ATHENS FORUM, Gender, Peace, and Foreign Policy: The European Perspective

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Anna Karamanou MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT President of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

I would like to begin my intervention at this important conference by quoting an excerpt from the article “If Women Ruled the World” by a male thinker of our time, Professor Francis Fukuyama, who writes: “It could certainly be predicted that greater female participation in political life would lead to a less violent world. While Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, was the female role model in antiquity, in today’s world women can play a pivotal role against militarism and in favor of peace.”

It is exactly these ideas that inspire the contemporary women’s movement, which calls for their voices to be heard and for women to participate in the planning and building of the future. Because we are moved and inspired by the vision of a balanced and demilitarized world, where people will live peacefully and resolve their differences through dialogue. The vision of a global governance and foreign policy that would reject and exclude violence and war as means of resolving conflicts, that would fairly distribute the planet’s resources and the benefits of science and technology, that would prioritize the quality of life, social solidarity, cooperation, and the creative coexistence of people. The vision of a world that rediscovers its unity and balance through the combination of the values, ideas, visions, aspirations, and priorities of both genders of humankind.

Today, women are absent from official international initiatives and decisions regarding war or peace. Women are absent from the UN Security Council and from international organizations. The exclusion of women from foreign policy forums and negotiations follows the exclusionary trends found in all decision-making centers on a global scale and is primarily due to traditional stereotypes, social prejudices, and discriminatory practices directed against women by those in power. This exclusion is certain to negatively affect the long-term sustainability of decisions, as the experiences, perspectives, and needs of 50% of the population are not taken into account. The worst part is that the overrepresentation of male aggression contributes to the perpetuation of a culture of violence and the inability to find solutions through dialogue and negotiations.

Honestly, every time the Middle East problem is mentioned, I wonder why they don’t entrust the Israeli and Palestinian women of Jerusalem Link to solve the issue, since the men have proven completely incapable of preventing violence and finding fair solutions through dialogue and compromise. Unfortunately, the stereotype of male power and force, often expressed through the disregard for human life, has a very high cost for international peace and prosperity. I deeply believe that peace, prosperity, and stability in the Middle East and other conflict areas can be achieved if women are given more opportunities to participate in all areas of economic, social, and political life, as well as in dialogue and peace negotiations.

Honestly, every time the Middle East problem is mentioned, I wonder why they don’t entrust the Israeli and Palestinian women of Jerusalem Link to solve the issue, since the men have proven completely incapable of preventing violence and finding fair solutions through dialogue and compromise. Unfortunately, the stereotype of male power and force, often expressed through the disregard for human life, has a very high cost for international peace and prosperity. I deeply believe that peace, prosperity, and stability in the Middle East and other conflict areas can be achieved if women are given more opportunities to participate in all areas of economic, social, and political life, as well as in dialogue and peace negotiations.

The number of women participating in the diplomatic corps is small, and they are usually assigned to lower-level positions. Women are not represented in the highest positions, despite the fact that it has been found that they use a different approach to international relations, seeking greater cooperation and compromise solutions. High-ranking officials on foreign policy issues and the relevant Directorate-General for External Affairs of the European Commission are predominantly composed of male staff. It is notable that the European Union has never assigned the position of the Commissioner for External Relations to a woman.

However, the promotion of gender equality is an important element of the European Union’s foreign relations and its policy of cooperation with third countries. In particular, the promotion and protection of women’s rights is an essential component of the human rights policies implemented by the EU. At the same time, legislation on equal treatment is part of the EU acquis, which third countries applying for EU membership or entering into agreements are obligated to respect.

Bilateral agreements provide the European Union with the opportunity to promote structures that ensure the equal participation of men and women in societies around the world. A key tool in the external sector is the fact that all bilateral agreements signed by the EU include a clause requiring the respect of human rights and the principle of gender equality by the contracting state.

Specifically, within the framework of the European Mediterranean policy, European Council declarations on the Euro-Mediterranean strategy and interministerial meetings, based on the Barcelona Process, always make special mention of the protection of women’s rights. (European Council of Feira). In the MEDA I (1996) and MEDA II (2000) regulations, there is an explicit provision for the protection of women’s rights and the promotion of their role within the framework of economic and social life, development, and education. In the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreements that have been implemented, there is a general clause on the respect for human rights and democratic principles, as well as specific provisions for the need to promote the role of women, particularly in education and employment.

The recent Cotonou Agreements, EU-ACP (European Union – African, Caribbean, and Pacific States), adopt the principle of participation in the development process based on gender equality. Article 31 stipulates that gender equality should be applied in all areas of political, economic, social, and cultural life of the contracting parties. Unfortunately, in practice, in many African countries that are parties to the Cotonou Agreement, where women contributed as much as men to the overthrow of colonialism, women are systematically excluded from reconstruction processes and continue to suffer oppression, discrimination, and are treated as second-class citizens. It has also been shown that educational and vocational training programs or financial credits are only accessible to men, while women face the most severe issues of malnutrition, poverty, illiteracy, and underemployment. More generally, there is a complete disregard for the needs of women.

