In times when numerous crises are escalating and wars dominate our foreign policy, it is important to take a step back and think about alternative approaches: the path that led us into these crises will certainly not lead us out of them.
That’s why this week, together with the Greens/EFA group, I organised the conference “The way towards a European Feminist Foreign Policy”. The aim of the event was to show and discuss ways towards a European foreign policy for all.
Every moment of crisis is a moment to question the structures & dynamics that got us into it. Every crisis is an opportunity to start anew. This is why it is more important than ever to discuss a different approach to #ForeignPolicy, today, tomorrow + in the days to come!#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/eRigthM5uM
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 13, 2023
@ABaerbock: "I believe we all stand to gain from being principled, pragmatic and persistent in advancing the rights of women and marginalised groups.
- We have to stand firm on our principles if we don’t want to see a roll-back of important achievements.#EUFFP
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/P5I3sIND7P
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 13, 2023
The message of her speech: We need a feminist foreign policy more than ever!
„It doesn’t get any more real than feminist foreign policy – no matter where we look“
Annalena Baerbock Tweet
Stefano Sannino, Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Katarzyna Pisarska, Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum, and Liliia Antoniuk, Director in charge of the Ukrainian non-governmental organisation “Women’s League” joined me on this panel, which was moderated by journalist Teri Schultz.
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Stefano Sannino, Secretary-General, European External Action Service@EEAS_SecGen @eu_eeas:
“We have tripled the resources for gender & diversity. We are also working internally on gender-responsible leadership, e.g. with trainings.”#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/oHJTt6p5WS
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 13, 2023
Katarzyna Pisarska, Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum@KPisarska @WarsawForum:
“FFP also means pushing back against patriarchal governments:
We must engage civil society. We could see how powerful it is in Poland, e.g. the movement against the restrictions on abortion rights.” pic.twitter.com/XSt3NJD7Rf— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 13, 2023
Liliia Antoniuk, Executive Director, NGO Women’s League, Ukraine@liliia_antoniuk:
“There are so many women and men in #Ukraine fighting, trying to defend their rights. The war in Ukraine is a war for democracy. There are more women in the Ukrainian army than in any NATO country” pic.twitter.com/S94dBHR5ny— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 13, 2023
When we discuss the redistribution of power, i.a. after a war, women often disappear.
Hopefully we can make a difference here in the context of the accession process e.g. of #Ukraine! #EUFFP pic.twitter.com/ZjzxcKwTaS
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 13, 2023
Katarzyna Pisarska, Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum@KPisarska @WarsawForum:
“Never doubt the transformative power of women. I’ve seen women talk to leaders w/ decades of experience about the war in #Ukraine. They had tears in their eyes - and promised to do more.”#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/s71N21exGO
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 13, 2023
Building alliances for a feminist foreign policy
After this successful start, the conference continued with the second panel the next morning. The panellists provided insights into how important alliances are for the implementation of a feminist foreign policy.
The panellists were:
- Anne Goedert, Ambassador-at-large for Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Luxembourg
- Kristina Lunz, co-founder and co-director of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy
- Claudia Brinkmann, Team Lead Feminist Foreign Policy at the German Federal Foreign Office
- Joanna Kaminska, Zieloni Party (Poland)
- Teri Schultz, journalist at NPR/Deutsche Welle, as moderator
Claudia Brinkmann, Team Lead Feminist Foreign Policy at the German Federal Foreign Office: „FFP is more than woman or human rights. It is intersectional and it is a way of doing things - we call it the feminist reflex to mainstream FFP in different policy areas.“#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/GQQZi4Fvuf
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
Anne Goedert, Ambassador-at-large for Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Luxembourg@AnneGoedert @MFA_LU
„With a strong political will behind, we could implement an intersectional approach without much discussion.“#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/nSj3NbuXwd
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
Kristina Lunz, Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director, Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy@Kristina_Lunz @feministfp
„The traditional way of foreign policy making has brought us into the situation we are in. You cannot solve problems with the same mindset that created them.“#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/lLvy4WyZHs— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
Joanna Kaminska:
„‚Concrete‘ is a very female word. Women push for outcomes, for tangible achievements. And we learn from each other how to do it.“#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/Uqggssxqx3
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
Is the EU’s foreign policy already feminist?
