A feminist foreign policy for the European Union?

Some EU member states - such as Sweden or France - have declared to pursue a Feminist Foreign Policy. In June 2020, the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy released a report, commissioned by the Greens/EFA in the European Parliament, in which it argued for “A Feminist Foreign Policy for the European Union”. Among other things, such a Feminist Foreign Policy calls for a feminist political economy - denouncing unjust effects of neo-liberal policies -, disarmament, reversing militarisation, and prioritising human security and the climate crisis. These demands appear to be - at least - in tension with some of the EU’s recent policy proposals and practices such as in migration or security and defence.
During this event Hannah Neumann, MEP, Roberta Guerrina and Michelle Pace will explore what a Feminist Foreign Policy for the EU could or should look like, reflect upon how current developments in EU foreign and security policy speak to the idea of a Feminist Foreign Policy and discuss its potentials and pitfalls.
Chair: Hanna L. Muehlenhoff
About the speakers
Hannah Neumann, Member of the European Parliament for the Greens/EFA, is rapporteur on the opinion of the report ‘A Feminist Foreign Policy for the European Union’. She is Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) and Member of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) in the European Parliament. She recently launched the #SHEcurity campaign.
Roberta Guerrina is Professor of Politics and Director of the Gender Research Centre at University of Bristol. She is an expert in EU gender politics and policies. She is interested in understanding the impact of gender (hierarchies) on key policy areas traditionally seen as gender neutral, such as Brexit, Security and Defence. Currently, she is working on the unintended gender consequences of the UK's withdrawal from the EU. She has published in the area of Brexit; Women, Peace & Security; work-life balance; Identity politics and the idea of Europe.
Michelle Pace is Professor in Global Studies at the Department of Social Sciences and Business at Roskilde University, Denmark. Her research interests include EU-Middle East relations, migration studies, emotions in international relations, human rights and identity politics. She is currently Danish Lead Partner on the SIRIUS EU H2020 project (on Skills and Integration of Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Applicants in European Labour Markets, 2018 - 2021, www.sirius-project.eu/) as well as on the EU-Middle East Network in Action (EUMENIA), a Jean Monnet Network: eumenia.eu/.