It is notable that in the Mercosur agreements (EU-Latin America), after an assessment of the impact of economic agreements by gender, interesting conclusions were drawn, such as the increase in female participation in the lowest-paid jobs, the widening of gender-based inequalities in the labor market, etc. These findings prove that the EU should accompany trade agreements with gender policies that are fully integrated into the trade agreements, such as women’s access to financial credits, participation in trade delegations, setting minimum labor standards, etc.

PROPOSALS – POLICY MEASURES

It is a fact that the end of the Cold War has radically changed the nature of international relations in the EU: from a focus on defense, armaments, and diplomacy, we have moved to different areas of foreign policy, such as the media, human rights, health, education, the rule of law, humanitarian aid, the environment, trade, and demographic ratios, resulting in conditions that strengthen the participation of women in shaping international policy.

Gender analysis should automatically be taken into account in the design and implementation of policies outside the Union’s borders. The lack of training on gender issues has often led to misguided choices and interventions that do not recognize the needs of the majority of the population. To establish democratic and just societies in third countries, it is crucial, on the one hand, to carefully examine the aspects that concern both genders and, on the other hand, to establish specific mechanisms to ensure that all people—women, men, boys, and girls—can enjoy equal rights and participate equally in society.

Towards this direction, two key tools can be used: the legal protection of women’s rights and the establishment of national mechanisms for gender equality, which will encourage the participation and utilization of women’s potential in development efforts, as well as in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. When these two approaches are effectively combined, gender issues are addressed not merely as a separate women’s issue, but as a structural issue that concerns the economic and social development of the country and the securing of peace.

The goals of the bilateral and multilateral agreements signed by the EU should contribute to the participation of civil society and the integration of its proposals at all stages of negotiations and the implementation of trade agreements, as well as in the evaluation and monitoring of results, in order to improve the participation of women in the decision-making process. Unfortunately, the formulation of the EU’s trade policy, in particular, is not always done in the most transparent way, as it is conducted behind closed doors by representatives of the member states participating in the relevant body, the Committee 133, excluding the European Parliament and civil society from the process. As a result, the shaping of the Community’s trade policy is not always defined with criteria, such as addressing gender-related inequalities.

Through the Daphne Community programs, the fight against organized crime, particularly human trafficking that primarily affects women in Central and Eastern European countries, Cyprus, Malta, Turkey, and EEA/EFTA member states, is promoted. The aim of the Daphne program is to support the work of NGOs and public authorities that are active in the protection of women and children from violence and the prevention of violence in its various forms: domestic violence, sexual violence, and violence against minorities. The Daphne program has been recognized as an important cross-sectoral tool for combating violence and has gained international visibility. For example, at the Second World Congress in Yokohama on child sexual exploitation, many of the results achieved within the framework of Daphne were presented as examples to be followed during the plenary sessions.

Gender mainstreaming remains a significant challenge for the EU institutions, especially in the area of external relations. It is essential that the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission, in all their agreements—whether trade, cooperation, or aid agreements with developing countries—demand strict respect for human rights, particularly with regard to the rights of women and children, and explicitly require the implementation of gender equality policies. as a prerequisite for the signing of these agreements.In addition, the staff of the Commission and the member states responsible for areas related to international security and development should be trained on how to conduct gender analyses in the policies and agreements being implemented.

These policies, in the area of the EU’s external relations, should be accompanied by programs to combat serious issues such as poverty, illiteracy, mortality, difficulties in securing maternal health, lack of information on infectious diseases, combating all forms of fundamentalism, ensuring access to healthcare services, intensifying the fight against AIDS, the elimination of practices such as female genital mutilation, as well as other “traditions” that violate the human dignity of women.

It is crucial that the association agreements signed with developing countries and the Union’s regional strategies include provisions for the collection of statistical data and the systematic exchange and evaluation of information regarding the gendered impacts of existing and future agreements.

In order to increase the participation of women in the EU’s foreign policy, member states should encourage and, most importantly, institutionalize gender-balanced participation in public offices and government positions, hire more women in diplomatic services, appoint more women to delegations and diplomatic missions they send, as well as in official negotiations.

Women’s groups and organizations should be supported politically, technically, and financially. Practically, this means training women in leadership, conflict resolution, negotiation, and the conclusion of international agreements. It is essential that women are no longer seen merely as a vulnerable population group, but are recognized as agents of development and political power.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, in a recent statement, recommends that women should hold at least 40% of the total positions in missions focused on reconciliation, stability, awareness, social justice, and reconstruction. We are particularly interested in seeing what the participation of women will be in the reconstruction processes of Iraq and the future government. The Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities Committee of the European Parliament has already made a relevant intervention and has brought to the attention of the Secretary-General the Athens Declaration for Peace of March 31, 2003, where, among other things, we call for the establishment of an International Women’s Council.

Finally, I would like us to remember that the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing emphasizes that “women are increasingly established as central figures with various roles in the movement of humanity for peace. Their full participation in decision-making is crucial for the establishment of sustainable peace.”

Anna Karamanou – MEP (Member of the European Parliament)

eMail: info@karamanou.gr www.karamanou.gr

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