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Swedens Feminist Foreign Policy Examples From Three Years of Implementation
Swedens Feminist Foreign Policy Examples From Three Years of Implementation
Why does Sweden pursue a feminist foreign policy? How have follow-ups and results assessments
Systematic subordination is still commonplace for been conducted?
countless women and girls all over the world. Sweden, Implementation and follow-up of the feminist foreign
which wants to see an end to discrimination, is pursuing a policy is based on the Swedish Foreign Service action plan
feminist foreign policy, and is the first country in the for feminist foreign policy 2015–2018,1 in which objectives
world to do so. Recent years have unfortunately involved 1–6 apply to the Foreign Service’s external work, while
new setbacks for global gender equality efforts and objective 7, added in 2017, applies to its internal work.
women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of their human rights, The action plan has been incorporated into the Foreign
making feminist foreign policy more important than ever. Service operational plan, making both continuous and
This policy is an agenda for change to strengthen the annual follow-ups possible. The Foreign Service has carried
rights, representation and resources of all women and out a mid-term review of the action plan, comprising
girls, implemented by the Swedish Foreign Service internal and external consultations conducted by
integrating a gender perspective in all its activities. departments and missions abroad in different regions
forming ‘360-degree teams’ around each one of the six
What steps has the Swedish Foreign Service taken? external objectives. Members of the teams then assessed
Continuous strategic analysis, alliance-building and what they considered to be the most significant changes
advocacy have been important tools for the Foreign and results in their areas of responsibility during 2014–
Service. Implementing this policy has also required 2016. This report is largely based on this process, but also
systematic internal efforts characterised by four compo- on other internal and external consultations conducted
nents: leadership, ownership, governance and support. both before and after this time. The following pages
Leadership has been clear and consistent from the begin- contain examples of these observations from October
ning, spreading quickly from political level to other 2014 to October 2017 under each of the seven objectives.
management levels. Some managers are participating in a
special Gender Coach programme.
Ownership was established when Foreign Service manage-
ment invited all staff to contribute their thoughts on these
efforts. The response was considerable and was used as
the basis for an action plan.
Governance has taken place since November 2015 through
the Foreign Service’s action plan for feminist foreign
policy, which has been incorporated into regular gover-
nance and updated annually.
Support has been provided by a coordination function
assisting with communication, training and skills
development in consultation with focal points at all
departments and missions abroad.
1
http://www.government.se/information-material/2017/02/swedish-foreign-service-action-plan-for-feminist-foreign-policy-20152018-including-fo-
cus-areas-for-2017/
• Taken action to strengthen the human rights of women • Pursued the implementation of the EU Action Plan on
and girls who are refugees or migrants. For example, Human Rights and Democracy 2015–2019 by high-
Sweden has used multilateral and bilateral meetings to lighting the equal rights of women and girls in Council
emphasise the link between displacement and migra- conclusions and other central policy documents that
tion and the increased risk of human trafficking, guide the EU’s external relations.
prostitution, sexual and gender-based violence, and the
lack of access to SRHR and health care, water, sanita- • Increased the focus on gender equality and the full
tion and hygiene. Sweden has also successfully taken enjoyment of human rights by all women and girls
• Collaborated with the International Criminal Court • Led the international ‘Call to Action on Protection
(ICC), its chief prosecutor and bilateral actors to from Gender-based Violence in Emergencies’ initiative
combat the occurrence of, and impunity for, sexual and that brings together countries and organisations to
gender-based violence in conflicts. These efforts aim to prevent and improve protection against gender-based
strengthen national capacities to investigate and violence in humanitarian emergencies. As Lead of
prosecute such violence. In line with this, Sweden and the Call to Action, Sweden assisted in 17 new members
Botswana were responsible in 2014–2016 for facili- joining and, together with the previous 50 members,
tating experience exchange on investigating and making 310 commitments within the framework of the
prosecuting crimes under the ICC Statute. In 2016, the Call to Action Road Map. For example, the OECD
work involved facilitating interaction between actors at Development Assistance Committee (DAC) committed
regional, national and international level. Issues to improving its data collection, while the UN Office
• Pushed for both the EU and other states to accede to • Carried out broad efforts to combat sexual or other
and implement the Council of Europe Convention exploitation of children, including by supporting
on preventing and combating violence against women organisations such as UNICEF, engaging in dialogue
and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). with the tourism sector, and carrying out targeted
measures to prevent child abuse by Swedes abroad,
• Supported civil society organisations and other actors such as in South-East Asia. For example, the reopened
involved in combating gender-based violence through, Swedish Embassy in Manila has received special
for example, support centres for vulnerable women, resources to combat Nordic citizens’ abuse of children
telephone helplines, legal support for victims of in the country.
domestic violence, work with perpetrators and political
advocacy. These efforts have been carried out in a
number of countries, including Georgia, Russia
and Turkey.
Read more:
http://www.government.se/government-policy/feminist-foreign-policy/
http://www.government.se/information-material/2017/02/swedish-foreign-service-action-plan-for-feminist-foreign-poli-
cy-20152018-including-focus-areas-for-2017/
http://www.swemfa.se/theme/feminist-foreign-policy/
http://midwives4all.org/