Welcome to the September newsletter of the Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition! |
Thank you for being involved in this growing community advancing feminist foreign policy in Australia.
In this bi-monthly newsletter, we share updates from the Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition (AFFPC) and the global Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP) space.
Please direct all enquiries, suggestions and feedback to Liz Gill-Atkinson at research@iwda.org.au. |
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In July 2024, 40 countries came together at the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policies “Solutions for a better tomorrow” to share progress and challenges on feminist foreign policy. The conference was held inside the Mexican foreign affairs ministry, with a formal tone and format akin to multilateral spaces. This was a contrast to the 2023 conference – hosted by the Netherlands – which had the feeling of a feminist movements space. The advantage of the Mexico format was that it brought governments to the table and required them to have something to say about how they are advancing feminist foreign policy, whether in name or in practice.
Australia was represented at the conference by Ambassador for Gender Equality Stephanie Copus Campbell, with additional participation from Australia’s Ambassador to Mexico Rachel Moseley. Ambassador Copus Campbell shared her reflections with the AFFPC Core Group last week, emphasising that this representation – the highest-level to date for Australia in inter-governmental discussions on FFP – demonstrates Australia’s strong commitment to gender equality both domestically and in foreign policy. She also spoke to the importance of the conversation on feminism being led by the Global South, and having such a diverse range of countries affirming the importance of gender equality.
Ambassador Copus Campbell shared her key takeaways from the conference, including the growing need to counter anti-rights movements, who are coordinated across borders, well resourced, and willing to work together on a common goal. In response to a question from the Core Group about the relationship between Australia’s First Nations Foreign Policy approach and a feminist approach, the Ambassador noted that the principles being discussed in Indigenous Women’s Forums—intersectionality, power structures, intergenerational and trauma-informed approaches—have substantive overlap with feminist approaches (even if terminologies are not always the same). The Ambassador also foreshadowed the release of Australia’s International Gender Equality Strategy and noted her hope that stakeholders in Australia, and the region, will see how it has been informed by First Nations principles. As we await the release of the strategy, we encourage interested readers to listen to our podcast series F! It! hosted by AFFPC Core Group Member and Gumbaynggirr/Dunghutti woman, Julie Ballangarry.
Alice Ridge (IWDA) also attended the conference, as well as a pre-convening organised by the Global Partner Network and a side event hosted by the Red Mexicana de Política Exterior Feminista. You can read her thoughts on the experience here and here.
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The Dynamics of Conflict-Related Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
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AFFPC core group member Jacqui True has collaborated on a new book with Sara E Davies, Yolanda Riveros Morales, Phyu Phyu Oo, Rachel Banfield and Joana Ama Osei-Tutu. The Dynamics of Conflict-Related Sexual and Gender-Based Violence examines in different conflict situations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East over the past decade, 2010–2020.
Using a mixed-method approach, the book explores the patterns of violence in situations of one-sided violence, state-led violence, non-state-led violence, low-intensity violence, terrorism and fragility. Investigating the trajectory of international and prevention efforts and the development of country-level responses to reports of sexual and gender-based violence in these various conflict situations.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss is inviting First Nations people across the country to help inform her agenda for the next five years. Please note, while the survey is open to First Nations people only, written submissions are open to everyone, including non-Indigenous individuals and organisations. Written submissions close 16 September. Survey closes 23 September 2024.
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The 3rd Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy concluded with the presentation of a declaration that establishes the commitment to promote women's human rights instruments such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the importance of developing economic and social systems with a gender-responsive approach, and the importance of women in conflict resolution, international peace and security.
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The Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy has partnered with Microsoft on a project that will promote the integration of intersectional, feminist perspectives into the discourse and policy development on AI powered disinformation. 2024 will see more voters is than ever in history will head to the polls across 64 countries - almost half of the world's population. The impact on the state of democracy around the world in unprecedented. The threat that AI poses to the integrity of the electoral process has captured the attention of the world, but unfortunately crucial gender-sensitive and feminist perspectives are missing from the discourse.
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In an interview with El Espectador, Diana Parra - advisor for feminist foreign policy at the Colombian Foreign Ministry - outlines the progress, challenges and commitments Colombia has made as part of its feminist foreign policy. She describes Colombia’s ambition to be a pioneer and a progressive country on fundamental issues for humanity at this time: the climate crisis, peace and, of course, everything that has to do with the agenda of women's rights and LGBTIQ+ people, which is often difficult in multilateral spaces.
