Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition white logo on dark blue background

Who we are

The Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition (AFFPC), convened by IWDA, includes supporters of feminist foreign policy working across diplomacy, defence, security, women’s rights, international development and other related sectors.

What is Feminist Foreign Policy

12 countries have committed to feminist foreign policy: Sweden, France, Canada, Luxembourg, Mexico, Spain, Libya, Chile, Germany, the Netherlands, Liberia and Colombia. While each country has its own approach, the AFFPC advocates for feminist foreign policy as a framework to understand and transform the global systems which uphold and perpetuate inequality – including patriarchy, colonialism, capitalism and others – in order to create a peaceful world where everyone can flourish.

Current State of Play

Australia’s current foreign policy framework aims to create a more “stable and prosperous” region, and identifies gender equality as a shared Australian value. However, Australia’s approach to foreign policy has traditionally treated gender equality as a secondary consideration. In 2022, the Australian Government made the important commitment to a First Nations foreign policy approach embedding Indigenous perspectives, experiences and interests into Australia’s foreign policy.

Our goal

Feminist foreign policy would place gender equality as the central goal of Australia’s foreign policy and be grounded in First Nations approaches and worldviews. It would be institutionalised across government and would be informed by, and accountable to, civil society, women’s rights organisations, and First Nations peoples from Australia, the Pacific and Asia.

Listen to our podcast!

IWDA is proud to present F! It! – a podcast bringing feminist and First Nations approaches to the forefront of foreign policy conversations.

Hosted by Gumbaynggirr/Dunghutti woman, Julie Ballangarry, F! It! explores the perspectives of the world’s foremost First Nations thinkers and feisty feminists. Their voices have been excluded from foreign policy conversations for far too long.

Learn more about F!It! here

Resources

Feminist Foreign Policy: An overview

From seeds to roots: Trajectories towards feminist foreign policy

Feminist Foreign Policy: Key Principles & Accountability Mechanisms

Submission on the International Gender Equality Strategy

Submission on the new International Development Policy

INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY EQUITY AND RIGHTS STRATEGY SUBMISSION 22 DECEMBER 2023 DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

AFFPC Issues Paper Series

Challenges for Feminist-Informed Foreign Policy: Militarisation and Australia's engagements via AUKUS and NATO

Who will Bell the Cat - Building Feminist Foreign Policy Routes to Facilitate Nuclear Disarmament

Gender Apartheid in Iran: Foreign Policy Responses

Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan: Foreign Policy Responses

FROM ECONOMIC GROWTH TO A WELLBEING ECONOMY: NOTES FOR A FEMINIST FOREIGN POLICY

Peacebuilding and feminist foreign policy

Gender and Poverty as a Feminist Foreign Policy priority

The intersection of Human Rights and Feminist Foreign Policy

“That’s a bridge too far!” A Feminist Imperative for Infrastructure Investment

A Feminist Approach to Australian Overseas Development Assistance?

Furthering LGBTQI+ Inclusion and Rights through Feminist Foreign Policy

WPS in Afghanistan: Betrayal and Renewal

GENDERING THE INDO-PACIFIC DIALOGUE: OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIA AND AUSTRALIA

FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES ON CLIMATE DIPLOMACY

INDIGENOUS FOREIGN POLICY: A NEW WAY FORWARD?

Find out more and get involved

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AFFPC Newsletter: Updates, Events and Analysis

September 2023

August 2023

May 2023

March 2023

December 2022

September 2022

July 2022

May 2022

March 2022

Core Group Members

Headshot of Julie Balangarry, Navanita Bhattacharya Anila Aftab Schroers Portrait of Bridi Rice

Julie Ballangarry

Navanita Bhattacharya

Anila Aftab Schroers

Bridi Rice

PhD Candidate

School of Government and International Relations

Griffith University

Director – Inclusion, Justice and Transformation

Tetra Tech International Development

Strategic Lead Gender Justice

Oxfam Australia

 Founder and CEO

Development Intelligence Lab

Jacqui True

Joanna Pradela headshot

Carla Wilshire, OAM

Dr Elise Stephenson

Jacqui True

Joanna Pradela

CEO

Migration Council of Australia

Research Fellow

Global Institute for Women’s Leadership

Australian National University

Director | Professor of International Relations

Monash University Gender, Peace and Security Centre

Director, Knowledge Translation & Equality Insights

IWDA

Headshot of Dr Christine Agius

Leanne smith

Portrait of Madeleine Flint

portrait of Melissa Conley

Dr Christine Agius

Leanne Smith

Madeleine Flint

Melissa Conley Tyler, FAIIA

Associate Professor Politics & IR

Swinburne University of Technology

 Executive Director

Australian Human Rights Commission

Production Manager

Development Intelligence Lab

 Program Lead

Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue (AP4D)

Portrait of Sarah Boyd

Sophie Hardefelt

Sally Moyle

Sarah Boyd

Sophie Hardefelt

Professor Susan Harris Rimmer

Honorary Associate Professor

Australian National University

Founder and Principal

The Gender Agency

Policy and Research Manager

ActionAid Australia

Co-convenor

  Griffith University Gender Equality Research Network

Liz Gill Atkinson

Dhanya Mani

Jack Hayes headshot

Liz Gill-Atkinson

Dhanya Mani

Jack Hayes

Martina Ucnikova

Research, Policy & Advocacy Coordinator

IWDA

 

Founder

Kate’s List

PhD Candidate

The Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, Australian National University

She Runs

 

James Blackwell

Grant Wyeth

Jacqueline Zwambila

Dr Joyce Das

Research Fellow (Indigenous Diplomacy)

The Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, Australian National University

 

Writer,
Contributing Author

The Diplomat

Strategic Advisor Strategic Partnerships

Ipas

Executive Director and Founder

Go Equal

 

Alan Behm

Hayley Cull

Hemanshi Kumar

Dr. Annabel Dulhunty

Director, International and Security Affairs Program

The Australia Institute

Deputy CEO, Engagement

Plan International Australia

Project Lead and Advisor

Missing Perspectives

Academic and development practitioner

 

Portrait of Alice Ridge

Headshot of Renee Cremer

Alice Ridge

Renee Cremer

Senior Research, Policy & Advocacy Advisor

IWDA

CEO

Young Australians in International Affairs

 

Endorsement indicates support for the broad objectives of the Coalition, but should not be taken to indicate support for every statement or position taken by IWDA or the Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition.

Organisational Members

Australian Council for International Development

Action Aid Australia

Australian Women's Health Network

Equalis

ANU Gender Institute

Emily's List Australia

Gender Equity Victoria

International Planned Parent Federation

Marie Stopes Australia

Migration Council Australia

MSI Asia Pacific

National Foundation For Australian Women

Monash Gender, Peace and Security Centre

Older Women's Network NSW

Oxfam Australia

The Equality Institute

Tetra Tech International Development

Women with Disabilities Australia

Women's Climate Congress

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

Go Equal

Exemplar

Plan International Australia

Results

Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA