What would it take to have truly transformative feminist policy? In a blog originally posted on the Global Policy Forum Website, WECF e.V board member Gabriele Koehler discusses just this.
“In recent years, a number of countries have re-labelled their foreign policy as ‘feminist’ …. But what does ‘feminist’ actually mean? Women in all their diversity at policy tables? Development projects that are gender-sensitive and compile gender-disaggregated statistics? Gender budgeting? Attention to the gendered impact of policies– that policies affect women, men, children differently? Support to human rights, civil society and free media? Speaking up for defenders of human rights, women’s rights, climate rights?
Such sensitivities are necessary and very welcome, no doubt, but such commitments have been around in multi- and bi-lateral discourses at least since the MDGs of the 2000s. This is gender awareness, not feminism.
Feminism – I would argue – is transformative.”
Read the full piece and Koehler’s key feminist policy action points on the Global Policy Forum website.
Gabriele Koehler is a development economist, senior research associate at UNRISD and member of Global Policy Forum Europe e.V..