Feminist foreign policy has become a global discourse and practice that aims to create a more equitable and just world for all. It challenges traditional power structures, promotes gender equality, and centres marginalized communities social and economic well-being. But what does it mean for Africa, a continent that has historically been robbed of agency within the domain of foreign policy?
Feminist foreign policy is gaining traction worldwide, with twelve countries having developed FFP, including two in Africa. However, the definition of FFP lacks the key elements of feminist principles that focus on interrogating power relations, rights, and intersectionality. Moreover, knowledge production on FFP has been dominated by the global North, while civil society organizations lead discussions on FFP.
Researchers without Borders in collaboration with Women`s International Peace Centre, African Feminism and FEMNET organized a webinar on March 7th, 2022, to explore feminist foreign policies (FFP) from an African feminist perspective. The objective of the webinar was to identify existing African knowledge on FFP and ensure that more intersectional gender justice work and anti-imperial approaches are incorporated.
The webinar explored how power imbalances are addressed within FFP and whether FFP can address human rights violations and ensure intersectional approaches to gender equality and women`s empowerment. The event also discussed how African feminists can influence policies more proactively and hold countries accountable for them.
Prof Toni Haastrup, a leading scholar in feminist foreign policy, argued that African knowledge on feminist foreign policy is critical in challenging ongoing coloniality and navigating a world where feminist foreign policies are proliferating but also facing strong backlash. African states and Africans are often excluded from the knowledge production on foreign policy, dominated by the West. However, African feminists have been thinking and theorizing about foreign policy, proposing a decolonial way of thinking that prioritizes African agency in determining their future within the international system.
But what impact does feminist foreign policy have on gender justice and transformation in Africa? According to Rosebell Kagumire, an African feminist activist and journalist, feminist foreign policy must go beyond the basic idea of gender equality and consider the complex mix of issues that African people must contend with daily. The COVID-19 pandemic and the increased militarization of the continent have highlighted the importance of global health security, the climate crisis, and migration policies, which are pressing concerns for African feminists.
Feminist foreign policy must uphold anti-imperial and anti-colonial policies that prioritize marginalized people, uphold racial justice, and ensure decolonization. African feminist movements must have agency and autonomy in shaping their own quest for liberation and freedom, and Western foreign policy should not be presented as a savior or the only solution to African issues. Instead, feminist foreign policy should be rooted in the protection of the rights of all people, including those of marginalized groups, and challenge existing power structures that perpetuate inequality and oppression.
Memory Kachambwa emphasized the need for African feminist movements to unite and explore the meaning of feminist foreign policy in the context of their history. She noted that African feminists have not had their contributions to foreign policy recorded, and therefore they must document their experiences as African feminists.
“The notion that feminist foreign policy is not African should be rejected, “ Kachambwa said. “African feminists should own feminist foreign policy and document their experiences to create their narratives. “
Foreign policy has traditionally been based on a capitalist and extractive model. However, African feminists can use the African feminist Charter and the Maputo Protocol as tangible tools to ensure that feminist principles are operationalized. African feminists should position themselves as innovators in the framing of feminist foreign policy, not just recipients, as they have been at the forefront of foreign policy in areas such as women, peace, and security.
