Towards a Meaningful Change: Gendered Foreign Policy in Practice

Save the date for the online conference "Towards a Meaningful Change: Gendered Foreign Policy in Practice" under the auspices of the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Tomáš Petříček.

4. 12. 2020 (10:00)

Language: English ONLINE

The Czech Republic embraces international gender norms, but the path from formal approval to gender sensitive foreign policy is rather complex and complicated. This conference focuses on “the day after”, namely on the everyday and institutional aspects of advancing gender norms in practice, while it is also reflecting on the contemporary challenges of the global backlash on women’s rights and the gendered impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. What mechanisms, setups, or procedures can contribute towards a meaningful and visible change in the practice of foreign policy? The conference will be launched with a series of high-level political and scholarly interventions. In the following panel discussions, distinguished speakers from around the world will offer diverse perspectives on the issues of the advancement of the women, peace and security agenda, women’s empowerment and gender equality in development cooperation, and the international dimension of tackling gender-based violence and supporting sexual and reproductive rights. Far from treating gender and women’s rights as a nuisance, we invite you to register to the conference and submit your written or video enquiry to our distinguished quests.

Day 1 04/12/2020

10:00 - 10:15

Opening Remarks

Tomáš Petříček Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Michelle Müntefering Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, Germany
Moderator: Tomáš Dopita Senior Researcher, IIR Prague
10:15 - 10:45

A Keynote Speech

Gender Patterns in Ministries of Foreign Affairs: An Uphill Battle

Ann Towns Professor of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg
10:45 - 12:00

Advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda

The UN SC Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000, led to an unprecedented global spread of gender equality policies in the area of peace and security involving a total of 86 National Action Plans (NAPs) worldwide, including the Czech one. Yet, the 20th anniversary of the resolution is being overshadowed by a global backlash on women’s rights and the continuous lack of implementation of the resolution as well as the gendered implications of the global Covid-19 pandemics. This international panel brings together policy makers, academics and members of civil society with various backgrounds and experiences to debate the possible pathways for advancing the WPS agenda towards meaningful changes on the ground.

Jacqueline O’Neill Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security, Canada
Eva Tabbasam Policy, Advocacy & Communications Coordinator, Gender Action for Peace and Security, UK
Lena Kvarving seconded expert in the OSCE, Lt Colonel in the Norwegian Armed Forces and member of the Nordic Women’s Mediators Network
Nina Potarska Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Ukraine
Nina Bernarding Director, Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy, Germany
Moderator: Míla O’Sullivan IIR Prague
13:00 - 14:15

Women’s empowerment and gender equality in the practice of development cooperation: Who does what and how do we measure it?

Gender equality and women’s empowerment have long been established as norms of international development cooperation. While it is relatively easy to embrace these norms in official documents, it is not nearly as easy to put these norms into practice. This panel will inquire into what it means to work towards women’s empowerment and gender equality in the complex environment of contemporary international development.

Paloma Duran y Lalaguna Head of Division, Global Partnerships & Policies, Directorate for Development Cooperation, OECD
Maxi Ussar Strategic Planning and Gender Specialist, Director of JustImpact Consulting
Vanda Maufras Černohorská Sociologist in the Czech Women’s Lobby and former development practitioner
Michaela Marksová-Tominová Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Moderator: Tomáš Dopita IIR Prague
14:30 - 15:45

From empowerment to development: Exploring the link between the fight against gender-based violence, support for sexual and reproductive rights, health, and demographic transition in foreign policy

The viral spread of the #MeToo movement has helped to break the silence over gender-based violence and empower women and girls to affirm the respect for their bodies. Yet at the same time there is a global backlash on sexual and reproductive rights with profound consequences not only for women’s freedom, but also for the health and well-being of entire populations worldwide, which are further exacerbated by the pandemic. Indeed, there is an undeniable, yet controversial nexus between population growth and poor performance on other development indicators. This panel will explore the full length of this link between women’s empowerment and sustainable development.

Johanna Nejedlová Co-founder of Konsent, a Prague-based CSO dedicated to preventing rape and sexual harassment
Avni Amin Scientist in the Human Reproduction Programme, World Health Organisation, Geneva
Jana Hybášková Special envoy at the Czech MFA and former EU ambassador in Iraq a Namibia
Moderator: Ondřej Horký-Hlucháň IIR Prague

Opening Remarks and Keynote Speech

Advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda

Women’s empowerment and gender equality in the practice of development cooperation

From empowerment to development

Auspice

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

Topics and regions