Spoiler alert: No. The second panel of the day made it clear that there is still a long way to go to achieve a feminist European foreign policy, although many important steps in the right direction have already been taken. Shada Islam moderated a lively discussion on the role of European institutions in a far-reaching social transformation.
Besides me, the following persons took part:
- Stella Ronner-Grubačić, Ambassador for Gender and Diversity, European External Action Service
- Toni Haastrup, Professor and Chair of Global Politics, University of Manchester
- Laura Davis, Senior Associate, European Peacebuilding Liaison Office
.@StellaRonner, Ambassador for Gender & Diversity, European External Action Service@eu_eeas
„We do not yet have a #FFP formally adopted at EU level. But you don’t need that to actually do it. The policy framework is there (GAP III) & we have clear targets & objectives.“#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/8RqOcbeV6m
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
.@ToniHaastrup, Professor, Chair Global Politics, @OfficialUoM:
„Diversity is not intersectionality. Diversity says we should include everyone. Intersectionality emphasises the power structures that are oppressive. Simply focusing on diversity is not enough.“#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/obeNOdca6e
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
Laura Davis, Senior Associate, European Peacebuilding Liaison Office@EploLaura @EPLO_:
„Report after report has shown that peace processes where women are involved are more sustainable. That‘s not bc women are more peaceful but bc these processes were more inclusive.“#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/D1WQqv1p5s
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
When the first EU delegation travelled to Qatar to meet with the Taliban after the takeover, it just consisted of men. I immediately raised this - because the EU needs to lead by example. Otherwise we will not be credible!#EUFFP #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/xDLyCK45NQ
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
Improving coherence between internal and external measures
In the last panel, our panellists exchanged views on how European internal and external policies can become more coherent – and more feminist. European women’s rights activist and former Secretary General of the European Women’s Lobby, Joanna Maycock, moderated this panel.
The following panellists took part in the discussion:
- Julieta González, Senior Advisor EU Advocacy, CARE International
- Fennet Habte, Research Associate, Global Public Policy Institute
- Chiara Adamo, Head of Unit “Gender, Human Rights and Democratic Governance”, European Commission
- Anna Cavazzini, Member of the European Parliament
Fennet Habte, Research Associate, Global Public Policy Institute @GPPi:
“Often, we only look at vulnerable communities externally, but not internally. That includes women, refugees, members of the LGBTQI community and others. This incoherence must end.”#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/fxqExUCBxM
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
Julieta González, Senior EU Advocacy Advisor, CARE International@JGonzalezOcampo @care_eu:
“Women’s rights and feminist organisations are the first ones to respond in a crisis. When humanitarian aid and press has left, feminist and women’s rights organisations stay.”#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/GuFE7V7hTb
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
Chiara Adamo, Head of Unit “Gender, Human Rights and Democratic Governance” @EU_Commission:@chiaradaa
“In the last 3 years, we started to work with a gender-transformative agenda, bringing on board civil society. We can only be credible externally if we deliver at home.”#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/xX070ZZDZJ
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
MEP @anna_cavazzini: “In our trade policy, we must always look at how it affects women. E.g. regarding women in the labour force: For example, there are many women working in the textile industry in Bangladesh, but these are very badly paid and often dangerous jobs.”#EUFFP pic.twitter.com/W2v9382U91
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023
The lessons which will accompany us on the path to a feminist European foreign policy
You can view the full programme here:
And you can watch the livestreams of the conference here:
THE WAY TOWARDS A EUROPEAN FEMINIST FOREIGN POLICY https://t.co/NZm8cTp7aC
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 13, 2023
THE WAY TOWARDS A EUROPEAN FEMINIST FOREIGN POLICY https://t.co/IwiYFOK2Po
— Hannah Neumann (@HNeumannMEP) November 14, 2023