Feminist Foreign Policy Concerns

Feminism is diverse and often has diverse views on the same issue. However, despite the diversity, feminism has some common interests and concerns. Inspired by long-standing feminist concerns and campaigns, feminist foreign policy emphasizes the promotion and effective implementation of gender equality at home and abroad. Studies to date show that gender equality is not only a prerequisite but an important foundation for a secure, stable, peaceful, just and equitable society.

The Center for Social Innovation and Foreign Policy organized a conference on 7 May 2024 titled 'Building Nepal's Future: Prospects and Roadmaps for a Feminist Foreign Policy'. This was a point of departure for discussions on feminist foreign policy. Where the constitutional basis of feminist foreign policy, women's concern, representation in domestic and foreign policies and the priority and available path for a sensitive country like Nepal after the conflict were discussed and discussed deeply. It was encouraging in itself to see growing interest and support for re-imagining Nepali foreign policy in both rhetoric and practice to align with feminist principles.

In this column, we will present a summary of feminist foreign policy, its salient features, its relevance in a country like Nepal, and how feminist foreign policy addresses and promotes Nepal's national interests. Also, highlighting the importance of feminist foreign policy on various issues related to Nepal's national interest, the possible challenges and how feminist foreign policy can help to understand and solve those problems will be discussed. A brief background and outline of feminist foreign policy, its distinctiveness of traditional foreign policy and a timely debate about it in Nepal's foreign policy is necessary.

After Sweden adopted a feminist foreign policy in 2014, the term 'feminist foreign policy' gained prominence. However, the idea of ​​a feminist approach to global politics and international relations is almost a century old. At the Hague Conference of 1915, women peace activists adopted 20 resolutions envisioning a peaceful, just and equitable world. Various United Nations World Conferences on Women were held. For example, feminist contributions, including the 1995 Beijing Plan of Action and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security Agenda, are the foundations of feminist foreign policy.

Feminist foreign policy explores and exposes the gendered structures, expertise, and practices that influence and operate mainstream thinking about contemporary global politics. It calls into question the core realist claims that are deeply rooted in world politics. As well as being the pillar of male-dominated knowledge realism, it is also the main obstacle to the vision of a progressive world based on empathy, just co-existence, care and mutual support. The meaning of feminist foreign policy is never to abandon the question of national interest. Instead, feminist foreign policy moves beyond the narrow and abstract concept of security as national security to strengthen national security and maintains that the primary context of security should be human beings/people. Human welfare is its core issue.

Similarly, feminist foreign policy has adopted a gender-responsive policy, which is applied in both international and foreign perspectives. Feminist foreign policy emphasizes peace, gender equality, and environmental balance while prioritizing inclusivity and localism. It democratizes the international and foreign policy making process. Ensures, protects and promotes the human rights of all. Dismantles colonial, racist, patriarchal and patriarchal power structures. and mobilizes research and resources necessary to achieve these priorities. Intersectionality approaches, ethics of care, empathic interdependence are some of the themes that fall within the scope of feminist foreign policy discussions.

Although there is a universal definition of feminist foreign policy, there is a lack of consistency in policies and programs or a coherent framework for its implementation. Moreover, in terms of policies, programs and accountability mechanisms, the feminist foreign policy of different states has been articulated differently. Some countries, such as France and Canada, prioritize the empowerment of women and girls. while Luxembourg and the Netherlands include the LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex) perspective. Mexico has pledged to embrace a gender perspective in all foreign policy positions, resolutions and mandates by 2024, in addition to full gender equality in employment. Sweden issues an annual update on its feminist foreign policy. Similarly, while some feminist foreign policies (such as Mexico and Chile) are domestically focused, while others (such as France, Canada, Sweden and the Netherlands) have an international focus on feminist foreign policy, Spain seems to be trying to strike a balance between the two.

Returning to Nepal, significant socio-political changes have been achieved in the last two decades. Earlier, since its establishment in 1768, various types of governance systems were used in Nepal. There has been a fundamental change in the world in terms of geopolitics, economy, technology, socio-cultural norms and practices. However, Nepal's foreign policy is entangled in the ancient understanding of national security in the form of territorial integrity, regional balance and border control.

Contemporary Nepal is facing many new challenges such as climate change, threat of digital/cyber space separate from land integrity, possible communal conflict, food security, migration of intellectual class and youth, inequality in society, democratic confusion and erosion. While the challenges to sovereignty and territorial integrity are timeless, the hyper-politicization and securitization of such challenges is a real and new-age security threat directly affecting our daily lives. In this context, feminist foreign policy offers strong possibilities for reimagining and refining our foreign policy to reflect changing global, regional and local political realities. This prompts us to invest in human capital and enhance human security by prioritizing marginalized gender and social groups. But this hypothesis is certainly not arbitrary and imported.

Nepal is already a party to all major conventions like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. which aims to promote women's rights, demonstrate commitment to gender equality and increase women's participation in all spheres of life. Likewise, our new constitution's inclusive and egalitarian vision and people-centered progressive ambitions provide a strong foundation for a feminist foreign policy.

With a feminist foreign policy, Nepal can share the wonderful experience of socio-political transformation with the world's most democratic, prosperous and egalitarian country. It can learn from their governance and human development experience and get a new platform and network to engage closely. It will pave the way for innovative and timely policy making for Nepal's national interests including gender equality, good governance, social justice, public health, human development and climate change.