"We Must Be the Authors of the History of Our Age"
Photo Credit: Levi Guzman (Unsplash)
This week, world leaders honored the first woman to hold the role of U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. She passed away at the age of 84 on March 23, 2022. As the child of Czech refugees who fled oppression and violence during World War II, she was keenly aware of the power of warmly welcoming newcomers to the United States. In 2012, when President Obama awarded Albright the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he told this story: “Once, at a naturalization ceremony, an Ethiopian man came up to her and said, ‘Only in America can a refugee meet the Secretary of State.’ And she replied, ‘Only in America can a refugee become the Secretary of State.’” Diverse perspectives are paramount to creating inclusive foreign policies. Why does gender inclusion matter in international affairs? Sweden has the answer.
"Put on your gender glasses."
Most governments have "gender-blind foreign policies." To some, this promotes equality, but others believe the approach fails to achieve equity because the policies do not acknowledge systemic issues and discrimination. "Feminist foreign policies," however, are created to directly confront the challenges women face. In 2018, the Swedish government published a policy handbook, potentially encouraging other nations to follow suit. To date, only a few nations have adopted Sweden's model or suggested similar forthcoming plans. France, Canada, and Mexico are in that small contingent of countries. Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde told The New York Times, “What we always say is, ‘Where are the women? Put on your gender glasses. And if you have a systematic feminist foreign policy, you never take off those glasses.”
We all pay for inequality in foreign policy.
How have Sweden's changes in perspective positively impacted women? Let's take a look at trade, a field seldom examined for inequality. When Ms. Linde was Sweden's trade minister, she discovered that tariffs on women's silk blouses were six times higher than those on men's silk shirts. She said, “There was absolutely no reason or explanation for this.” As a member of the European Union (EU), Sweden cannot always sign its own trade agreements with other nations, but it can encourage the EU to consider gender disparities during negotiations, strengthening rights for women in all EU member states.
WIIS tracks key statistics.
In 2020, Women in International Security (WIIS) released a scorecard, detailing key findings about women in foreign policy. It revealed that national and international security fields are still male-dominated despite strides women have made in breaking glass ceilings. Two of WIIS's concerns are the decrease in the percentage of women heading think tanks (32% in 2018 to 19% in 2020), and that only one of 32 think tanks had gender-specific programming. But, on a positive note, WIIS found that the number of women experts working on foreign policy and security issues grew from 27% in 2018 to 35% in 2020.
Make sure girls know about careers in international relations. Have you heard of the Diplomats in Residence (DIRs) program? DIRs are U.S. Foreign Service Officers and Specialists who can "provide guidance and advice on careers, internships, and fellowships" to students and members of their local communities. DIRs are posted around the U.S. and you can use this interactive map to find one in your region. Consider inviting DIRs to virtual and in-person "career day" events with your local Girl Scout troops, schools, and other community and civic organizations geared toward helping girls succeed. And, if you know of a post-secondary student who is interested in interning with the U.S. Department of State, check out their brand new paid internship program.
Ready to celebrate women who changed history and shaped our world? Our next Bold and Bookish selection is Bygone Badass Broads by Mackenzi Lee! The colorful book showcases 52 trailblazers from around the world. Spanning the fifth century BC through today, "the book takes a closer look at bold and inspiring women who dared to step outside the traditional gender roles of their time. Coupled with riveting illustrations and Lee's humorous and conversational storytelling style, this book is an outright celebration of the badass women who paved the way for the rest of us." As an affiliate of Bookshop, if you click through to make a purchase, Girl Friday LLC earns a small commission.
The title of this issue of The Friday Brief pays tribute to Secretary Madeleine Albright. During her Senate confirmation hearing on January 8, 1997, she said, "to defeat the dangers and seize the opportunities, we must be more than audience, more even than actors, we must be the authors of the history of our age."