (2017). . Global Affairs Canada = Affaires mondiales Canada.
Feminist foreign policies: An introduction. UN Women – Headquarters. (n.d.).
G.O., A. (2023, October 24). Mexico’s feminist foreign policy: In search of accountability and participation. IPI Global Observatory.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. (n.d.). Feminist Foreign Policy. Feminist foreign policy.
Sweden’s new government abandons feminist foreign policy. Human Rights Watch. (2022, October 31).
United Nations. (n.d.). We need more women leaders to sustain peace and Development | Nations unies. United Nations.
Megan Barker is a student at Queen's University and an Outreach Coordinator for WIIS-Queen's. The opinions of this blog post are reflective of the author and are separate from the organization, Women in International Security Queen's Unviersity (WIIS-Queen's).
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