From Seeds to Roots: Trajectories towards Feminist Foreign Policy

Since 2014, Sweden, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Mexico and Spain have adopted and declared feminist foreign policies (FFPs) and/or feminist international assistance policies (FIAPs). In doing so, all six countries are embedding gender equality as the central purpose and key goals of their foreign policy commitments.

Appetite for this approach at a global level is growing and scholars and advocates have called for greater evidence and awareness of how and why these policies have come about. In response, IWDA implemented a multi-country qualitative research project, From Seeds to Roots: Trajectories towards Feminist Foreign Policy.

The purpose of the research is to improve understanding of the trajectories towards adoption of FFPs/FIAPs and deepen knowledge of the factors and conditions that have influence the adoption of these feminist policies.

The From Seeds to Roots: Trajectories towards Feminist Foreign Policy research report presents findings and discussion across four key themes.

1. Factors that influence the declaration of FFPs/ FIAPs
2. Factors that influence the development and sustainability of FFPs
3. Factors that have, and could, influence the future of existing and new FFPs
4. Debates and contested questions.

This research provides a strengthened evidence base to support advocacy for uptake of feminist foreign policies, and highlights areas for further enquiry to strengthen our knowledge about FFPs.

This video is a recording of the CSW Parallel Session webinar, Pathways to Feminist Foreign Policy: Evidence & Implications for Advocacy, held on Wednesday 24 March, 2021.