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In August, Mongolia held the first World Women’s Forum (WWF) in Ulaanbaatar to reaffirm its commitment to the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The WWF was convened in recognition of the centennial anniversary of establishing the Women’s Federation of Mongolia. The forum, held on August 22 and 23, served as a mechanism for female world leaders to discuss issues – and seek solutions – in a united front.
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In an interconnected and constantly evolving world, the promotion and fulfilment of gender equality and women's rights is not only a matter of social justice within nation-states, but also an essential component of international relations and cooperation for the construction of lasting peace, global security and sustainable development. This idea has encouraged reflections on the orientation of traditional foreign action towards a feminist foreign policy (FFP) in some European, Latin American and Caribbean countries, which stems from the growing realisation that gender issues are not marginal in the field of international relations and foreign action. The meeting will bring together representatives of the governments of the different countries of both regions, representatives of civil society, international organisations and experts from academia. Register to participate in person or online
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Can Mexico Lead the World on feminist foreign policy?
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| Landmark report on murdered Indigenous women condemned as ‘weak’ and ‘toothless’
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In this article Lyric Thompson, founder and CEO of the Feminist Foreign Policy Collaborative and friend of the AFFPC shares her insights from working alongside the Mexican Government to inform its commitment to feminist foreign policy, as well as her own reflections on the 3rd Ministerial Conference held in July. The article covers the areas where Mexico is demonstrating good practice, criticisms from Mexican feminist movements of its track record at home, and the potential for Mexico to lead the world in FFP.
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Last month, Australian Greens Senator, Dorinda Cox responded to the report of the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and children, which was released on August 15. Released after two years of inquiry, the report made 10 recommendations, including that the attorney general should task the police ministers council to review and “harmonise” police practices in each jurisdiction by no later than 31 December 2025. Speaking to The Guardian, Cox called the report's recommendations "weak" and said that they fell short of the reforms that First Nations communities have been calling for.
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Things that go boom: Bringing it home |
| The 4 pending issues for Mexico to adopt a feminist foreign policy
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This season the Things that go Boom podcast explores feminist foreign policy around the world. In this final episode, US-based host, Laicie Heeley "brings it home" to examine her own country's relationship to feminist foreign policy.
She speaks to three remarkable activists, organisers, and academics share their perspectives on where we are in the process, what the obstacles are, and what gives them hope for the future. The series explores a wide range of FFP topics including the break away from FFP in Sweden, the debate on abortion rights in Poland, and the role of FFP in responding to and preventing war crimes and genocide. |
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Mexican activists have come together to present four priority issues for their country to adopt a feminist foreign policy. Among these priority issues are: the conceptualisation of the feminist foreign policy from Latin America and the Caribbean, feminist tax justice, sexual and reproductive rights, and access to justice. You can also view a recording of the whole event in English here.
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Inclusivity in action: Evolution of Feminist Principles in India’s Foreign Policy |
| What is the value of feminist foreign policy in advancing social justice globally?
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This paper investigates the development and importance of feminist foreign policy principles within India’s foreign policy framework. While India has not officially embraced an FFP, gender mainstreaming initiatives in its foreign and domestic policies have become increasingly prominent over the past 10-15 years. This paper seeks to analyze these initiatives, which have gained traction in recent years, to better understand their impact on India’s policy landscape.
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This ODI piece summarises a panel discussion on ‘feminist foreign policy vs. development: which way to social and gender justice?’ convened at the 2024 Development Studies Association UK conference. Feminist research and activism have shown that a global, coordinated response to the root causes of a polycrisis requires the transformation of the interlocking social, political and economic systems through which people are unjustly afforded unequal power and privilege. What role can, and should, FFP play in this response?
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We need community spaces in the women’s sector
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| What’s so feminist about feminist foreign and development policies?
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Equality Rights Alliance (ERA) will close its doors at the end of the year, after two decades of feminist collaboration and policy engagement. In this piece for Broad Agenda, its Acting Convenor, Madeline Clark writes that the agency's end feels both significant and predictable. She reflects on the nature of working in women's working in the gender equality space, which can bring both a sense of joy and isolation. Ultimately, she argues that building a sense of community is vital to achieving a sustainable feminist movement in Australia and beyond.
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In this blog for Germany's Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Paola Salwan Daher examines the trend toward FFP in Minority World countries, with Canada, Sweden and France among the first to officially adopt FFP. She unpacks typical approaches to FFP among these nations, broader critiques of FFP and the impact of FFP on local feminist organisations. She argues that countries adopting FFP approaches need to consider the demands and priorities of feminist movements and be willing to learn from feminist funds.
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The Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and the Aboriginal Elders of other communities.
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