Fourth Ministerial Conference on feminist foreign policy

The rights of women and girls and gender equality: a universal imperative

The 1995 Beijing Declaration and United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 established the bases for collective commitment to ensure women’s rights, boost women’s empowerment and their participation in public life, and eliminate violence against women. However, progress is not being made fast enough. According to UN Women, it would take almost 300 years to achieve true equality, if current trends continue.

Today still, gender inequalities remain structural, systemic and profoundly rooted around the world. They have catastrophic consequences on the lives, freedoms and dignity of millions of women, men, girls and boys. The increasing number of crises and the undermining of legal and political achievements, as well as of international law, contribute to the persistence and even deepening of these inequalities.

But the rights of women and girls are universal, indivisible and inalienable. Their defence is an essential condition for just, inclusive, peaceful and sustainable societies, where fundamental freedoms are guaranteed for one and all. The international environment, experiencing a rise in anti-rights movements, requires greater international mobilization.

Feminist foreign policy: a lever for global transformation

This is why France was among the first countries to officially adopt a feminist foreign policy in 2019, making women’s rights and gender equality a priority. Today, some 15 countries share this commitment, such as Spain, Mexico, Liberia, and Mongolia.

Having a feminist foreign policy involves promoting gender equality as a priority, in all fields of foreign policy (peace and security, development, democratic governance, humanitarian action, trade, culture, health, education and more). All forms of diplomatic, bilateral and multilateral action, as well as consular activities, are concerned.

Set out in France’s International Strategy for a Feminist Foreign Policy, launched on 7 March 2025, French feminist foreign policy reiterates France’s historic priorities such as promoting equality in and through education and fighting all forms of inequality and violence. It strengthens the protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights, a cornerstone of its action, and builds new priorities, placing gender equality at the core of its response to contemporary challenges (digital technology, climate, etc.) and to crises and conflicts.

The aims of the Fourth Conference on feminist foreign policy: resist, unite, act

In this framework, the Fourth Ministerial Conference on feminist foreign policy aims to strengthen and expand international coalitions, which are essential to preserve women’s rights and spur new progress for gender equality. It is the only multilateral mobilization event on women’s rights outside of the United Nations, initiated by Germany in 2022, then hosted by the Netherlands in 2023 and Mexico in 2024.

The Conference will bring together committed States, that have adopted a feminist foreign policy or are particularly active in promoting gender equality, and representatives of international organizations, development banks, civil society and particularly feminist organizations, the research world, and philanthropic organizations.

The Conference will alternate between plenary sessions and multi-stakeholder round tables, with the aim of producing tangible commitments that foster consistent, coordinated action within the international ecosystem.

• The four ministerial sequences in plenary format will explore new priorities of feminist foreign policy, in a changing world. They aim to pave the way for new forms of multi-stakeholder mobilization, to take action against the blockages and regressions currently occurring, and enshrine feminist foreign policy as a geopolitical tool;
• Round tables will provide opportunities for small-format discussions on the issues where States, international organizations, civil society and philanthropic organizations work together, with the aim of advancing feminist foreign policy in all these areas. High-level institutional representatives, civil society and experts from all fields will have an opportunity to contribute with a view to identifying new means of tangible action in support of gender equality.