Gender-based violence has affected an estimated 736 million women worldwide, and ending it must therefore be a key aspect of a country’s domestic and foreign policy. Every year, from November 25 to December 10, advocates and governments around the world celebrate 16 days of activism against gender-based violenceto highlight the devastating impact of gender-based violence and the various efforts undertaken to end it. However, it is not enough to focus on 16 days or treat this as a national issue separate from global security issues. Using a feminist foreign policy lens clarifies this connection because it explicitly broadens the notion of security and focuses on gender equality as both a foreign policy strategy and goal.
Gender-based violence is not the same as violence against women and girls, although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. The term “gender-based” recognizes that violence is based on gender norms, control and unequal power relations. Although women, men, girls and boys can be equally affected, women and girls are among them the most affected. Worldwide, one in three women are victims of gender-based violence and this figure is even higher in fragile and conflict-affected environments. Girls are particularly at risk with 25% of adolescent girls reporting abuse from an intimate partner.
Gender-based violence has many aspects, such as rape, domestic violence, conflict-related sexual violence, early and forced marriages, honor killings, psychological violence and online harassment. One of these extreme cases has recently fascinated France and much of the world: that of Gisèle Pelicot, whose husband, Dominique Pelicot, was convicted of rape and drug abuse for almost ten years. He also invited dozens of other men into their home to rape her while she was unconscious. This horrific case is just one example of gender-based violence, which reflects underlying social norms and the human cost.
Acts of gender-based violence are among the human rights violations that reflect gender inequality and patriarchal gender norms embedded in our society. Gender-based violence exposes individuals and communities to increased instability and fragility, making it more difficult for women and girls to participate fully in society and public life, thereby depriving them of their talents and SKILLS. Gender-based violence has many negative impacts; it limits the earning potential of survivors, as they are often unable to work and prefer to be absent from work more often. This decreases academic performance and increases the financial burden of medical, legal services and moving expenses. This further results in increased physical injuries, disabilities and deaths (e.g. homicide, suicide, etc.).
Gender-based violence is also a foreign policy and national security issue because, along with all dimensions of gender inequality, it directly impacts and perpetuates social fragility, leading to the erosion of stability and security. Countries with high levels of gender equality are less likely to first use force in conflict and, conversely, those with high levels of gender inequality are more likely to initiate or to engage in conflict. Researchers argue that this is because social norms of equality tend to create conditions conducive to the use of persuasion and diplomacy, not violence, to resolve conflicts.
Additionally, gender-based violence slows economic growth from central to stable. Lack of economic opportunities often leads to political instability, as countries with higher levels of economic development have more stable security environments. Domestic violence – one of the most prevalent forms of gender-based violence – cost 5.2% of global GDP. McKinsey’s analysis mapped data in 95 countries, as in the “full potential” scenario, if women participated in their countries’ economies in the same way as men, global GDP would increase to 2.8 trillion dollars, or 26%, of global GDP. This is roughly equivalent to the combined economies of China and the United States in 2015. McKinsey also found “virtually no countries with high (social) gender equality but low gender equality in work.” Similarly, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates that in 2017, gender discrimination led to a loss of 7.5% of global income.
Despite this data, gender-based violence is often seen as a domestic problem with little impact beyond those immediately affected. Using the feminist foreign policy framework can change this perception and ensure that combatting gender-based violence becomes a central part of foreign policy and national security. Feminist foreign policy integrates the goal of gender equality into national security and foreign policy. This framework reexamines traditional approaches to foreign policy and challenges assumptions about international relations, power, security, war and conflict resolution. Some of these assumptions are sexist, including the belief that the human dimensions of security are secondary to geopolitics, which should guide foreign policy and national security decisions. Feminist foreign policy frameworks explicitly recognize that gender equality reduces conflict, builds more secure societies, and ensures that a full range of talents and contributions are used to solve problems.
Around fifteen countries have either a feminist development policy and/or a feminist trade policy. All are different depending on the context, but they share some key characteristics, including gender equality as a goal and strategy; an expanded definition of security; , the raising of diverse voices; and the desire to address historical power imbalances. Redefining what constitutes security is at the heart of feminist foreign policy, as the framework highlights issues that disproportionately affect women and girls and must be considered for a country to develop its policy foreign affairs and its national security strategy. This includes not only gender-based violence, but also other non-traditional security issues such as climate change, girls’ access to education, maternal and reproductive health and child marriage, which affect foreign policy of the country.
Feminist foreign policy means moving away from the traditional view of security, which is solely about defending state borders, usually by military means, to focusing on all aspects of human security. This expanded definition of security means more than the absence of conflict. It recognizes that human security concerns – people’s safety, climate change, natural disasters, persistent poverty, food insecurity and pandemics – are not secondary to ensuring stability and security, but are fundamental to it. Threats to human security are broad and often linked to economic security, food security, health security, environmental security, personal security, community security and political security.
For example, climate change is not only an environmental phenomenon but also a gender and security issue, highlighting the connection between a myriad of issues that are not traditionally considered important in the traditional security sphere. The UN estimates that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women and children, who are disproportionately at higher risk of gender-based violence. Women and girls face gender-based violence during displacement and in camps, where they are vulnerable to attacks, human trafficking and forced marriage. Due to climate shocks, girls are forced into marriage and are further exchanged for food.
“Bride price” is another example of how non-traditional issues affect security. Valerie Hudson and Hilary Matfess (2018) explained how the practice of the groom’s family paying a dowry to future in-laws has far-reaching consequences. This may prevent men from marrying, mainly due to the high cost, diminishing their societal ties, and increasing their likelihood of joining criminal or terrorist groups, in order to earn money for dowry, thus exacerbating the fragility of the State. For men in these societies, marriage is essential to community membership and the ability to have, as Hudson and Matfess describe it, a “meaningful voice in the male collective.”
In conflict situations, civilians are exposed to increased levels of conflict-related sexual violence. State and non-state actors target civilians through rape, gang rape and abduction, worsening an already fragile environment. Conflict-related sexual violence also adds to increased displacement and fragility, spurring competition for scarce resources. This link between conflict-related sexual violence and security has been recognized by United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and UN Security Council Resolution 1820.
By broadening the definition of security, most countries with feminist foreign policies emphasize the importance of women’s equitable access to economic opportunities. For example, Sweden and Canada have developed feminist trade policies, while Canada, France and Germany have reinvented development assistance from a feminist perspective. Feminist foreign policy is a means of ensuring that the human aspects of security are well understood as an integral part of a country’s security and foreign policy. In a world of constant change and challenges, it is imperative that policy makers consider the full context and all of the issues involved when making their decisions. Gender is not an add-on, but rather a key to understanding the myriad challenges we collectively face. Its integration is essential to ensure the deployment of the most effective solutions.
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