Traffic light coalition: Baerbock wants an ambassador for feminist foreign policy

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) wants to focus her house’s policies more on women and marginalized groups. Among other things, she wants to be an ambassador for feminist foreign policy appoint, as announced on Monday.

According to “Spiegel”, Baerbock left a 41-page draft paper entitled “Guidelines for Feminist Foreign Policy”. It says: “The ambassador will ensure the mainstreaming of feminist foreign policy.” You will be assigned a task force that has existed since last year. In addition, there should be contact persons for feminist foreign policy in all departments of the Federal Foreign Office and in all German missions abroad.

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Baerbock wants to present new guidelines: More women should come into top jobs

Baerbock wants them guidelines Officially presented at the beginning of March. Six of them are aimed at working in the foreign service and six more at foreign policy action. The draft emphasizes that feminist foreign policy is not a policy by women for women. Rather, she campaigns for everyone “who is pushed to the fringes of society because of gender identity, origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or other reasons”.

the greenpolitician had repeatedly been accused in the past few months of paying too little attention to the concerns of women, despite statements to the contrary. Critics complained that Baerbock reacted too quietly and too slowly to the protests in Iran, which were largely carried out by women and girls.

Also read: Protests in Ran – what exiled Iranians in Germany think

Baerbock declares war on sexism in the Federal Foreign Office – “no place”

In the foreign office A number of things are about to change as well: Among other things, there are plans to increasingly fill management positions in Germany and abroad with women. So far, only about a quarter of the diplomatic missions abroad are headed by women. The head office in Berlin is still male-dominated. Baerbock also declares war on sexual harassment and sexism in her own house: “You have no place in the foreign service.” With her guidelines on feminist foreign policy, the minister is implementing a requirement of the coalition agreement.

Baerbock had a heated exchange of blows with CDU leader Friedrich Merz in the Bundestag last year about the meaning and benefit of a feminist foreign policy delivered. The leader of the opposition said during the deliberations on the 100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr:

Baerbock strengthens feminist foreign policy: praise comes from the coalition

“You can make feminist foreign policy, feminist development aid policy, but not with this budget for the Bundeswehr.” Baerbock replied, referring to mass rapes during the Bosnian war, that modern security policy also need a feminist perspective in the 21st century. “It’s not gibberish, it’s up to date.”

The foreign policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group, Nils Schmid, welcomed the minister’s plans on Monday. It is important to put the preparatory work into practice, said Schmid in an interview with our editors. “We know that in many conflicts, women are not only the main victims, but can also make an important contribution to solving conflicts.”

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