Towards a Meaningful Change: Gendered Foreign Policy in Practice

Opening Remarks

A Keynote Speech

Gender Patterns in Ministries of Foreign Affairs: An Uphill Battle

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.

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.

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.