Spain: PM Sánchez Presents Feminist Foreign Policy Guide

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presented this week the Feminist Foreign Policy Guide – an initiative that seeks to provide a cross-cutting gender approach in all areas of foreign policy. Pedro Sánchez stressed the need to achieve a “far-reaching structural and institutional culture change that guarantees the participation of women at all levels, with equal representation and decision-making power”.

The policies of the Government of Spain in the fight against gender-based violence, the eradication of violence and discrimination, and the empowerment of women and girls, are pioneering at an international level, according to the Spanish government. In this regard, the new Guide includes five priority lines of action: women, peace and security; violence against women and girls; human rights; the participation of women at a decision-making level; and economic justice and empowerment.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez highlighted that feminist foreign policy is “a policy of actions” that will contribute to moving towards real and effective quality. “We will not turn our backs on the prevention and prosecution of such criminal offences as the trafficking of women and girls, or sexual violence in conflict areas and in humanitarian situations”.

The event included the participation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Arancha González Laya, and speeches by Madeleine Albright, the former United States Secretary of State; Federica Mogherini, the former High Representative of the European Union; Fuencisla Clemares, CEO of Google Spain; and Mabel Lozano, actor and activist.

During her speech, Madeleine Albright congratulated the Sánchez and the minister “for their commitment to the integration of women in all spheres of the foreign policy action plan. What you are doing has a name; it is called leadership. Thanks to your vision, Spain has become a benchmark of excellence and inclusion that can serve as a model for governments around the world”.

For her part, Federica Mogherini pointed to the importance of the cross-cutting approach of the Guide to achieve a real impact on women and the empowerment and participation of women in projects at all levels.

Fuencisla Clemares underlined that if men and women could join the job market under equal conditions, the positive impact would amount to 15% of GDP and create more than 2.3 million jobs. She added that, in the wake of the pandemic, digitalisation will be fundamental, “I have absolutely no doubts that the technology sector will provide a great opportunity for women”.

Mabel Lozano highlighted the government’s initiative to fight the trafficking of women and girls in countries across the globe.