Chile, first South American country to declare a feminist foreign policy

The Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs, alberto van klaverenpresented this Monday its new Feminist Foreign Policy (PEF), which places Chili at the forefront by becoming the first country in South America to implement this strategy.

“Although the concept can generate doubts and even suspicions, the truth is that the basis of a feminist foreign policy is nothing strange, it is the conviction to achieve a more egalitarian world, which recognizes and promotes the rights of women and girls. , and duly represent the societies today”pointed out the foreign minister, who added about the importance of the participatory action of the countries.

The PEF puts the focus on gender equality as it states that it is “a democratic value and a principle that reinforces the image, status and recognition of the country”according to the ministry.

Regarding the text, Van Klaveren pointed out that it will be “a living document” for feminist foreign policy is about “a paradigm under construction that advances together with society and the challenges of the future”.

This initiative positions equality between men and women as a transforming element, both at the borders of Chile and in its international relations towards feminist cooperation, and they ensure that this declaration is a “key condition” for the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals, established by the UN.

“This policy is participatory; inclusive, because it seeks the benefits of all and all; transversal and intersectional, recognizing that inequality is not only structural but also is configured from the superposition of various factors”, he added.

The new policy seeks to advance in an internal sense, where the importance of women’s participation in decision-making has been highlighted, and also, in an external perspective, where coordinated action is promoted with “defined objectives and measurable results”.

“We are facing a task that calls upon all of us because we know that gender inequality severely limits the potential for growth and development of societies”declared Van Klaveren.

In March 2022, the Chilean president, Gabriel Boric, announced the development of this policy in order to establish the principle of equity and non-discrimination as an axis of the political work of the country.

According to the ministry, the president provided a “particular” attention in the process of appointing ambassadors in the country, allowing the number of women who carried out this work to grow, from 14 in 2021 to 27 in February 2023.

“Our country has been a pioneer in granting an inclusive look to international trade policy. We were the first country globally to incorporate gender and trade chapters in several of our treaties, seeking to open opportunities to expand the participation of women in international trade”declared Chancellor Van Klaveren.

In 2014, Sweden was the first country to establish this feminist foreign policy, three years later Canada followed, in 2019 France and Luxembourg, Mexico and Spain in 2021 and now, after Chile joins the list, Colombia and Argentina too. They have expressed interest in adopting it.

Source: EFE