Advancing gender justice in EU foreign policy

Janet Fuentes

Janet Fuentes talks about the Covid-19 Committee she leads in her community.

The EU and EU countries must commit to a feminist foreign policy 

This is an intersectional feminist approach that puts gender, racial, economic, and climate justice at its heart and prioritises decolonisation. It centres in policymaking the voices of those who have historically been least represented and are often most impacted.

The UN predicts it may take as long as 286 years to eradicate discriminatory laws and bridge the existing gaps in legal protection for women and girls. The World Economic Forum predicts that Europe won't achieve gender equality until 2090, Sub-Saharan Africa until 2125, and South Asia not until 2172. We cannot let this happen.  

The EU plays a pivotal role in advancing feminist aid through Official Development Assistance (ODA) which puts gender equality at its heart. This involves bolstering women's rights organisations, increasing female representation in leadership and decision-making, and integrating gender analysis into all funding decisions. Crucially, aid must not reinforce gendered power imbalances.