Feminist Foreign Policy

Students from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia reflect on their impressions of the HBS study trip on “Feminist and Climate Foreign Policy” in Berlin, Germany and stress the importance of a vital civic society for the functioning of any democratic country.

An edited transcript of the international debate “Do You Feel Safe?”, organized on 23 November 2022 in Bratislava. This debate, facilitated by Zuzana Maďarová (ASPEKT), Weronika Grzebalska, a Polish sociologist, and Míla O’Sullivan, Czech researcher in international relations, discussed various gender aspects of security. The event was organized by the ASPEKT organization in partnership with the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Prague office.

Social and care infrastructure should be at the focus of reconstruction in Ukraine not only for humanitarian reasons but also to avoid a backlash into traditional gender roles. An Interview with Galyna Kotliuk, coordinator of Heinrich Böll Stiftung’s Gender democracy Program in Ukraine.   

Referring to the low number of female Slovak ambassadors, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that Slovakia has a “historical and institutional debt”. She adds that the new board vowed to address the situation. A more transparent selection process or even a gender audit are a way to do that.

Two years ago, Spain, like France, Canada and Germany, subscribed to the principles of feminist foreign policy. Lorea Arribalzaga Ceballos, Spain's ambassador to Slovakia, argues that without strengthening equality within its own diplomatic ranks, it would be impossible for Spain to promote gender equality externally.

War and armed conflict almost always go hand in hand with sexual violence – rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage. On occasions when it seems pertinent, such as in the context of the current war in Ukraine, politicians and the media talk about the issue and condemn the violence, but their rhetoric is short on substance.

Despite the high number of rapes, the judicial progress that has been made, and the judgements passed by international, national and local courts, most of the affected women are still far from receiving compensation, reparations, or recognition as a victim.