Feminist foreign policy begins at domestic. Because in Germany, the genders are not represented on an equal footing in the relevant institutions, with Only about 16 percent of the management positions in foreign missions of the Federal Republic of Germany are held by women. At the same time, paragraphs 218 and 219 of the criminal code in this country still have the right to self-determination of women-in wardrobes. This must change if Germany is serious about wanting more international responsibility for peace and human rights. Because the patronizing abuse is an expression of Patriarchal power.
The situation is still disastrous: Already in 2007, a United Nations report showed that, worldwide, 163 million women are missing. Reasons for the high maternal and child mortality, violence against women, selective abortion of female fetuses, and high suicide rates. Infanticide of girls, and preferred medical care and better nutrition of young cause it will be 2020 in China and India, 40, or 30 million more men than women. In more than 90 countries, there is no law that prohibits marital rape. And in 2019, less than 25 percent of all Parliament worldwide are held by women.
peace, equality means peace
scientific studies have shown that States act in the more peaceful, the more equal women are in it. And governments, actively working to ensure that all genders have the same rights and opportunities, lead to less war. In addition, States in which physical violence against women is rare and punished to keep, rather to international agreements and better relations to have neighbouring countries. Peace agreements have a higher probability of longer, when women have helped to shape the previous negotiations because they appeal to often the aspects that go beyond the immediate cease-fire negotiations and distribution of power.
analyses come to the conclusion that the position of women in society says more about how peaceful a state is, as the level of Democracy or the prosperity index.
The explanations for this are complex, and to find both in evolutionary biology, psychology and peace and conflict research. One of these reasons is that Patriarchal structures between “us” – so-called own groups (for example men) and “other” – so-called foreign groups (for example women) to distinguish. The foreign group will not be recognized as equal and violence and exclusion are suppressed.
The discrimination of women in an environment in which violence and domination is an effective and legitimate Option is, his own interests creates. What is happening in the small, national context, is the measure of what is true at the international level, as appropriate. The sooner the companies who are ready to women, the more violence compared to other States is seen as a valid option.
Structural discrimination
That women and other political minorities still have little influence on foreign policy decision-making processes, is the expression of a structural discrimination. The absence of women, their perspectives and security needs are a reason why the Belief holds on the international level, dominance and military strength will lead to greater security and peace. In the result of the refinement of political structures that maintain inequality upright.
but How to recognize the causes of complex conflicts and the safety of all is ensured, if half of the population is excluded from decision-making processes? If security needs vary depending on gender.
Nina Bernarding.Photo: Waleria Schüle
Here, the feminist comes to foreign policy. But what it involves in concrete terms? First and foremost, it means acknowledging that structural inequalities exist, and that violence against and discrimination of women and other “foreign groups” are the expression of Patriarchal structures.
In the second step must aim a feminist foreign policy to eliminate these structural inequalities, active and norms, laws and traditions to overcome, the foreign groups. Taking into account that political decisions can affect people differently, depending on factors such as Gender, age, and skin color – and that multiple forms of discrimination overlap, creating new forms of discrimination may arise.
This means that a government, through its foreign policy seeks to strengthen the rights of women and political minorities. Especially those rights that the family Affairs such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and custody rules. A feminist is a foreign policy to ensure that women have the same opportunities and resources, social decision-making processes involved in shaping them. And she fights against sexual violence. In the context of development cooperation will be prioritized in addition, the improving global maternal health, and equal education.
Kristina Lunz.Photo: Frédéric Schwilden
A feminist security policy in real political discourse speaks to the prevailing assumption that secure States do not automatically lead life to safe people. The formula “More guns means more safety” rejects and relies on demilitarization.
gender equity for peace
but Above all, the feminist aims of foreign policy to overcome the division into in-group and out-group. Instead of differences, and to draw a divide between social groups, she emphasizes the similarities of all people. Instead of dominance and control it is based on cooperation and equality.
not Much suggests that the future conflicts take place between cultures, but between the countries which recognise all genders as equal and those who continue to be drawn from gender injustice. The voices multiply, the policy of the European Union before the next elections to the European Parliament, a feminist on the outside. It is time for Germany to follow suit.
to transform foreign policy must be focused on the relationship between the sexes is fundamentally different. The only way the foundations can be laid for a safer international System with no real gender justice, there will be no sustainable peace.
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Elisabeth Binder Laura Hofmann
Nina Bernarding and Kristina Lunz are the Director of the “Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy”.
