Across the world today, some 15 countries have adopted a feminist foreign policy, including European countries like France and Spain. This concept involves making gender equality central in all fields of foreign policy, including, among other areas, peace and security, development, democratic governance, humanitarian action, trade, culture, health, education.
France is currently hosting the fourth Ministerial Conference on feminist foreign policy in Paris (22-23 October), in which the Council of Europe is participating. The purpose of this event is a reassertion of the diplomatic community’s shared determination to defend and promote women’s rights and gender equality and addressing the backlash increasingly present in this area. International organisations, development banks, civil society, researchers, and charities are represented.
Topics and speakers
Among the topics that will be addressed are “Ten years of feminist diplomacy: resisting, uniting and taking action in the face of the rollback of women's rights”; “Towards a feminist reform of the international financial system: common standards and innovative solutions”; and “‘The time for peace has come’: feminist diplomacy in support of the women, peace and security agenda”.
Speaking at the conference, the Council of Europe’s Marja Ruotanen, Director General of Democracy and Human Dignity, said on the topic of technology-facilitated violence that it “is no longer an emerging issue – it is a dominant reality, one that disproportionately targets women and girls”.
She reiterated the vital position of the Council of Europe in combatting this type of violence against women as its “clear, actionable standards, translate the principles of human rights and gender equality into real, practical change.” She urged following the Council of Europe’s holistic approach, by addressing prevention, protection, prosecution and coordinated policies to counter such technologically facilitated violence against women.
General Recommendation No. 1 on the digital dimension of violence against women by the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO)
The Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO)
